Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-07-30

UP TO THE DELEGATES.
Significant Article on the Guber-
material Situation.
BY Hon. George D. Perkins, in the Sioux City Journal.
~ astss

The republican state convention
will meet at Cedar Rapids two weeks
from Wednesday. 1t will be a Cum.
minis and Anti-Cummins convention.
The Cummins side is completely organ
lied, and the opposing side is divided
into scattering camps. The game of
politics has been played with a high
hand. The campaign has been on
since January, when it was holly pro-
jected following the decision of tho
supreme court on the Titus amend
ment issue. Mr.. Cummins had been
defeated for the senate before the leg.
islature, and he had failed to get the
appointment to the senate, following
the death of Senator Gear. His sup
porters insisted that he stand as a
candidate for the gubernatorial nomi-
nation, that the organization that had
been gathered about him might
be held together and expanded. They
had in view what some of them called
the reorganization of the republican
party in this state, and among the
most insistent were men embittered be-
cause of their failure to get what they
wanted Alleged independent newspa-
pers, driven to their attitude by the
hardness of the times in the democrat
ic party, entered into the service of
the Cummins campaign with the ut
most zeal. They placed themselves
at the head of the Cummins column,
were bitter in their assaults upon ev-
cry republican who was suggested as
a candidate for the same office and up
on every republican who failed to be
contributory to the Cummins interest.
A long bag, with competent man in
charge of it, was provided and it is
of common report that influence never
commanded as high price in the po-
litical history of the state. For public
chatter there has been the cry of re-
form, brazen talk of opposition to Dos.
sy politics, protestations of interest in
working people. and ceaseless bowling
against railroads. There never was
such an ante-convention campaign in
the history of Iowa republican politics.
The Cummins machine managers have
been frenzied from the start. 1t has
been now or never with them. and ev
cry resource has been employed. The
nomination has been the one point in
view; the shape in which the ground
was left has not challenged serious
thought.
Mr.. Cummins ought not to be nomi.
mated. The campaign that has been
made in his behalf ought not to be Civ.
en- sanction by a republican state con.
vention. 1t is such campaign as
ought to have no successor, and the
way to avoid repetition is to bring to
naught the desperation represented by
the Cummins movement of 1901.
The time has come when admission
may be freely made that this is q cam.
paign of Cummins and anti-Cummins
The campaign in behalf of the Des
Moines man has been anti-republican.
No mans rights have been respected
The interests of the party have been
disregarded. 1t has been a succession
of threats against the political life OF
men hesitating to surrender personal
judgment and conviction or presuming
to stand in defense of personal inter.
est. Where intimidation has failed
the bag has been employed AS
against the Cummins campaign, with
public sentiment lethargic, men with
out long purse and with determine.
ton not to mortgage themselves have
been driven from the field 1t is high
time that the republican conscience of
the state was aroused
It is said. to be sure, that Mr. Cum.
Minis does not indorse all that has been
done In his behalf Doubtless there is
truth in this. But he has uttered no
protest The alleged independent