USA > Iowa > Warren County > History of Warren County, Iowa : from its earliest settlement to 1908; with biographical sketches of some prominent citizens of the county > Part 37
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draft upon the land. Farms that are undulating, if enltivated every year, will soon be cut up with ditehes and the soil will wash away. The late meeting of the governors at the call of President Roosevelt, to consider the conservation of the natural resources of the country, probably, did not overlook the drain made upon the soil by constant cultivation. Anyway it is one of the most important sub- jects for both public and private consideration before the American people. In this new state of Iowa, many farms are almost worthless, because the soil has been permitted to wash away. The entire inhabitants of this and other countries must look to the farming class for bread and meat. The soil ought to be im- proved day by day, rather than impoverished. Upon the whole, the farmers are the most prosperous class of laborers in this country; but this prosperity cannot continue if the soil is allowed to lose its life-giving properties.
The prosperity of the farmers is seen most elearly in their dress. A genera- tion ago, the farmer wore a heavy brogan shoe and a light loose garment called the "warmus," which answered the purpose of a coat. In the winter season he wore heavy boots with his pant legs inside the boots. Today, the average farmer is well dressed, not only neatly, but comfortably dressed, and makes a good appearance anywhere. In the first settling of Warren county, the very year that it was organized, the California gold mines were discovered, and all eyes turned in that direction. Multitudes of gold seekers began to press their way across the plains, then called the "American desert," in search of the shining dust. They are called today the "Forty-niners." It was a great help to Warren county and other portions of Iowa and the west. These tourists with their large teams of horses and oxen, made a market for corn and hay, vegetables and meats, a market that came to the very door of the farmer in many instances. In due time that craze for gold subsided, and that means of travel by teams was dis- placed by the great passenger trains, making the trip now in four days that required in 1849, three to four months. The question might be asked what has taken the place of this travel by teams? Now, every community throughout this part of the country furnishes more or less tourists for California, and for other parts of the south and west. These tourists, however, are not hunting for gold as the "Forty-niners" were, but are seeking milder climate for the winter, seeking the land of sunshine and flowers, instead of the cold, gloomy December of the north. In other words, the latter class of tourists are out to spend money for comfort and pleasure, rather than seeking fortune by the untold sacrifices of 1849. The changed conditions in our civilization may be seen in the fact that in '49 the Iowa farmers were reaping the harvest; while today, it is the people of California and other parts of the southwest who are the beneficiaries. Indeed the tourist crop is the most profitable harvest reaped in southern California. If it were not for the tourist, there would be a general collapse all over the south- west. They have come to be as dependent upon the tourist crop as the people of Switzerland. There is another class of tourists beside the pleasure seekers, that is the health seekers. A few years ago, invalids were not seeking relief by a change of climate ; but today they are going into the south and west in great mul- titudes. Whether they are benefited sufficiently to justify the ontlay is not the question. The hope stimulated by the search justifies all the expense and effort.
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In many points in the south and west, the inhabitants look askance at the incom- ing invalid, and especially those who are afflicted with the "white plague." All this tourist travel is benefiting somebody, and injuring but few, if any. The railroads profit by it, the hotels and boarding houses and business in general. Those who have the money can do no better than to spend it in travel. It is true that touring like everything else, goes in tidal waves. If the Jones go to Long Beach, that will inthience the Smiths and Browns, and they in turn will influence others, until a large number are on the way to the land of sunshine and flowers.
