Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1916-10-25
PERTINENT FACTS
On HARDING FIGHT

Continued from first page.)
legged packing of committee against
the repeal of the Mulct law while
you were using your influence, both
editorial and personal, against its re-
peal?
Is it fair to attempt by insinuation
and innuendo to convict Mr.. Hard
ing of being a corporation tool be-
cause he voted for public utilities
measure when many or our most en-
inent and patriotic statesmen have
supported such measure as the
most feasible way of handling public
utilities? 49,
Is it square with the public, Mr..
| Editor, for you TO say as you have re-
lpeatedly, that only wet democrats
would vote for Mr.. Harding, when
you know, or have the facilities for
discovering, that he will get thous-
ands of votes frCm dry democrats?
| You have been preaching recently
of newspaper ethics. Let me ask
| if it is according to the highest
ideals of your profession to drop the
word of from the now famous Bis
hop Stuntz interview and then &C
cuse Harding of lying because he
caught you at the trick? If so then
would suggest that the legislature
has a new field for immediate action.
Was it fair to publish the Kelly
telegram as forgery and then fail
to publish the original telegram
which Mr.. Kelly was later compell-
ed to publish in his own paper and
a was exactly the same as the
one you denounced as a forgery?
Is 1t good newspapering to pub
lish anonymous rumors and ISLANDERS
as facts stating that you have them
on the authority of dependable
citizens?" If these dependable
citizens" are dependable why not
publish their names, Mr., Editor?
Why, allow me to ask, Mr.. Editor
is it that you have now discovered
the worth of James Brockway OF
Louisa county, when during the en-
tire session of the Thirty-fifth as
sembly you were denouncing him as
a reactionary and a blockhead be-
cause he refused as chairman Of the
house road committee to put through
a bill for paved roads?
Let me say in conclusion Mr.. Edi-
| tor, that you must stand convicted oil
| Injecting a manufactured issue into
the campaign. The liquor question
cannot for any purpose be brough;
honestly into this campaign. If II
were an issue you could not come in
| to court with clean hands. / was
working openly for the repeal Of tbs
Mulct law in the legislature while
you were writing editorials agains,
| it's repeal. What was accomplished
| in liquor reform was accomplished
not only without the cooperation oil
| the Register but what amounted tC
open hostility or worse, for 1t was
done under the guise of friendliness
The work has been done and the sa'
| Loon is gone to stay.
There is one more matter which
would like to raise and that is in re-
Ispect to the personal habits of the
candidates. You say that Mr.. Hard
| ing raised the question. | do no:
] believe any fair minded man will be
! lieve you. The first time the stats
heard anything of the personal hab-
! its of the candidates was when Mr.
Meredith made his famous confess
! sion as a wine tippler at Oakland
Since that time the Register and Mr.
Meredith have been bounding Mr.
Harding for a confession as to his
habits.
l have watched this campaign
with a great amount of interest and
as near as l can determine Mr.. Har-
ding has made a clean straight-for-
ward fight in as vicious and as dirty
| a campaign as it has ever been my
| lot to witness. ] am for w. l.. Hard
ing for governor and | take no bacN
seat for the Register editor or any
other man for being the "driest o.
the drys" and that means in persona
habits as well as legislative or edi.
torial record.
Yours Very Truly,
HENRY BRADY