Decorah public opinion., March 29, 1922, Image 1

About Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928

Image provided by: State Historical Society of Iowa

                
TWELVE PAGES
VoL XXVIII.
MAKES REPLY#
EQUITY CHARGES
County Agent Dack of Winneshiek
Farm Bureau Answers Equity
Article of Last Week.
SAYS THEIR STATEMENTS
MAY BE MISLEADING
i\ Operation of Local Shipping As
sociation in most Counties is
100 Per Cent Perfect.
It is not our purpose in this or
any other article to use the news
papers to wage a fight against any
organization and we are reluctant to
ask for space at this time, but feel
that on account of statements is
sued in last week’s papers that we
should explain one or two things
which on the surface might be mis
leading, the first being that of a
statement made at a Board of Dir
ectors meeting that 8.2% of the
taxes levied in the county were used
for local government. The article
signed by the Equity Society states
that in the same issue President
Pearson states that 90% of all taxes
are spent within the county where
they are levied. lx>cal government,
as referred to, means the maintain
ing of the Court House, all of its
officials, the court, the jail and has
nothing whatever to do with loads,
schools, bridges, etc., except the
maintenance of the offices of County
Superintendent and County Engineer
that the other 80 or more per cent
goes to maintain.
The fact that we felt that those
who passed the resolutions condemn
ing the county appropriation for the
maintenance of the Farm Bureau
•office * were not tar aceim* >» ihe> *
judgment was that if the county
support of the office of County Agent
was withdrawn or had been with
drawn in 1920, the man who paid
SIOO.OO in taxes in 1921 would still
be paying $99.70. To be exact the
county appropriated slightly more
than 2-7 of 1% for the Farm Bur
«au appropriation.
In regard to the statement that the
head of a so-called farm organiza
tion, we presume this refers to the
County Agent, had been defending
the present high taxes is another
mi statement. The tax levies for the
last fifteen years were given not with
the idea of attempting to prove that
taxes have not been raised, for no
one knows better than your own
County Agent what the raise in
taxes have been and if those inter
ested will take the trouble to go
over the list of farmers who have
been paying taxes in Dickinson
County, lowa, * they will find that
your own County Agent has been
paying increased taxes on 240 acres
of lowa land and is in position to
know exactly what this increase has
been.
Our observation is this that “many
are inclined to strain at the gnat
while swallowing the camel’'. As a
matter of fact the lowa Farm Bur
eau Federation is the only organiza
tion of farmers that has been big
enough and had financial backing
enough to do anything in regard to
securing a reduction in taxes. A
concrete example is that of securing
a reduction in the taxable valuation
of livestock before the Executive
Council last June which amounted to
approximately $4.00 per quarter sec
tion in the state of lowa. This in
Winneshiek County alone would
amount to $11,520, or almost four
times the amount the law states that
the Board of Supervisors shall ap
piopriate for the maintenance of the
office. We are spending thousands
of dollars annually to maintain our
department of Agriculture and our
lowa State college. It is the duty of
the County ,Agent to co-operate with
these institutions and bring inform
ation in regard to the work of these
institutions to the agricultural inter
ests of our county. If it is worth
while to maintain the lowa Slate
college ami the U. S. Department of
Agriculture, is it not logical that a
department be maintained in each
county to facilitate the dissemination
of information obtained by costly ex
periments by these institutions?
The secret of the entire attack is
summed up in the last paragraph of
the article which states that the
Eqr* u Y Society has not received any
suf rt from public funds and for
this reason no other organization
(Continued on last pageA
Hetorah Public ©uiniott.
"AYM’D ROBBINS
DOMING APRIL 6
Well Kno Lecturer Will Give an
Address . Grand Opera House
Under Auspices Amuse
ment Committee
Commercial
Club.
TALK ON VITAL
PROBLEMS OF HOUR
His Subject Will be “Civic Corrup
tion And The Way Out.” Don’t
Fail to Hear Him.
There are few public speakers
whose lives have been so filled with
adventure as has that of Raymond
Robins, who is announced to lecture
here under the immediate directiorr
of James B. Pond next week Thurs
day, April 6, and there are still fewer
whose general qualifications to tell
from the lecture platform in a lay
sermon the story of universal con
ditions, and offer a remedy for the
evils in such fascinating language
and with such final spiritual effect.