In all the villages there are many retired farmers. Of late years, when a farmer finds his phyiscal strength failing, he sells or rents his farm or turns it over to his sons, and moves to town. In many cases, he does not find town lite as satisfactory as he anticipated. He finds that it costs a great deal more to live than he expected ; the things that he forecasted would afford him most pleasure and occupy his time and attention, soon lose their attractions, and he becomes dissatisfied. In the town there is no substitute for the interest awakened by growing crops, and herds and flocks of domestic animals. Town life compared to farm life is dull and uninteresting. The farmer finds that his current ex- penses are larger than he expected them to be, and he begins to economize in every possible direction. He can generally be counted on to oppose any improve- ment that will increase taxes. Very few farmers having lived in town two or three years, would vote for the installation of an electric light plant, water works or sewerage, or anything else that would increase taxes. If the farmer has sold his farm and loans his money, he soon ascertains that his taxes in town are more than double what they were when he resided on his farm. Take this illustration. The farmer and his wife are beginning to feel the burden of age. They decide to leave the farm and move to Indianola. They have an average farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres, and are able to buy a humble home in town. If they sell the farm and loan the money. they will find that it will take one-third of their income to pay taxes. If they rent the farm it will require more than one-third of the rent to pay their taxes and to make the necessary repairs. Is it strange that the old man complains of high taxes? Iowa people are reckless in voting upon themselves taxes. The reasonable limit was long since passed on the line of tax-voting. Leaving the farm and moving to town in a large majority of cases, does not contribute to the contentment of declining years.
Formerly the country church was the center of interest in rural neighbor- hoods. Not only religious services and Sunday School were held in the country church, but often lyceums and political meetings and other publie gatherings. Today. in many places, the country church is neglected. is not held in the esteem that it once was, and in too many places it is entirely abandoned. It is true there are communities where the country church is splendidly maintained, and continues to fill the old time requirements.
The country school in many places is losing its interest. The farmers' sons and daughters are turning to the town schools where there are greater social privileges and better facilities. It was hoped by many that the rural free de- livery and telephone would make country life more attractive, and revive the country church and schools; but all this remains to be wrought out and settled in the future.
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A great change has come over the streams of Iowa, from the Des Moines river down to the small creek. They have not that steady flow that characterized them in the early settlement of the country. They are either frightfully high or distressingly low. In time of rain, the water rushes into the streams and the flood appears. When the rain ceases, it has soon gone out of the streams and they are dry sand bars. In '49, Middle river was an excellent mill stream. Its water power was of incalculable value, but not so now. In the wet season it overflows its bottoms and carries destruction in its course in a manner unknown in the early days. The cause of this may be found: . first, the forests have been largely destroyed, the soil has been packed by tramping, the flat lands have been tiled and ditched, until in the rainy season. the water soon finds it way to the stream and brings on the flood to be followed by a dried up stream-bed.
TEMPERANCE.
The use of intoxicating liquors has more to do with the social conditions of the American people than any other one thing. The people of Europe can use strong drinks without going to the excess that characterizes the drinking people of America. Up to this time, the philosophers have been unable to give a satis- factory explanation of this phenomena. There is nothing that so hinders physical development, so impairs the intellect and threatens human life as the excessive use of strong drinks. Indeed, it is wise to say that any use of strong drinks as a beverage is excessive. The human body and the human mind are better off without the use of alcoholic drinks. In the first settling of Iowa, intoxicating liquors were bought and sold as freely as corn or potatoes. The man with a barrel of whiskey could be found in every village, and at almost every cross roads. It was not long, however, until the more thoughtful people began to realize the ruinous effects of drunkenness in the new state of Iowa.
