The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1916-10-05
Col. GardnaI's Opening"

from the rest cf the Democratic cam
pa,gn, had his own little opening" at
Chhlico'he on the 23rd. On this oc
caslon, the colone', who GIT his title
from Gov. Major, mad! a careful
ly prepared speech. Not being an
orAot b: writes out his speeches and
e tner reads or commits them TO mem
oy. He takes no chance on side
A 3hts. WHAT he says. he says de-
hoer4tely. There is no explanation
OF lmpulseiveness, # inadvettance or
or of m I'm sn;ary nervousness.
Under the circumstances We confess
to some surprise at the Gudner open
ing speech, especially with reference
10 his pet land loan law, Mr.. Gardner
assumes to have given this suit CT
close study, II that is true, he ought
to be able to answer objections to his
Law readily, clearly and satisfactorily
He does not do that. Ildeed, an in
telligent stranger, reading the Chilli
cothe speech, would promptly reach
the conclusion that Gardner does not
believe in his own land loan bill Not
now, at least. He may have thought
it at one time a good campaign card
among the farmers for use in cen
nection with the primaries. It did
work pretty well in that connection,
but that was before Judge Lamm un
covered it.
The Republican candidate for COVER
nor, asked Gardner a number oil i'm
portant and legitimate questions about
his measure. He didn't answer any
oil them fairly, for the probable reason
that he couldn't. Not without giving
his whole case away.
Judge Lamm asked Mr.. Gardner,
first Of all, where he was going to get
the million dollars TO start the state in
the loaning business, The coffin
manufacturer didn't ansser that direct
ly at all, but he said the state didn't
have any trouble getting a million dol,
lars for the St. Louis Exposition and
and three million for the new state
capitol. The people Of the state were
taxed directly for the first and issued
bonds and went into debt for the sec
ond. 1t is evident from this that Gar
duer proposes either to increase the
the farmers tax and get this money or
10 add to the debt Of the state, which
the farmer will have 10 pay later on,
for it's the farmers outdoor property
that pays the build Of the tax. How.
ever the colonel" following the trades
mans method Of putting his victim TO
sleep by means Of the installment plan,
says he would only use S250.000 each
year for four years, thus making it
easy. Surely Mr.. Gardner can't be
serious about a proposition TO replace
the slt3.OoO,OOo farm loans Of the
state and to meet the new loan de
mands which he himself pIetends to
loresee and want to provide for in ad'
dition, with a measly little quarter Of a
million dollars. He must be kidding
Us. But whether this money comes
straight or in installmeuts, i, comes,
NV or hereafter, in Increased tax S
frjm the .armers.
So the We important charges tha
this is a political measure, that it
the wa for the creation Of an unlimit,
ed number Of soft Jobs with inca culable
expense accounts that it is so coDsti
tuted that the banking powers Of the
state will naturally be prostituted,
through the agency established, to the
use OF primny and general politics,
that vast responsibility and a great trust
are given into unframed hands and
that a tremendous burden will be
loaded onto the farmer taxpayers. W th
no real relieI in compensation, Gar
dner makes no answer. He conlesses
BY evasion.
To the charge that the Gardner Law
Is a step toward single tax through the
exemption Of debenture bonds and it
consequent increase OF tax on land, HI
replies that the exemption is in th'
interest Of lower rate Of interest 10
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