Therein lies his tremendous success
as a lecturer of skill and infinite
variety.
The career of Mr. Robins has been
almost unmatched from the point
of diversified experience. Born in
comparative poverty in the south, he
left home after working in the coal
mines of Virginia. He became a
leader in the mining region, later
riding on brake beams to Colorado
where he worked in the silver mines.
Meanwhile he was studying law at
night, latter becoming a practitioner
in San Francisco with much success.
Then came the gold rush in the
Klondike, and Mr. Robins joined the
myriads hurrying there, making a
good strike, and passing through the
perils of being lost in the Yukon.
He later became interested in religi
ous work, and established a church
in the mining canvp. Returning from
Alaska, he settled in Chicago, where
for sixteen years he was conspicuous
as an orator, social worker, strike
arbitrator, and politician. Since then
rur tmw a»Mi"sttllrtPrrtS CT many
universities and colleges, been called
into conference by government bur
eaus, and has become famous as a
lecturer.
Mr. Robins talks upon all the vital
problems of the hour and his words
are strongly tinctured with emotional
fervor. There is a singular charm
about style of delivery and his argu
ments are invariably convincing. Mr.
Robins is in evry way a speaker of
sincere convictions, and his wide
experiences and broad sympathy for
human frailities make his talks con
vincing and appealing at the si'ge
time.
The subject upon which he will
speak in Decorah is “Civic Connip
tion ami the way out” a theme wor
thy of the most serious consideration
throughout the country.
Theodore Roosevelt:
“I know him intimately. I can
vouch for his integrity, and his
disinterestedness, his courage and
his common sense. I unreservedly
ask that any man who knows me
and who values my opinion, will give
the fullest confidence to Mr. Robins,
and will aid him in any way in the
great work he is trying to do.”
TOM CARNALL WANTS $-'.0,000
DAMAGES.
The Fayette County I nion and Argo-
Gazette Sued For $25,000 Each.
In the Superior court at Olwein on
Tuesday of this week, T. N. Carnal!,
owner of the large new garage at
Oelwein, filed damage suts against
the two West Union papers for
$25,000 each, anti cites as cause ar
ticles printed in these papers on the
Bth and 9th of March, 1922.
The articles had to do with matters
of county record in regard to taxes
paid by Mr. Carnall. The figures
used by the Union were true and
correct to the best of our knowledge
and belief. If Mr. Carnall can show
us any false statements that have
we have made it will be a pleasure
to correct them.
This paper aims to be fair and
honest in the county seat fight, ami
we are going to give our readers the
facts. Taxation is a tender subject
with some people, but the people
*have a right to know just what is
doing in such matters in their coun
ty.
v Tom is paying a just tax on his
garage and house, our article of
March 9th should not disturb him —
West Union, Union.
The Davenport Times is ' con
vinced that “A small tax to raise the
bonus fund over a reasonable term
of years would not cause further
business depression. The spending
of the bonus money by the former
soldiers would tend to quicken busi
ness everywhere, thus more than
compensating for any shock to trade
the tax would create.’’
f
DECORAH, WINNESHIEK COUNTY, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29,1922
Dollar Days
Next Week
About Fifty Decorah Merchants Will
Offer the Biggest Dollar Bargains
Heard of in Years for Two
Days, April 7 and 8.
Advertisements Featuring These Bargains Will
Appear in This Paper Next Wednesday.
Watch for the Big Specials.
Get ready to attend
the big merchandise
event of the year.
A Big crowds will be
in Decorah on Dol-
April 7, and Satur
tVj day April 8. It will
be a Dollaf Sale
■LJqB worth while. About
fifty Decorah merchants will co
operate ami you will find Decorah
merchants who are in the Ebllar Sale
up and coming, and the Dollar Day
will be known as “Your Bargain
Holiday.” Bargains upon top of
bargains. It will be the greatest
bargain feast in many a year, and
the lowest values you have seen ad
vertised for many years. The Dollar
Day advertisements will appear in
the Deeorah papers next week, and
from a perusal of the advertisements
ah'- ally handed in arifcat thu.«rs are
in store for those who will avail
themselves of these real big values.
Full particulars will be given in the
next issue. Watch for the advertise
ments and arrange to spend Friday
and Saturday, April 7 and 8 in De
Large Number Men and 40 Horses
Arrived in Decorah Yesterday.
