Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-17
The REGISTER, AND KENYON and HARDING

tian Herald.
The REGISTER, AND KENYON and HARDING
The Des Moines Register is realizing
the truth of the oft quoted assertion
that declares, sharper than a s'erpent's
child This is case wherein two
separate and distinct bites have beer
inflicted. kenyon's wholesale endorse
ment of Harding is the latest wound.
II was preceded by a similar endorse
ment Of Ben Sdlinger for the supre nle
court from the same source. The stins
Of it lies much in the fact that the
Register brought Mr.. Kenyon out for
senator and fought a ha I'd and finally
a winning figh: for his election. How
closely the Register was identified with
The brokerage of future support in that
contest and the mortgaging Of state Of
ices that seems TO have been part of
the capitalization Of that organized
campaign is not of record; anyway it
MADE continued and fairly desperate
fight for its candidate and was prob
ably the weight that swung the sena-
torship to Kenyon. Now, with its back
TO the wall il discovers that the fleet
ing the zephyr Of summer is not more
incon"tant than the memory or
politicians and learns with King Lear
that the rude breath of winter winds
IS not more keen than mans ingrati-
tude. But it refrains from complaint
on the score Of forgotten services and
makes its protest on broader grounds.
It says:
Senator Kenyon knew as well as
ANYBODY in Iowa that Satinger ought
not TO go on the supreme bench ana
ne knows as well as anybody in Iowa
that Harding never should have been
nominated for governor and should not
be elected governor now that he is
nominated.
But Harding engineered the break IN
the L,afe Young forces in the legisia :
ture which resulted in the election OF
obligation was created that can not
be lightly ignored.
Why does Senator Kenyon come
back to Iowa and without the least IN
outry commit himself to the PROPOSE
ton that Harding SIS able, honest
fearless" when Harding is being I'M.
peached daily by dozens OF the pes'
| Informed republican newspapers OF ths
state as neither one Of the three!
WHY does Senator Kenyon come
| hack TO Iowa and without the least II
ruIrv assert that no one need lea'
| lax law enforcement during his admin
| istration." when it Is a matter OF pup
| lie record that the liquor men maze at
| organized fight for him two years ago
| and equally a matter of record ina
Iiuuor democrats went to the repupll'
| can primaries this year to nomina''
| him?
| Has Senator Kenyon ever found tn'
| I;uuor men fooliag themselves wv
wears in succession on the same man
The Register does not hold 1t agalns
| the senator that he gives a gcart'
| blanche endorsement to man "n'
used position on the state board o.
| education TO coerce a newspapers sup
port, and failing in that went out ant
| lied deliberately about what took place
| But even here the senator in MS yea
| for honesty in the public service. mish
have taken notice.
Senator Kenyon feels that he owes
Harding something, and he feels tina
| he must endorse the republican nom
inee, But we want to call the senator
| attention to the fact that 1t is recos
nizing Just such political obligation:
as these that leads to all the graft ant
| CORRUPTION in politics, and it is just suct
obligations as these that Mr.. Hughes i!
! saving over and over again he will no
| recognize.
| Senator Kenyon will find if he Is Il
hold his position Of influence in pup
| lie life that he will have have to stiffel
| his backbone a little when it comes II
| the personal solicitation of some OF hi
| friends He can not go on Indefinitely
| sending out carte blanche endorse
| ments for the Salngers and Hardlng'
of Iowa life and make his appeals 1o
| reform down at Washington ring qult'
true.
As between the Register and Sena
tor Kenyon the Register occupies thu
| stronger position. 1t has facts where
with to justify itself. AS matter O
personal obligation the Registers sup
port should, It seems, balance Mr.. Har'
dinr's sevice to Kenyon in the legisla
ture ThesRegister was for the Webb
Kenyon law in congress. 1t is for tn
prohibitory law in Iowa. 1t is as con
sistently against pootlegsins ins'u
Iowa as it is against booze peddiin:
from the outside. 1t has the goods OF
Harding in his record as an opponen
80 -.-.-:..t., legislation e the !egis
lature. It refused its endorsement t
Harding as temperance newspape
because the record OF the candidat