Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-09-27
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR
GOVERNOR SPEAKS At EDEN
DISTRICT FAlE.
SAYS DRYs sEFoGGlNG
ROADS, THE REAL ISSUE
and State and Federal Aid For
Roads, Harding Describes as the
Paramount Issues Of the Campaign
Audience cry Small.

W. l.. Harding, candidate for gov
ernor on the republican ticket, invaded
Marshall county for the first time in
the campaign Tuesday when he argued
his cause before an audience OF not
more than $50 at the first day of the
Rhodes fair. The day was prepare
ton" day at the lair, and the attend
ance was small. altho the admission
was free. The fact that Harding was
to speak failed seemingly to swell the
attendance.
From platform that was swept by
a hard wind Harding talked for an
hour on the saloon issue. good roads,
bonding for roads, and federal aid for
roads. In casual way he touched On
the tariff.
"a Am So Dry" Sings Harding.
PrOclaimng his dryness. AMI
promising enforcement of prohibitory
laws if elected. he accused his OPP
ponentS of belonging the real issues
with the saloon question, and charging
them with not being true friends of
prohibition. His announcement Of
his stand on the liquor question ami
his judgment of his newspaper and
political opponents on the same issue
was only preliminary to his discussion
of the real issue" the road question.
He held prominently for the farmers
10 look at the DOGGY man of taxes for
roads, and described bonds for roads
as burden the state would never get
from under without taking the trouble
to explain that no proposal has been
made that would not allow each COM
munity or district to decide for itself
by vote whether it wanted to bond it
self for roads
He declared cement manufacturers
and road machinery manufacturers
We're back of the interest Meredith and
the Register and Leader were taking
in roads. Federal aid he described as
graft" and by animation he sug-
gested adjustment of the state high
way commission and a secession OF
road legislation.
Saloons Not His Issue.
Il suppose" said Harding. that you
have heard up here around Marshall
town that Harding is wet. Is there a
saloon issue in Iowa at the present
time? The last legislature repealed the
mulct law. That legislated the saloon
out of Iowa. In my judgment it has
been legislated' out forever. don't
| know any one who is trying to make
| the saloon an issue and keep it alive
and bring it back except few news.
papers and preachers.
Il know there are few who say it
is an issue. want to say that those
who are trying to make it an issue in
this campaign are not good friends of
prohibition. All the parties have agreed
that ii is not an issue. Nevertheless
| we find a certain element trying TO
| make ii one.
II promise you this. that II I am
| elected I will use all my efforts to en-
| force the laws, not only the liquor
laws, but all the laws. would recon-
mend the repeal of the statutory
| amendment, and if the legislature dis
| regarded the recommendation would
reconvene it and put the amendment
squarely up to it. I'd carry out the
party pledge.
Are Befogsine Real Issue.
Tn satisfied that the men who are
raising the liquor issue are doing so
to befog another issue. You can't
| make me believe that the Register and
Leader Is sinceSe in its fight in this
campaign. They are doing it not be-
cause they are against liquor and the
saloon, but because they don't want
taxpayers to know the real issue.
which is the road question. Whatever
assistance I can give as citizen or
officer I'll give it to help prohibition
| along.
When YOU talk about bonds for
roads you are talking about hanging
a debt around the neck Of the state
| that Il will never get out from under
II have no unkind feeling toward
preachers and others who passed reso-
lutions against me, for l know how
and where it started. It started in
Des Moines and Brother COwles,
| (publisher of the Register and LEADER
started it..
Hard Roads Come Too High.
THE road from the farm to the
market is the only road problem we
| nave left. If you have gravel You
can put gravel on your road. But II
you have to ship the gravel by rail and
| haul it five miles in wagons it will
cost $500 and up mile and there is
not mile Of road in Iowa that will
| stand that expense. You can use oil
on some of your roads. but mostly you
| will have to use the material closest
at hand and that is dirt. 1t costs toe
much to pave with cement or brick
New York is paying 800 mile q
year to keep up its paved roads built
with bands 3d..
Indiana has found that paved roads
| cost a lot OF money. There taxes have
gone up and the value Of land has
gone down.
an Minnesota there is an organiza-
ton Of 100000 farmers who are tryinf
to get out from under road bonds thai
they are trying to saddle upon Iowa.
Yes the real issue in Iowa i:
whether bonds are going to be ISSUED
to build certain classes Of roads"
Cement Gang Behind Bonds.
i Harding said he was lieutenant gov
ernor when an effort was made 4
II persuade him to go to Michigan to SCI
cement roads being built. He al
legged that he was offered pay for go
ing but he did not go.
II know some" he continued. "wh'
went on that trip who have been TO
bonded roads ever since"
He quoted Meredith as saying il