About 1850, temperance societies were formed in many places and the sub- ject of prohibition became a topic of conversation among all classes. There were men of intellectual power arrayed on both sides of the question. The doctrine of "personal liberty" was promulgated. at that time, with as much zeal and earnestness as it ever has been since. Prohibitionists contended that alcohol ought to be put out of the reach of the people. It was not long, however, until the subject was into polities; and there it has remained until this day. If it could have been eliminated from polities, and the people acted on the subject of prohibition, independent of all political affiliations, the question would have been settled permanently long, long ago. In 1855, a wave of prohibition swept the country. All of the New England states except Massachusetts, and the states of New York, Delaware, Michigan, Indiana and Iowa adopted prohibition in some form or other. The subject was in polities, and it was not long until the states mentioned began to relent, one after another, until Maine stood alone as a pro- hibition state. The foreign voters claimed that they had been accustomed, in their native country, to use the lighter beverages, sneh as wine, beer and ale, and that they must have these drinks; that it was not only necessary to satisfy their appetite, but it was necessary to promote their health ; and so they threatened the
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party in power with their votes. Iowa's prohibitory law of 1855, only needed enforcement to free the state from the sale and use of intoxicating drinks; but in order to pacify the foreign voters, the clause known as the "wine and beer clause," was inserted into the prohibitory chapter. That was the camel thrusting his nose into the tent. The flood gates were opened, and under this clause, which its advocates elaimed was so innocent, saloons sprang up all over the state, ostensibly to sell wine and beer; but somehow, stronger forms of alcohol found their way into the saloons, and over the counter to the patrons. A man who was then in the prime of life, a close observer of social conditions, gave it as his opinion, that under the "wine and beer clause," drunkenness in Iowa became more rampant than it ever had been in all the past history of the state.
Today the country is again experiencing a tidal wave of prohibition. The people of the south find that they must put alcohol out of the reach of the negro race. If they only knew it. a good many of the white race need the protection of prohibition as much as the negro race. One eloquent brother, jubilating over the prohibition wave which is sweeping the south, said: "A bird can fly from the Mississippi to the Atlantic ocean, and from the boundary of Tennessee to the Gulf of Mexico, without looking down upon a legalized saloon." Perhaps it is a little too early to jubilate over the success of prohibition in the south, or any- where else on this continent. It is not a permanent fixity. The principles of prohibition are not sufficiently settled in the minds of the people to justify any great self adulation. The deceiver has gone down into the sunny lands of the south with the same deceptive song which he sung to the people of Iowa soon after the adoption of prohibition in 1855.
Just a few days ago the Savannah Chamber of Commerce passed a body of resolutions setting forth that the drinking of wines and malt liquors has no such deleterions consequences as the use of distilled beverages. The idea is to induce the people of the south to open their prohibitory law and insert a "wine and beer clause" something like that which was inserted in the Iowa prohibitory law. allowing the people to manufacture and sell ale, beer and wine. The people of the south would do well to inquire into the experience of Iowa in this regard.
After the time the "wine and beer clause" was inserted into the Iowa chapter on prohibition, drunkenness multiplied day by day, until publie senti- ment was again aroused. and the Iowa people determined to put prohibition into the constitution where state legislators could not so easily meddle with it. In 1882, by a majority of almost thirty thousand, the people of Iowa ordered pro- hibition into the constitution, but alas! the Supreme court was ready with its ever present "technicality" to prevent prohibition from going into the constitu- tion. The temperance people of Iowa were soothed by being told that a good chapter on prohibition should be enacted by the General Assembly. That promise was fulfilled, and under the provisions of that chapter, the saloons were put out of business; but the cities of Iowa began a crusade against the law, and again polities was invoked and election surprises took place, and the political leaders felt that something must be done to pacify the anti-prohibitionists. This time the present mulet law was substituted for prohibition. under which several counties in the state, Warren among them, have maintained their prohibition
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sentiment and practice. Warren county has no saloons, no permits are granted to druggists or anybody else to sell high wines. The difficulty in Warren county is that it lies so close to Des Moines; and the Capital City is so easy of access that people in Warren county can soon supply themselves with all the alcohol they want. The people have experienced another difficulty, which has made certain phrases familiar in all parts of the state, namely : "interstate commerce." and the "original package." Under the decisions of the courts, distillers in other states have been allowed to ship into Iowa, into prohibition counties, alcohol, contrary to the will of the people. Repeated efforts have been made to induce Congress to pass a law protecting prohibition states and counties from the introduction of alcoholic beverages. The people of this great free country have been profuse in their condemnation of Great Britain foreing the opium upon poor. helpless China ; yet. it is the same principle as the "interstate com- merce" and "original package" decisions of our courts. Sometime, possibly, relief may be secured, and people who are opposed to the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors may be freed from the technical decisions of the courts, and enabled to say to the rum traffic, "Thus far and no farther shalt thou come."