Contractor J; C. Parquette, of Des
Moines, who has the contract for
grading the Locust road sent a big
gang of men and 40 horses to De
corah yesterday to get ready for the
work, which will take all summer.
They will put about 3T4 nicies to
grade starting at the J. J. Rosa
farm.
A car load of dump wagons, steam
shovels, etc. also arrived. When
they get going there will be over
100 men on the job. They will ctpnp
out and at present are occupying the
John Matter dance hall.
This contract will naturally bring
a lot of business to Decorah, with
so many men on the job, and natur
ally they will purchase considerable
goods from the stores here during
'the summer. With the oil drilling
going on and so much road work
it bids fair to be a real busy year
here.
Miss Madalyn Maas has rented the
office now occupied by the Pioneer
Oil and Gas Co. in the Winneshiek
Hotel Building, which she will open
for a Public Stenographer’s office
the first of the month.
Mi’. C. A. Maas will also have his
laundry agency, the branch of the
New Process Laundry Co. in the
same office.
C. O. Blekeberg arrived home Sat
urday from Rochester where he had
taken his son Guilder for
treatment. He left the boy at the
hospital where he will remain for
some time. The hospital now has
280 doctors at work in the ins'Ji y
tion.
The firm of Connor Bros. &
Knight have changed their trade firm
name to “Connor-Knight.” The
change was made to simply secure
a shorter firm name, and doesn’t
mean any other change in the per
sonnel of the firm. The new name
appears in their advertisements this
week.
o
Anybody can “make a name for
himself”—if he doesn’t care what
kind of a name.
A doctor gets a woman’s sym
pathy by giving her his sympathy.
That’s a hunch for husbands.
It’s funny how the other fellow’s
success always is due to good luck,
and your own to ability.
BIG ROAD GANG HERE
Public Stenographer’s Office
Home From Rochester
Changes Name of Store Firm
corah. We enjoy there sales, as
they create a better feeling between
merchants and the general public.
These bargains will be offered foi
the two days mentioned above and
the -merchants are all planning on
giving the best bargains ever offered
to the people of this section. Stocks
in the stores here were never better
and buyers can be assured of find
ing just what they want and at a
big saving. Remember the dates,
April 7 and 8.
MRS. MARY A. VAN VLIET DEAD
Well Known Former Resident of
Winneshiek Passed Away at
Stevensville, Montana.
The many old Winneshiek county
friends of Mrs. Mary A. Van Vliet
will be grieved to hear of her death,
which occurred at Stevensville, Mont.
The following obituary is taken from
the Northwest Tribune of Stevens
ville:
Mary A. Scriber Van Vliet was
born in Odelltown, Province of Que
bec, Canada, October 20, 1839. In
the year 1859 in the town of her
birth she was married to William R.
Van Vliet. Odelltown was their
home until the year 1876 when they
moved to northeast. lowa. This was
their home until 1902. In the year
1902 they moved to the Bitter Root
Valley in Montana, locating in the
city of Stevensville. In June 1911
her husband preceded her to the
life beyond. All her children are
living. They are: Edward H., Ida,
Alexander, William Albert and Fred
rick. Edward H. and Alexander
have homes adjacent to Stevensville.
Miss Ida’s home has always been
with the mother. Wiliam Albert re
sides near Burr Oak, lowa, and the
home of Fredrick is at Long Beach,
California. William Albert and Fred
rick could not be with the mother
in her last dllness.
The name Mary A. Van Vliet was
not a famijjar name. It was used
only on her correspondence and in
business affairs. She was known by
old and young as “Grandma” Van
Vliet. She was not a familiar fig
ure on the city’s streets. When we
thought of her we thought of home
and fireside, God and Heaven. Her
home was a haven where the tired
an<l weary found rest; where the dis
couraged received fresh vision;
where the joyous ones shared their
happiness; where the door was open
to the high and low, the rich and
poor, old and young alike. It was a
home where everyone brought their
joys and sorrow's, their sunshine and
their defeats and victories, their
flowers of faith and fragment of
blasted hopes, and laid them at this
disciple's altar where distribution
was made unto each according as
any one had a need. In her home,
mimls and hearts were dusted, souls
bespattered with the son!id mud of
life were washed, and cares left be
hind. Her’s was a home with “a
heap o’livin in it.” It was a home
with an ivory door and a golden por
tal-where angels went in and out to
minister, to suoror and to save.
