The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-05-12
Review Takes Occasion to Write un
Meeting Which Was Held In
keokuk Last Friday
Night.
NO OCCASION IS FOUND
Article Says That keokuk Seems to
be Prosperous and Growing
and Has Criticism for
"knookers."

Under the caption "Eoua' Tax
League Died Aborning, the Meeting
called by Rev. J. F.. Sanders to Pro,
test Against the Manner in Which the
Universe is Conducted, Failed to Ac-
compl1sh it's Object" the Donnellson
Review makes some rather pointed
comments on the meeting which was
held In keokuk last Friday night. In.
cldentally the Review takes occasion
TO remark that Keokuk seems to be
prosperous and that the manufacturing
interests are growing satisfactorily. It
pays It's compliments to the persons
VINO can do much to undo what has
oeen done and block further progress.
The Reviews article is reproduced
in full here:
He who takes the wrong road must
make his Journey again." If the above
quotation be true, and we believe IL
is, the Rev. ]. F. Sanders Of Keokuk,
FORMER pastor in that city and would
be politician and candidate for the
once OF mayor, has another trip
ahead OF him, for he was evidently on
the wrong road when he called a
meeting for last Friday evening at the
court house in Keckuk with the avow-
ed object of forming an equal tax
league.
The Widows ct al.
the crowd assembled was large
and enthusiastic. Rev. Sanders called
the meeting to order in an eloquent
address, in which he depicted the
awful condition of Keokuk. brought
about principally through unequal
taxation. With pent-up emotion in
his voice he told Of the poor widows
who were bending over washtubs In a
vain endeavor to earn money enough
to satisfy the greed of the tax collec-
tor, while wealth and affluence
| laughed the laws to scorn and evaded
their just and equal share of taxation
We can't quote the Rows own words
but are endeavoring to follow his line
of argument.
| He told Of the poor retail merchants
Of that city who were facing failure
and famine; Of the unoccup1ed build
1ngs, and Of the deplorable business
conditions OF the city in general. No
one, he stated would move into Keo-
kuk under present conditions, and as
the city shows an increase in popl-
lation, they must be smuggling them
in after night from across the river
probably coming over on that d-in
dam. Anyway there is a limit to all
things, and the Rev. finally concluded
his opening address and a chairman
and secretary were selected and the
meeting was thrown open to discus
sion.
.-.- A Quaker Meeting.
For a time the meeting resembled
a Quaker assemblage when the spirit
was not working. At this juncture
Attorney Frank Ballinger arose to his
feet and made a motion to adjourn.
and same was duly seconded. The
spirit got busy about this time. and
several seemed anxious to get some
thing out OF their system, but as a mo-
ton to adjourn is not debatable, Mr..
Ballinger withdrew his motion so as
to give them an opportunity to unload.
The meeting then had the pleasure OF
listening to Mr.. Sanders. and the
poor washerwoman" again appeared
upon the screen. Right here, lest we
be misunderstood, We desire to- say
that no one has more sympathy with
the working class than ourself-we
belong to them-we have always
worked and always expect to 50 long
Of eating three times a day. and have
worked for several years under
great physical difficulties, but we do
feel that the poor washerwoman
stunt was over worked Friday night.
If the Rev. would dispose Of some of
his diamonds or take up a collection
and buy the poor widows, if they ex-
ist in fact, some electric washing ma
chimes, life would for them be easier
and more desirable, ana they. possibly
would be able to earn more MONEY to
ray more taxes.
Attorneys Frank Rallineer. Theo.
Craig, Hazen r. Sawyer DR.. CASTOR
and several business men whom we
did not know then addressed the
meeting and from the cheers with
which their remarks were received
by the audience, they must have
touched popular feeling We cannot
reproduce their remarks, but they
were along the line of loyalty to Keo-
kuk They asked those few who had
been misled to look for the motive
back of their leader, and produced
facts and figures to show that the city
was making satisfactory progress
along all lines.
City Is All Right.
In our humble opinion Keokuk Is no
letter or worse than any other city
in the state of similar size. Their
business houses seem to be prosper
GUS, property has increased in valus
in recent years, the manufacturing in
terests are growing satisfactorily, and
the only method by which this pros
porous condition can be continued
and increased is for its citizens to
rull together. On the other hand, 4
few Knockers with glib tongues and
a personality that appeals to the I'M
wary. who know not that "a flow of
words is no proof of wisdom can do
rluch to undo what has been done and
block further progress.
In conclusion we might say that an
equal tax league was not formed