Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-10-24
SOME HARD QUESTIONS.

Hon. Henry Brady, for three terms
representative in the legislature
from Dallas county, has addressed
the following open letter to the Des
Moines Register:
Editor Des Moines Register: In IN
editorial in your issue of Oct. -, un-
der caption of Abusing Harding"
you state that you are surprised that
Harding newspapers are suggesting
that the Register is conducting a
campaign of abuse and misrepresen-
tation. You ask the question, cat
what point has the Register misrep-
resented and abused Harding?" and
assume this is an open challenge to
which any republican may reply.
| / served in the legislature with
Mr.. Harding, one term when we were
both members of the lower house and
two terms in which Mr.. Harding
presided over the senate and have
first hand knowledge concerning
many things which you have at
tempted to use to his discredit by
Misrepresentation. T also was able
to learn something of the ethics Of
newspapering during my legislative
service and want to say that if it is
true as you suggested editorially re-
Gently, that the Homestead should
be made the subject of a newspaper
convention inquiry, then the Regis
ter should be Investigated by grand
jury.
You profess to be greatly exercis-
ed over the insurance law passed by
the Thirty-sixth assembly and over
the possibility of its becoming mem
ace to the state unless administered
by Emory English.
| If this law is so perniciOus in
character why is it that the Regis
ter did not show up the danger at
the time it was under consideration
in the legislature?
| Why is it that the Register files
are so strangely silent upon this i'm
portant measure?g
is it because of the face that the
Register building had just been des-
troyed by fire and; the publisher then
was in progress of settlement with
the insurance companies?
Did that silence have anything to
do with the Register being able to
| collect $16S,0OO insurance upon a
i property. turned in to the assessor at
$4,000
| The Register editor must have
known at the time he attempted to
excite the state some weeks ago with
reference to Mr.. English's possible
retirement in the event OF Harding
election that the insurance commits
sioner's present term will not expire
until the end of Harding's term.
The Register editor must also have
known at the time he attempted to
convince the state of Harding's con-
nection with this law that he was
president of the senate at the time
and had no vote. If he were as vigi-
liant as he pretends he must also have
known that Emory English had more
to do with the passage Of this bill
through the legislature than any
other agency.
Was it clean newspapering to pub
lish part of mans record on any
matter of public policy without pub
fishing all of the record, as you did,
in the matter of Harding's temper
ance recorA of that part which APP
parently best suited your purposes?
Was it fair to the voters or Mr..
Harding for You to attempt to es-
tablish the false premise that being
absent or not voting is equivalent to
voting mo" upon measure?
Is it consistent for you to de-
nounce Mr.. Harding for alleged pack
ing of committee against the repeal
of the Mulct law while you were US
ing your influence. both editorial and
personal, against its repeal?
Is it square with the public, for
you to say as you have repeatedly,
that only wet democrats would vote
for Mr.. Harding, when you know, nr
have the facilities for discovering,
that he will get thousands of votes
from dry democrats?
You have been preaching recently
of newspaper ethics. Let me ask if
lit is according to the highest ideals
of your profession to drop the wori
of from the now famous Bishop
|Stuntz interview and then accuse
Harding of lying because he caught
you at the trick?
Was it fair to publish the Kelly
telegram as forgery and then fail
to publish the original telegram
which Mr.. Kelly was later compelled
to publish in his own paper and
which was exactly the same as the
one you denounced as a forgery?
Is it good newspapering to pub
y -