Once you had found this home you
retraced your path to bring your
brother or sister in. She will be
eternally happy bearing with joy her
eternal weight of glory as her Lord
' and Savior will have a place pre
pared for her where she can still
minister in her home over thjye be
tide the street of life.
She remembered her Creator in
WRITES ABOUT
THE CARDINALS
Alderman M. A. Lange Tells About
The Beautiful Cardinal Gros
beckor Red Bird.
FOUND NEST
NEAR ICE CAVE
Built of Twigs, Lined With Dry
Grass And Contained
Four Eggs.
Its name Cardinalis (Latin Red)
is devised from the color of the
Cardinals hat. He is from Bty to
9 inches in length, with a stout con
ical red bill, a long feathered crest,
forehead, upper chin and throat
black. His food consists of insects
(among which is the potato bettle)
seeds and berries.
His song is a melodius, rooting
varied whistle, loud and powerful as
well as soothing and tender.
It was a favorite cage bird until
laws w’ere passed prohibiting its
capture. Many were also killed to
adorn hats. An instance of one that
lived fdP twenty-one years in con
finement is reported.
Our stringent bird laws have ma
terially increased its number and its
range is being extended.
There were no cardinals in the
northern part of this state transient
or otherwise when I was a boy. They
usually live in pairs or families and
are particular in selecting a home.
In cold weather they become some
what gregarivous. I saw’ twenty-one
of these song artists on the McCue
Brothers farm in BlufFton one day
during the past winter and the
flashing of their red coats on the
snow covered landscape made a
beautiful picture.
It was my pleasure to find one of
these birds nest near the famous
Ice Cave near Decorah. It was
built of small twigs and lined with
dry grass and contained four eggs,
three o£ which wdre bfufstt green
with reddish brown splashes, the
other a bluish white with brow’n or
chocolate spots. Birds are much like
people in many respects. They have
a call note, a scolding note, one of
defiance, fear, warning, distress cries
and love calls, and if you will go
some morning where the cardinal is
located you will hear a hushed or
whispering ten, ten, ten, wait, wait,
wait, which will be answered by his
less gaudily colored mate. They
love each other in their bird like
way and are devoted to their off
spring. Their call note is a chip.
Both sexes sing and none of our
song birds can equal them. They are
thoiough birds in every respect,
neither harsh, discordant or coarse in
song or habits. They usually raise
two broods each summer.
Every person should be able to
identify at least forty of our com
mon birds, wild flowers and shrubs.
He who studies them soon becomes
interested in God’s great out door
life, creates an appreciation for the
beautiful and love for the helpless,
in addition to equipping himself for
better living.
Nowhere in this state has the hand
of time painted more artistic pictures
than along the Upper lowa river and
the study of them and their life is
of much value and pleasure.
If it were not for our insectiveous
birds trees would be denuded of their
vegetation and plants could not prow.
In Massachusetts a few years apo
it was estimated that the insect eat
inp birds of that state consumed
twenty-one thousand bushels of in
sects daily durinp the nestinp sea
son, (about five months). Some
insects!
Parents take your children for an
outinp occasionally. Note carefully
what you see and be able to talk
about it. It will afford a pleasant
time for all and be a pood invest
ment for you.
M. ADELBEIiT LANGE.
“But why in blazes can’t we have
some corn bread!” demands the Oel
wein Register. “We can if enough
of us demand it. ‘Befoh de wah’ it
was the custom in an Oelwein bak
ery to put out corn bread loaves Sat
urdays. That custom got lost in the
shuffle of 1917-19. Let’s have the
custom revived. And say, if any
family is too esthetic to place yellow
corn bread on the table it may be
made from white corn.”
the days of her youth. She never
forgot him thru all her sojourn here.
Reared in a Wesley-Methodist home
and church, she held the faith of the
fathers unto the end. The Heaven
ly Father, who to his pledged word
is true, gave her twelve extra years
of useful life. Her Lord called Tor
her last Saturday morning, Febru
ary 24, 1922, at the age of 82 years,
5 months and 5 days.
Her funeral was held in the Meth
doist-Episcopal church, February 27,
1922, at Stevensville, Montana of
which church she was a member.
