Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-27
HOMESTEAD PUBLISHER Ac.
d cusED OF GROSS vlLLiFIcA.
TON OF MEREDITH.
DIES MONIES BUSINESS
MEN RESENT INVITATIONS
eisree's Story Of Reception at Mere
dith's Place Of Business Termed
Exaggerated and Malicious BY Mine
teen Business Men Who Were Pres;
ent at Affair.

Des Moines, Oct. ~. - Des Moines
business men Of high standing, regard
less of their political affiliation. are up
in arms in behalf of f. T. Meredith
because of the attack made upon him
by James M. Pierce Of the Iowa
Homestead last week, in which ban
quet given by Mr.. Meredith at his
plant in June, 1914, was described IN
such way as to give tho belief that
the affair was Bacchanalian revel.
Many Of them were present. and
those who were resent the impiica-
ton that they would have tolerated
any such proceedings as those de-
scribed by Pierce. 81
Nineteen representative Des Moines
business men, including bank presfe
dents publishers, manufacturers, real
estate men--in fact, probably as repre-
sentative q list of Des Moines men OF
the highest standing as could be SEE
iected, and all Of whom were present at
the affair mentioned by Pierce. have
signed statement denouncing him
for his false account of the. dinner.
A majority of the signers are re-
publicans, and not all of them have
been supporting Meredith in the pres
ent campaign.
Text Of Statement.
I'VE the undersigned, citizens OF
Iowa and business men Of Des
Moines, without regard to our political
affiliations, wish to state that we were
present at the banquet given by Mr..
Meredith in honor Of the advertising
men who were his guests, and that the
statement circulated by j. NJ. Pierce In
the Iowa Homestead in reference to the
conduct Of those present is absolutely
false, misleading and grossly exag-
gerated, and view ish to further state
that we resent the action Of James M.
Pierce, who was also himself guest
this banquet, in maligning, villify-
ing and OBTAINING the character Of Mr..
e. T. Meredith. whom we have known
intimately for many years, both In a
social and business way, as high
grade man of clean habits, who stands
now and Aways has stood for right
living, clean thoughts and moral up
rightness during the many years OF our
acquaintance with him.
'sE3c. waterbury. president Water
bury Chemical Company.
''W. w. Sears, president Sears Auto
Company.
&C. s. walker, president Kratzer Car
rage Company.
~ M. Callander, vice president Cen
fury Savings Bank. . II ne
~. H. Blair, first vice president Des
Natives National Rank. NJ
wv. H. Burns. vice president Youn--
ker Brothers.
-. ID. Harbach. vice president =
Harbach e. Sons. ~
N. H. Polk, president Harry H
Polk Company.
walter st. John, general asen.
Equitable of Iowa. 81
"Henry c. Wallace, editor. Wallaces
Farmer.
"John Wallace, advertising manager
Wallaces' Farmer.
"W. J. Riddell, real estate and IN
vestments.
George G. Carpenter. manager Car
penter Paper Company.
"A, M. Piper, editor Peoples Popu-
lar Monthly.
"B. F. Williams. president Capltal
City Commercial College.
"Clyde L. Herring, Herring Motor
Company.
LEO E. Stevens. president Century
Savings Bank.
Earl r. Stotts, vice president Dodo
& struthers.
"T. P. sharpnack, Harrahi& Stewart
Manufacturing Company.