Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-26

governor, however, positively denied
any such aspirations or the possibili-
ty of such plans Undertaking.. This
rumor was followed by the one claim
ing that Governor Cummins would be
a presidential possibility in 1908 and
was waiting for that event THERE
were also those who thought that theI
governor was looking up senatorial
possibilities. 1t is significant that Mr..
Cummins practically made his head
quarters at the capitol in Senator Dol
liver's committee rooms and was seen
with Nh. Dolliver almost all of the
time that he spent at the capitol.
-
The most important rumor was that
which stated Mr.. Cummins had been
summoned to Washington by the
President who wished to consult him
on the tariff question. Whether he was
summoned or not the conference which
he did have with Mr.. Roosevelt was of
the utmost Importance. Mr.. Cummins
called on the President the morning of
his arrival but the cabinet was in ses-
sion and the President asked him to
return that evening at $50 and spend
the evening. Before Mr.. Cummins saw
the President he had long conference
at his hotel with George H. Roberts,
director of the mint and publisher of
the Des Moines Register and Leader,
who is said to have been the author
of the Iowa idea Exactly what the
President and governor said to each
other no one knows, but there is but
little doubt but what the tariff question
was discussed. The information that
comes from the best and most con-
fidential sources indicates that Mr..
Cummins and the President had a very
pleasant visit. The President undoubt-
edly did advise that the tariff matter
should not be pushed at this time and
probably even went SO far as to sug-
gesr that a plank dealing with that
question should not appear in the Iowa
platform on which Mr.. Cummins will
run for governor.
1t IS intimated that Mr.. Cummins
and Mr.. Roberts are willing to agree
not to push the tariff matter especially
before the next campaign. 1t is quite
certain, however, that they will not
of their platform. The tariff plank
Will NC III luS Uul IL Uldy DS
moderated considerably or not given
such prominence. The course recent
ly taken by Mr.. Roberts newspaper is
pointed to as one of the signs that the
stand pat" policy may be adopted in
Iowa to a degree and for a time at
least MIR. Roberts is very close to the
President and there is story that the
President had talked the matter over
with him before Mr.. Cummins came
out and given him practically the
same advice which accounts for the
modified tone of Mr.. Roberts Des
Moines newspaper. A get-together
policy is undoubtedly the one to be
adopted from this time on.
1t is not asserted at all that the
tariff revision factions are relinduish-
ing any principle in this matter. In
fact, some go so far as to state that
Mr.. Roosevelt promised and assured
Governor Cummins that he was in ia
vor of revision to certain extent and
that revision must and would come
some day. The claim is that this is
not the opportune time Nothing at
all could be done until the first session
of the next congress. Then it is quite
certain that the democrats in the SEN
ate and house would delay all action
so as to precipitate the entire disturb.
| ing question into the presidential cam
pa1gn of 1904. Nothing would be done
| at the next session of congress and
all that would result would be a gen.
eral upheaval of the country, endan-
gering the business interests and an
unrest that might prove disastrous in
more ways than one. The question of
tariff revision may be an important is
sue in the 1904 campaign anyhow. In
that case, however, it is considered
| that it would be much better that way
than to have the matter pushed along
now and dragged through the entire
long session beginning next December
when it would simply waste the time
of congress and disturb the country
unnecessarily.
The talk of Governor Cummins as
a vice presidential possibility immedi-
ately brought out the question of sena-
torial succession in that event. MANY
people look upon Governor Cummins
as the next senator from Iowa when
any vacancy occurs and yet there are
/
torial timber now in the Iowa delega-
ton in the house of representatives.
1 Attention is called to the fact that an
i overwhelming majority of the sena.
tors of the country have graduated
from the house of representatives into
the higher body. Few men have been
selected to occupy a senatorial chair
who have not first had some expert.
ence at Washington. The reasons are
obvious. In the first place the man
who has had experience in the house
is in a much better posi-
tion to serve his state than
the man without that experience
Leaving Speaker Henderson out OF
consideration there are several mem
bers who would serve Iowa admirably
in the senate. Everybody knows that
/ Colonel Hepburn and Major Lacey
would make ideal senators. Then
there is Governor Hull and among the
/ younger and newer members of the
house Judge Smith and Judge Conner
while Bob" Cousins could undoubt
4 eddy step into the senate and occupy
an uncontested position of oratorical
hot ho, ~, he