Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-19
CUMMINSTALKSBACK|
Indites Reply to Hon. Sidney Fos-
ter's Letter.
SAYS THAT He, TOO, is ASTONISHED

cummins is Grieved That Foster
Should Find II Necessary to Write
the Letter-ExpIains Why He Is
Candidate.
Yesterday the Courier printed let
ter from Hon. Sidney A. Foster, of
Des Moines, who has declared himself
as candidate for the office of COVER
nor, to Hon. A. B. Cummins, in which
the former stated that Mr.. Cummins'
entry into the field for the governor
ship is unwarranted and unwelcome.
Now comes Mr.. Cummins with like
letter couched in terms no less drastic
than those used in Mr.. Fosters letter.
MIR. cummins' Letter.
Following is the letter received by
Mr.. Foster in reply to the epistle just
previously sent Mr. Cummins:
Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 11.-Hon.
Sidney A. Foster, Des Moines, Iowa.
My Dear Sir: The surprise that you
say you felt upon seeing the announce
ment that had concluded to be can
didate for governor was certainly very
mild as compared with the astonish-
ment l have experienced in reading
your letter of the 18th instant. I am
grieved beyond expression that you
felt it necessary to write such COM
munication. / am not sensible of hav-
ing done you any wrong, nor can con-
ceive how I have committed a crime
against the republican party.
1t is true that did not want to be
candidate for governor. l recognize
how high an honor it is to be elected
as chief magistrate of Iowa, and that
| 1t is worthy of the ambition of any
man. I felt, however, that under all
the circumstances which surrounded
me, would prefer to quietly pursue
the duties of my profession. For two
months or more have been receiving
urgent requests to become candi-
date in the event of the overthrow of
the Titus amendmnt. These letters
became so numerous that as early as
the middle of January I asked half a
dozen of my friends from outside the
city to come and see me for the pur-
pose of ascertainng from them what l
ought to do. Among them was one of
your most intimate friends and closely
associated with you in business. 1t
was their unanimous opinion that in
the event of an election this year I
ought to be candidate. was still
reluctant and after the decision of the
supreme court upon the Titus amend
lment, these gentlemn, to whom you
say you have written, and whose meet.
ing you call caucus or conference
came to Des Moines, not at my solici
Itation, but apparently for the purpose
of urging me to determine the cues
ltion favorably to my candidacy. &C
cepted what believed to be the path
of duty, and SO my candidacy was an
nounced. I had no thought that yor
were considering the subject seriously
II had seen your name mentioned il
connection with the place. / kraw yol
to be well qualified for it. but always
understood that your business engage
ments would prevent your taking al
Office of that kind No one ever sug
gested it to me. and during all the
time that was in perplexity over thu
matter, it never entered my mind tina
in becoming a candidate I would in
terfere with your ambition. You know
as we'll as any one in Das Moines tina
was being very strongly urged to be
come candidate, and that had thu
, subject under the most careful consid
Grafton. | saw you the Friday evenin!
before I finally reached conclusion
: but neither at that time nor at an.
: other did you ever intimate to me il
: any way that you thought of becoming
a candidate. If you had, the outcom
might have been very different.
seems to me that you deliberatel,
, waited until had put myself in pc
sition from which I could not recede
and then made your announcement.
! cannot believe that upon reflectio,
: you would reiterate what you sa
: with respect to the character of tn
! men who have brought about my car
3 didacy hope and believe it is tru
, that my senatorial fight has left m
}. with many friends in the state, but t
J. Ireproach them or me with having OF
! ganized a machine simply for the pul
!, Ipose of dominating Iowa politics, is a
!. unfair to them as it is unjust to YOU
self. l have no inclination to ente
upon any defense for them or for m.
self. The republicans of the stat
know all OF us reasonably WE'LL and
am perfectly willing to take their We
!. dict upon your accusation. My gres
: iobject in what have done in a poll
! zeal way has been to bring the ind
: vidual voter into more prominenc,
: and to diminish the influence of pc
! manent organization in the ranks {
: the party Whatever may be the r.
2 suit of the present campaign. am COZ
: fident that not many republicans wi
believe what you say of me orsmy nj
tives.
With respect to your candidacy.
have not word to say against it. Yc
9 have been faithful republican ar
L an earnest worker, and there is no I
S ward too great as recognition
your efficient labor.
For myself. l claim no such title
promotion. j have done what little
v could, with the light | had, to a.
h what | regard as the principles
4. good government. 1t has been far tt
), little to be regarded as the basis of
o candidacy for any office. If am gi
h en- office, it is not for what | have don
o but to give me an opportunity to {
1T more. If. as you suggest, the repub
is cans of Polk county are tired of m
e they will have full and free oppe
ri tunity to repudiate and reject me.
I,y = - = - L l. Gr,r,% 49,