These waves of prohibition sentiment are beneficial. They help unify thought, and fix the principles of prohibition in the minds of the people. Every lover of good order, who has lived under prohibition rule, will never consent to go back to rum dominance. The present prohibition awakening is superior in many regards to any that have preceded it. The politicians are more willing to recognize it, and to admit the practicability of it. The civilized world is awaken- ing to the fact that something must be done to suppress drunkenness. First of all the manufacture and traffic in ardent spirits must be suppressed. The fol- lowing notice of a great temperance rally shows the present tendency in regard to prohibition.
"The one hundredth anniversary of the founding of the first American tem- perance society. in the town of Moreau, Saratoga county, New York, by Dr. Billy J. Clark, will be celebrated by a ten days' international congress to be held in this place beginning Sunday, June 14th, and ending Tuesday, June 23rd. 1908, and to be known as "The World's Temperance Centennial Congress."
Governor Charles E. IInghes of New York state, and a notable company of distinguished public men and women and temperance leaders of international reputation will be present.
The governors of twenty-five states have appointed official representatives, and delegations will be present from England, Scotland, Sweden, Germany, Hungary, Belgium and perhaps France and Ireland.
The following indictment of the rum traffic by Governor Hanley. of Indiana, appeared in the Christian Advocate of May 28. 1908.
Personally, I have seen so much of the evils of the liquor traffie in the last four years, so much of its economie waste, so much of its physical rnin, so much of its mental blight, so much of its tears and heartache, that I have come to regard the business as one that must be held and controlled by strong and effect- ive laws. I bear no malice toward those engaged in the business, but I hate the traffic. I hate its every phase. I hate it for its intolerance. I hate it for its
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arrogance. I hate it for its hypocrisy. I hate it for its cant and craft and false pretense. I hate it for its commercialism. I hate it for its greed and avarice. I hate it for its sordid love of gain at any price. I hate it for its domination in polities. I hate it for its corruptng influence in civic affairs. I hate it for its incessant effort to debauch the suffrage of the country ; for the cowards it makes of public men. I hate it for its ntter disregard of law. I hate it for its ruthless trampling of the solemn compacts of state constitutions.
I hate it for the load it straps to labor's back, for the palsied hands it gives to toil, for its wounds to genius, for the tragedies of its might-have-beens. I hate it for the human wrecks it has caused. I hate it for the almshouses it peoples. for the prisons it fills, for the insanity it begets, for its countless graves in pot- ters' fields.
I hate it for the mental ruin it imposes upon its victims, for its spiritual blight, for its moral degradation. I hate it for the crimes it has committed. I hate it for the homes it has destroyed. I hate it for the hearts it has broken. I hate it for the malice it has planted in the hearts of men-for its poison, for its bitterness-for the Dead Sea fruit with which it starves their souls.
I hate it for the grief it has caused womanhood-the scalding tears, the hopes deferred, the strangled aspirations, its burden of want and care.
I hate it for its heartless cruelty to the aged, the infirm and the helpless, for the shadow it throws upon the lives of children, for its monstrons injustice to blameless little ones.
I hate it as virtue hates vice, as truth hates error, as righteousness hates sin. as justice hates wrong, as liberty hates tyranny, as freedom hates oppression.
I hate it as Abraham Lincoln hated slavery. And as he sometimes saw in prophetie vision the end of slavery and the coming of the time when the sun should shine and the rain should fall upon no slave in all the republic, so I sometimes seem to see the end of this unholy traffic. the coming of the time when. if it does not wholly cease to be, it shall find no safe habitation anywhere beneath "Old Glory's" stainless stars.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
WILLIAM BUXTON.
Few men in Warren county are more prominent or more widely known than William Buxton, of Indianola. Ile has been an important factor in busi- ness eireles and his prosperity is well deserved, as in him are embraced the characteristics of an unbending integrity, nabating energy and industry that never flags. He is not only one of the leading business men of the county but is also one of the honored pioneers, having made his home here since the winter of 1852.