The services were conducted by her
pastor, Rev. Geo. Reid, after which
her body was laid to rest beside that
of her husband in the city of the
dead at Stevensville, Montana.
w-i.www.r>»wiwWi ty, »ißWW'
TWELVE PAGES
NO. 13
OILDRILLING DOWN
ABOUT 10U FEET
Bakke No. 1 Lease Mecca of Hund
reds of Visitors Since Thursday
When the Oil Derrick
Started Pounding
TOOL DRESSER IN
PKRILIOLS UNDERTAKING
Went Down the Hole 87 Feet to
Make a Connection on
The Cable.
The drilling for oil by the Decorah
Oil & Gas Co. started off in an
auspicious manner last Thursday at
Bakke No. I lease three miles south
east of Decorah, and a big crowd
of spectators were present to see
‘the drills start on their mission of
what might mean fortunes for many,
which the discovery and development
of oil fields mean.
The drillers are now down about
one hundred feet and the big well
is progressing fine.
Hank Witt, the company’s tool
dresser, undertook a very hazadrous
undertaking Monday when he was
let down in the hole 87 feet to make
| a connection on the cable to tie a
I stem on, which had slipped. The
i hole is about 18 inches in circum
i frence.
Numerous spectators appear on the
lease daily, considering the bad
roads. As the weather improves the
crowd will increase
Reports from Mr. Fagg, the con
tractor, says everything is progress
ing satisfactorily. Quite a number
of people are awakening to this
stupendous undertaking, and what it
may mean to Winneshiek county.
Also the sales department announces
that »t receiving inquiries and
imaking sales of stock from the Paci
fic Coast as far east as Indiana and
north to British Columbia.
L \SS OF LIMERICK TOWN
Enjoyable Play Presented by High
School Talent Last Night
The “Lass of Limerick Town",
staged last night at the Grand was
as may be expected a great success
and received tile compliments of ev
ery one who went to make up the
full house. This play goes to show
that the high school has the talent
and is capable of presenting an en
tertainment equal to that of any
company that has been here for some
time. A great deal of credit is due
Mrs. Altfiliisch, Miss Flora Bergesou
and Miss M. Thompson who made up
the coaching stall' that turned out
| such a successful play.
Misses Beitha Mae Tracy and
Ruth Amundsen as Betty and Rose
I McCoy the leading ladies were ex
ceptionally clever and good actresses.
Their voices altho weak were clear
and could be easily heard.
Lester McCauley ac Captain Po
meioy Worthington, the leading man
was another good selection for he
deserves the best of compliments on
his **asy delivery at all times. He
carried his part to perfection and
certainly showed good talent in the
presental of his part.
The play opened in a small Irish
village with a chorus of young peo
i pie before an inn. After a few songs
■they left to allow the leading char
acters to come on and bring 4he plot
with them. The plot was surround
i'ing a young maiden who was sup
posed to marry a certain young man
according to an agreement of the
fathers. Captain Pomeroy Worthing
ton was to arrive soon and Rose was
exasperated at the idea of marrying
. him for she knew that he was just
after her money that had been left
her by a rich uncle. Batty her
cousin comes to her rescue and sug
gests that they change names which
was carried out. The young man
arrives and falls in love with the
real Betty and also knowing that she
is not the real Rose. She promises
to marry him. Also there was a
mistake in the money which went
to Betty instead, so all ended well.
The following is the cast of
characters.
Sir Charles Worthington, -
Carlton Peck
Lady Worthington, Lucille Rosenthal
Captain Pomeroy Worthington,.
Lester McCauley
Betty McCoy, Bertha Mae Tracy*
Rose McCoy Ruth Amundsen
Cousins.
Judge O’Flynn Orval Schmidt
Justin O’Flynn.-. Curtis Bollman
Mrs. O’Flynn Helga Sihler
Ezra Q. Hicks Otto Sheel
Pat Clifford Headington
Mike Walter Strand
Molly Esther Waters
Mr. Smith Philip Johnson
Mr. Partington- Fred Ronan
Chorus of Villagers
Act I.
Outside the “King’s Head Inn,”
Limerick, Ireland
(A week elapses.)
Act 11.
The Entrance Hall of Judge Hooley’s
Home.
Time—Early Summer—lß9o
No man ever wholly understands
how it happened that the slim
princess of his early youth turned
out to be the fat Fatima of his
middle age.
*