The Leon reporter., 1901-05-02
IoWA.s POLITICAL SERIAL.

lOT Wnlcn WOul0 sEho ManouverS OF the
Machine; or How Clmmins Was to Be
Undone," have been spread before the
people of Iowa during the last three
months. The chapters may be summar.
ized. thus:
Chapter 1-Mr. Cummins announced
as q candidate.
Chapter 2-The sndden bringing out
of the candidacy of Sidney A. Foster, y
fellow townsman,- q candidate who stood
no chance, but whose candidacy was
calculated to embarrass.
Chapter 3-Resort to the familiar de-
vice OF. machine polit the multiplica-
ton of local candida: in parts of the
state where great Cusanins strength was
reputed to exist,
Chapter 4-Feverish activity by the
machine mansgera. to induce returning
foreign minlsterto become "a candidate
for governor Of state in which he has
lived only four out of the last twelve
years.
What thread of plotharinonizes these
successive chapters2 To what denoue.
ment are they leading up? What is
hoped to be the contents of the last in
stallmen,? He who runs may read. The
only hypothesis which reconciles and
interprets the scattered items is s'Any.
thing to beat Cummins." This is the
machine watchcry, the pass word which
admits to its whispering conference Q,
tie shibboleth of.its endeavor.
And why Anything to beat Cum
mins?" Is Mi. Cummins able? Is he
upright? Does he stand for popular
politics and devotion to the public in.
teres,? The machine press answers
these inquiries with a regretful affirma-
tive. They have searched his public
and private record and have been able
to report the finding Of no serious flaw.
Why then this implacable, bitter, pre-
scribing machine determination? Why
has it's edict thus issued? Perhaps an.
answer can be had by considering the
following remarks made by MIR. Cum.
minis at bis recent appearance before
the state bar associations:
When the day comes. if it ever does
come, in which any considerable number
Of our people vote not as they think,
but as somebody el e thinks, then, while
we may retain the forms of free instit, :.
tions, we will have surrendered the great
charter Of the republic. The most i'm
perative duty Of the present time is to-
see t0sit that aggregate bodies, ali asso-
Citations and Operations, Whatever may
be their purpose of existence, shall keep
their handG of the voter and his repre-
lssentatives; that IT, re; ther coeree nor
seduce. They must be taught that the
one especial crime which cannot be con.
doned and will not be endured, is the
interruption by any act, threat or in
ducement of the free, honest. and un-
biased vote Of the citizen and the unin-
fiuenced, unrestricted, unprejudiced act
of his representatives whether legisla-
tive, judicial, or executive.
Mr.. Cummin's private and public life
bears out belief that the above utter
ance came from his heart as well as from
bis head, and represents, not only his
settled conviction, but the unshakable
determination of strong man. If
elected governor he will be free from all
obligations to private interests whose
pecuniary welfare is affected by state
action and legislation. Mr.. Cummins
has not been conspicuous as an anti
monopolist in the common sense, being
a lawyer who has had many corpora
tions in his extensive clientage. But be
has separated professional employment
from his attitude asa citizen and has
kept himself free and independent.
This has been his sin of sins. For this
he has been marked for slaughter.
Certainly the special interests active in
Iowa politics can bring against Mr..
Cummins no objection except their
knowledge that they cannot use him
The opposition made to him and which
has schemed and plotted for months il
eloquent of his integrity. Even if there
was not scrap of evidence of the
affirmative kind, the negative evidence
presented by his opponents is PROOF
that they, at least, know the quality o.
the mans manhood. Will Cummins be
beaten? He will be if an a.tful and re
sourceful organization, abundantly
equipped with the .sinews of politics, il
able to control the action of the mex,
! republican state convention. 1t is w
to the people to write the last chapter
of the serial story.-Des Moines Leader