Mr. Buxton was born in Derbyshire, England, on the 16th of May, 1828, a son of John Buxton, and comes of a long line of English ancestry, the family dating back to King William H1, when they are first mentioned in the Dooms- day Book. He was reared and edneated in his native land, being a young man when he emigrated to the new world. After spending one year in Indiana, he came to Iowa in the winter of 1852. as previously stated, making the trip on horseback. His destination was Warren county and he located on Scotch Ridge, buying a slightly improved tract of land near Carlisle, on which a log cabin had been erected and a few aeres broken. Besides this property of three hundred and fifty acres, he entered two hundred acres of government land in Clark county, Illinois, as he passed through that distriet. As the years passed he added to his home farm until he had five hundred acres of land. replaced the log cabin by a good frame residence and made many other useful and valuable improvements.
For over forty years Mr. Buxton continued to actively engage in agrienl- tural pursuits and in 1893 removed to Indianola. being since identified with the business interests of this city. He was one of the organizers of the Warren County Bank and has served as one of its directors from the very beginning, becoming president in 1883. For several years he has also dealt extensively in farm lands and now owns about fourteen hundred acres in this and Lucas counties. He owned and operated the woolen mills at Palmyra for three years, and was a member of the company that built and conducted the flonring mill at Carlisle. He has erected some of the best business houses of Indianola and also a number of fine residences. thus materially aiding in the upbuilding and development of the city. He gave two blocks for a park and money and land to the value of fifty thousand dollars to Simpson College and
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY
in many other ways has contributed to the prosperity and improvement of his adopted city and connty.
Mr. Buxton was married in Scotch Ridge in Allen township, Warren county, to Miss Betsy Branhall, a native of Ohio and a daughter of John Branhall, who brought his family to this state about 1848. Mrs. Buxton died in Indianola in 1901. There were five children born of that nion,. namely : Elizabeth, the wife of M. J. Kittleman, of Berwyn, Illinois; Helen, the wife of W. L. Cooper, of Des Moines; William, Jr., who is a successful farmer and business man, being president of the Carlisle Bank: Mrs. C. B. Little, of Berwyn; and Clara, the wife of Robert B. Nicholson, of Des Moines, a son of Robert Nicholson, of Carlisle, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. Mr. Buxton was again married in February, 1902, his second union being with Mrs. Frances (Cheesman) Carpenter, widow of Professor Carpenter, who was connected with Simpson College. By her first marriage she has three daughters.
Being a strong opponent of slavery, Mr. Buxton joined the free soil party on becoming an American citizen and has been identified with the republican party since its organization, voting for all of its presidential nominees since supporting Abraham Lincoln in 1860. Both he and his wife take an active interest in church work as members of the Methodist Episcopal denomination and for twenty-three years he served as superintendent of the Sunday school at Carlisle and has since been a teacher in Indianola. For the past six years he and his wife have spent the winters in California, and he has made three trips to Europe, visiting his old home in England and most of the large cities on the continent. Although eighty years of age he is still actively interested in business affairs and his life has ever been a busy and a useful one. He came to this country almost empty-handed and the success that he has achieved is but the merited reward of his own industry and good management. He is publie spirited, giving his cooperation to every movement which tends to pro- mote the moral, intellectual and material welfare of the community.
JOHN D. MeCLEARY, M. D.
Dr. John D. MeCleary has attained a gratifying measure of success in a professional career, being particularly skilled in surgery. He is today the dean of his profession in Warren county and has long maintained a foremost place in the ranks of the medical fraternity of Indianola, where he still prac- tiers, although he has attained the age of seventy-eight years. He was born in Wabash county. Ilinois, September 27. 1829. His parents were James and Sophia Payne (Ellis) MeCleary. The father was born in Ohio and was of Scotch-Irish lineage, his ancestors removing from Pennsylvania to the Buckeye state in an early day.
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