Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-12-27
Sears MAKES REPLY
Answers Rev Parsons Two Pub.
lished Letters in an Eloquent
Argument.
Favors Cummins For Senator and
Thinks Marshall County Feels
Likewise
Admits Close Division Of Sentiment
Denies Parsons Four to
One Estimate.
II any one thinks that the excitement


II any one thinks that the excitement
of the present senatorial contest has not
reached Marshall county let him disa-
buse his mind of the idea Immediately.
Since the publication of Ex-senator
Carneys letter veritable volcanic
eruption in politics has taken place and
the molten lava of letters in hundred
forms has flown from the political era
ter, until this paper stands in need of
the assistance of some excavating soci-
ETY.. The letters have come from many
Of the prominent citizens of the county
and have expressed favoritism for both
Gear and Cummins, but so far as the
editors of this paper can judge the
friends of cummins have been in the
4 preponderance. All of the letters this
paper would like to have published had
space permitted, but as DR.. Parsons was
first to appear and as he is eminently
qualified to speak for his side we
have allowed him to lead in the debate.
Mr.. Scar; pw appears with reply to
the two ars so far published by Mr..
Parsons. 1t is a long one and
deals somewhat with the COM
parative merits of the candi-
dates, a discussion which we had wished
TO avoid at this time, as it has been re-
hearsed for six months past, but mas
much as DR.. Parsons was allowed to
indulge in eu!ogies of Senator Gear 1t
has seemed only fair to allow Mr., Sears
IN his reply to extol the virtues of his
favorite.
Editor mes-Republcan: was
greatly interested in the letter of DR..
Parsons on the Cummins-Ge contest.
( The doctor always writes we'll. reasons
plausibly and is very cute (if he will
pardon the expression) in his way of
accomplishing results And vet one
must smile at this new Illustration of
how politics makes strange bedfelows.
Governor Gear is generally regarded as
q good fellow, strong believer in
reciprocity between himself and his
friends and hustler for those who
hustle for him, but his greatest admir-
ers have had little to say as TO his
eminence In those traits of charac-
ter that are supposed to be dear to the
4 ministerial heart. 1t does not require
a very long memory to recall the say
the past by those for whom the doctor
now speaks. AS the doctor contem-
plates the warmth Of his eulogy of his
latest political bedfellow he must have
some curiosity, possibly trepidation, as
to whom the exgency OF politics will
next require him to take to his political
couch and endorse with new eulogy;
for, when he has declared that Gov
Csaart 10 g
youth, the power of intellect, the abil-
ity of a. tried leader he has nearly ex-
hausted the realm not only of facts blx.
of imagination as well--even though
he fortifies himself with his profession
al tenet that man may be born again.
Is it possible that the doctor loves not
Governor Gear more but Cummins
less? Is 1t possible that the doctor is
telling his friends Gas it is said he is
doing) that he wishes they could have
had a different candidate to oppose to
Cummins? Perish the thought that the
idol OF his heart is not love of Gear but
hostility to Cumminsi Whatever of
Imagination the good doctor has left
after his eulogy of Gear must have
been drained to the dregs when he i'm
agined that so per cent of the republic
ans Of Marshall county wanted Gear
and that he could give names accord-
ingiy.
Now as to the facts. There is no
question but that there is a division of
sentiment as to the candidacy of Cum
minis and Gear and that neither side of
sentiment is four to one. But after
very considerable inquiry firmly be-
lieve that there is a large predominance
of sentiment in favor of Mr. Cummins
among the republicans as against all
candidates, and that before nominal
tionS and elections such republicans
had good reason and just grounds for
believing that our senator and repre-
sentative would vote and work for the
election of Mr. Cumnins. Further, /
believe that of those opposed to Mr..
Cummins not one-haf favor Governor
Gear as their first choice and that IL
Mr.. Cummns was eliminated from the
contest they would be hopelessly d.
vided among themselves as to their
choice. But it Is the field against Mr..
Cummins.
AS to the relative ability of Mr. Cum
Minis and Governor Gear, mentally and
physically, as to which of them would
reflect the greater credit and prestige
upon the state OF Iowa in the United
States senate, as to which of them
would be of the most permanent value
and use to the state, there is singular
unaninity. None call in question Mr.
CumminB' great ability and mental
poise; none, who know the man, call in
question the nobleness of his charac-
ter and his lofty ideals. However high
in personal integrity is Governor Gear
however rue to his friends he may be-
in whatever constitutes the highest
manhood, he is to say the least equally
matched by A. b. Cummins. No man
owns him, no clique or interests con-
troll him. Brave. clean, able, in the
prime Of life. with no great corpora
tons pushing his candidacy and there
by enmeshing him in their insdious
and ramified Influences free to act for
the people and all the people, he is the
ideal senator-who will reflect honor
and glory not only on Iowa but the
whole country and by the whole coun-
try be recognized as the peer Of Lodge
and Aldrich and Thurston and our own
Allison, who has for SO many years
shed such luster on our fair state His
election means more for Iowa than for
Cufnmins. His sympathy with labor
and the producing classes is we'll