Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-06-01

Answering correspondent from
Van Buren, county in reference to
Harding's campaign claim that he is
fighting bond issue of 100000. 900 for
paved roads Wallaces' Farmer very
calmly exposes the subterfuge, saying:
This is a most fragrant case Of mis-
representation for political purposes.
Mr.. Harding knows perfectly well that
the question Of bonding the state for
$500. 100000. to build roads. is not an
issue in the present campaign. lie
ought to know that until our state
constitution is amended the Iowa leg
isature could not bond the state for
500, 100000 if it wanted to. And to
amend the constitution requires the
favora bic action of two different leg
islatures and ratification by the peo-
pie No candidate is advocating any
thing of this kind. 1t is simply a de-
liberate effort TO play upon the pre1u-
dices of the farmers Of the state; alo
it is all the more reprehensible be-
cause in his career in the state legis-
lature. Mr.. Harding has never shown
very much sympathy with the interests
of the farmer. The writer has ap-
peared before legislatures for many
years past, advocating measures Of in
terest to the farmers of the state. Dur
ing much of this time Mr.. Harding
was a member. We can not now re-
call an instance in which we were able
10 get any help from him.
An illustration of Mr.. Hardings ut
ter insncerity is shown in a letter
which he wrote. under date Of May Is,
1916, to C. D. Cass, of Waterloo. Iowa
| Mr.. lCass is member Of the executive
committee of the Greater Iow~t Asso-
citation. We quote the following from
Mr.. Hardings letter: "a y.
"In many localities in the state. the
people are now grnvelingt thetroads.
While this Is not the highest type Of
permanent roads, yet it serves a very
good purpose. and is within the inan-
cial reach of a large number of COM
munities in the state. u. To state
it in another way. let the people Of a
given locality vote on the proposition
of taxes or bonds and if they can at
ford either or both, they will build the
roads,
From the foregoing, it Is evident
that Mr. Hardings attitude toward
road legislation is in entire harmony
with the attitude of Senator Allen and
Mr. Cosson. his opponents for the re-
publican nomination. Mr. Hardings
talk about the supposed effort to bond
the state is political clap trap, pure
buncombe.
The fact is that there is little choice
between Senator Allen, Mr.. Cosson and
Mr.. Harding, on the road issue. But
! there is a Very marked difference in
their records on other questions OF
vital Importance to the farmers of the
state. Mr. Harding is generally &C
cepted as the candidate of what are
commonly called the wet" interests.
His record as a member of the legisla-
ture is bad on the prohibition question.
He is being supported by those people
who believe in a wide open policy.
His political managers in most of the
larger towns are people who favor that
sort of policy His influence in the
! legislature has been against measures
in which the farmers Of the state have
been interested. He has usually be-
| friended the railroad and other corpo-
| rate interests. Senator Allen and Mr..
Cossnn, on the ether hand, have been
consistent champions of temperance
and anti monopoly legislation. Senator
! Allen has for years led the fight for
prohibition In railroad and antimo-
nopoly legislation, he has been the
most forceful friend the farmers have
had in the Iowa legislature. He has
stood as rock for the farm interests.
The farmers of Iowa have never had a
more faithful representative in the