Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-11
MEREDITH CHALLENGES HAIR.
DING TO SAY THAT He NEVER
DRINKS LlouoR.
HARDING AVOIDS REPLY
MEREDITH HAS AFFlDAvlTs
in Joint Debate Admits Hun.
toon Letter-says Huntoon Was
Personal Friend-Says HubbeIl Was
Friend Of His Fathsr-hubbell Says
His Lawyer Told Him to Contribute.
'ecial to Times Republican.

opeSidl 10 1lmeS" republican.
Des Moines, Oct. lin a clash be-
tween Meredith and Harding at New
Hampton, yesterday, Harding prac-
ticaily admitted that he is not the
SANITY teetotaler that he had repre-
scented himself to be before chautauaua
audiences in Vinton and at Oakland
The Harding crowd had rung the
changer on Meredith's admission Of
having tasted champagne. once until
Meredith was goaded to reply. Then
came letter printed over; the name Of
NJ. w. Fitz and circulated in Hardings
interestc harging Meredith with at
tending Der party in Manson. Mere
dith arose before 5000 people at New
Hampton in a joint debate with Har-
ding and challenged Harding to tell
that audience that he had never taken
drink of Intoxicating liquor.
Harding ignored the challenge and
talked about paved roads. Then Mere
dith read affidavits, one from James
r. Gtllis. Of Mount Pleasant, who
stated that he had noticed Harding
drinking liquor at a steamboat party
Of insurance agents near Davenport,
saying: Isl
Mr.. Harding was not so drunk but
what he was able to navigate but he
was sufficiently tipsy to be silly, and
l was surprised and grieved at the
exhibition that he made of himself
upon said trip"
another from James NJ. Brockway, Of
Let's, former member Of the legisla-
ture, stated that Brockway had "ds
tinct recollections> of him at banquet
given in Des Moines where he drank
Intoxicating liquor freely and without
any manner Of embarrassment or hesi-
tation.'
Admits Huntoon Letter.
Harding. in the debate at New
Hampton. admitted having written the
letter to Del c. Huntoon, political
agent for the saloon interests. in which
he confided to Huntoon Il think there
is more of a feeling for me than we
at first> thought" He explained that
his confidential cooperation with
Huntoon as to his own candidacy for
lieutenant governor was due to a per-
eeaal friendship Of long standing.
HubheII's Contribution Explained.
When Harding explained that the
reason Hubell, millionaire, public utii-
ity magnate Of Des Moines, altho "a
democrat, had contributed to Harding's
campaign fund.- was that Hubbell was
an old friend of his fathers, Meredith
replied by saying that Hubbell had
told him that he had contributed to
Harding's campaign because his law
Ne, \ lSysoA ~ 10 n uN IrSh a
admits in the Register this morning
that he told Meredith that.
Can't Win the Hat.
At Bloomfield this week Harding was
interrupted in speech by Gardner
Smith, who wanted OWN the hat Of
fered by the Des Moines Register. He
asked Harding to sign a statement
that he had not drunk liquor during
the past six months and Harding re-
piled that he could not say that he had
not.
Meredith Denies Fitz's Charges.
Meredith's headquarters gave out a
signed statement today by Meredith In
which he says that the charges against
him in the Fitz letter are false. Fitz
had quoted Meredith in speech
patronizing saloon crowd. Meredith
denies let. Fitz had said that Meredith
attended beer party in Fits home
town Of Manson. Meredith says that
when he was there at a bankers con-
vention the visitors were all invited to
inspect Jack Dalton's printing plant
which they did and Dalton had liquor
served with no knowledge on the part
Of his guests that he was going to do
so, but Meredith denies that he par
took. Dalton is a wet democrat who
Is opposing Meredith and Meredith
suspects Dalton to have inspired Fitz's
attack