The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-11-01
abusing Harding.'
Letter to the Des Moines RegisterO

newspapers are suggesting that the
Register is conducting a campaign OF
abuse and misrepresentation against
Harding. You ask the question, AT
what point has the Register misrep-
resented and abused Harding and
assume this 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 attempted to use to
his discredit by Misrepresentation.
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 recently, that the Home
stead should be made the subject of
la newspaper convention inquiry. then
/ the Register should be investigated by
a grand jury.
You professed to be greatly exercis-
ed over the insurance law passed by
the Thirty-sixth assembly and over
the possibility of its becoming men.
ace to the state unless administered
by one of the Emery English.
If this law is so pernicious in char
acter why is it that the Register did
not show up the danger at the time
it was under consideration by the leg.
islature? s,.sl IA i,. gaat 5lgs; t..,
Why is it that the Register flies are
SO strangely silent upon this import
ant measure? u i.s!I.,'-y II
Is it because of tile fact that the
Register building had just been ,des.
troyed by, fire and the publisher then
was in progress OF settlement with
the insurance companies? ss,s al
4 Did that silence have anything to
do with the Register being able to
collect $3.50 insurance upon a pro
perty turned into the assessor at
$55,00O? MI f..gss, H.. h.
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 re.
tirement in the event Of Harding's
election that the insurance commits.
sioner's present term will not expire
until the end Of Harding's term. H..
The Register editor must also have
known at, the time he attempted to
sonvince the state of Hardlngs' con
nection with this law that he was
president of tho senate at the time
and had no VOTE II he were as vigi
liant as he pretends he must also have
known that Mr.. Emory English had
more to do with the passage of this
bill through the legislature then any
other agency. t..e S.t i. H. istg
Why was it. that the Register editor
was not SO greatly exercised over the
political activities Of the Insurance
interests" at the time when the leg
islaturei was passing q bill to enable
insurance companies to. increase loans
IN order, that the new Register build.
ing might be constructed? M.ia. Il
Was it clean, newspapering to pub.
iisli part of mans record on any
matter Of public policy without pub.
Fishing all of the record. as you did
Mr.. Editor, in the matter of Harding's
Temperance, record, of that part which
apparently best suited your purposes:
Was it fair, Mr.. Editor, to the vOt
ers or Mr.. Harding. for you to attempt
to establish the false premise that be-
ing absent or not voting is equivalent
to voting mo" upon a measure?
Is it consistent. Mr.. Editor, for yor
TO denounce Mr. Harding for alleged
packing of committees against the re
peal of the mulct law while you were
!sing your influence, both editorla
and personal, against it's repeal?
Is it fair to attempt by insinuatior
and innuenda-to convict Mr.. Harding
" being a corporation tool because
he voted for public utilities measure
when many of our most eminent anc
prominent statesmen have supported
such a measure as the most feasible
way of handling public utilities?
Is it square with the public, Mr.
editor, for you to say, as you have re
peatedly, that only wet democrats
would vote for Mr.. Harding, when you
know, or have the facilities OF dis
covering, that he will get thousands
If votes from dry democrats?
You have been preaching recently
Of newspaper ethics. Let me ask yor
if It is according to the highest ideals
If your profession to drop the WORD
of from the now famous Bishop
Stuntz interview and then accuse Har,
ling for lying because he caught yor
It the trick? If so, then / would sug'
,est that the legislature has a new
field for immediate action? = rJtNt 2
Was it fair to publish the Kelly tele
gram as a forgery and then fail to pub
fish the original telegram which Mr.
Kelly was later compelled to publish
in his own newspaper and which was
exactly the same as the one you de
nounced as forgery?
Is it good newspapering to publish
anonymous rumors and ISLANDERS as
facts stating that you have them on
authority of dependable citizens?'
If those dependable citizens" are de-
pendable why not publish their names
Mr.. Editor? a
Why. allow me to ask, Mr.. Editor,
lis it that you have now discovered
the worth of James Brockway. OF Lou
lisa county. when during the entire
session of the Thirty-tifth assembly
you were denouncing him as a reac
tionary and block head because he
refused as chairman of the houseroad
committee to put through bill Tor
paved roads? .5
Let me say in conclusion, Mr.. Ed.
tor, that you must stand convicted OF
injecting q manufactured issue into
the campaign. The liquor question
cannot for any purpose, be brought
honestly into this campaign: II 1t
were an issue you could not come into
court with clean hands. l was work
ing openly for the repeal OF the mulct
law in the legislature while you were
writing editorials against its repeal