Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-19
TWO SPIRITS & SOME POLITICAL HISTORY.

Governor Cummins' speeches during
the campaign We're along orthodox
lines. But no sooner was he inaugur-
ated for the second time, than he is
sued what amounted to a challenge to
the old-line republicans of this state,
proposing legislation never. endorsed
by republican, platforms, and which
was at once hailed by democrats every
where as simon-pure democratic doc
trine He announced that he propos-
ed to press these doctrines, and exert
himself to give them expression IN
the national platform which the repub-
lican party will put forth at Chicago
next June.
That such program would em-
barrass the President and hurt the
party, was apparent to every man of
sense, and though there was great pro-
vocation to take up this challenge and
fight it out, the leaders of the stand
pat element who are always republl-
cans before they are factlonalists, with
one accord, expressed the hope that
there would be no contest in Iowa, and
that all republicans would unite TO
support the president and the princi-
pies for which he so strenuously stands.
The president himself, seeing the dam
ger, personally requested Senator Alli-
son and Dolliver to stand as delegates
at-large Mr.. Blythe seconded this sug-
same time stating that Governor Cum
minis should also go as one of the dele
gates-at-large. Queried as to his own
ambitions, he said he would esteem 1t
an honor to be such a delegate, but
that he would let no personal ambition
of his stand in the way of party har-
mony.
We submit that it will not be dis
puted by fair-minded men anywhere
that if Governor Cummins had been
| less mindful of his own ambitions and
more concerned in party success, ne
would have seconded these suggestions
| in the same spirit that his own sugges-
lions had been seconded by those who
differed from him one year ago. But
he did nothing Of the kind. He even re-.
| fused to accept the suggestion as TO
the two senators, though in his latest
manifesto, he does accept them. He
persisted In keeping up a contest which
4 everybody knows is distasteful to the
/ President and embarrassih to the par
4 ty at large.
Then came the congressional contest
at Des Moines, with which evrybody IS
familiar. Prouty made his whole fight
as an advocate of Mr.. Cummins' prin-
1 ciples and declared in his closing
speech with the governors smile of
4 approval on the orator, that this con-
test is of nationwide Importance. My
i defeat is the defeat of the peerless and
i fearless man (Cummins) who sits at
my right" The defeat of Prouty was
Overwhelming. 1t was a landslide. He
had scarcely a corporal's guard of dele
gates in the Polk county convention.
men who had been elected in opposi-
4 ton to the principles espoused by the
4 governor, courteouslY commended his
administration of state affairs, and rec
commended him for member large
i on the Iowa delegation to the national
convention.
j At the same time they endorsed fol-
7 similar honor Senators Allison and
Il Dolliver, and j.. w. Blythe. But though
Mr.. Blythe had been one Of the strong
Il est influences In bringing about the
4 harmony Cummins desired in 1908; and
though he had courteously suggested
y that Governor Cummins be conceded
! place on the delegate at-large weeks
4 ago, the governor could notaput aside
Il personal pride and vanity suffcientE
Il to even silently acquiesce in the actor
Z of the convention of his home county
I The fight, confessedly embarrassing te
4 the national republican party, must &c
4 on, according to the governor, because
he cannot have everything he wants.
4 Where in the previous history Of
Iowa, can be found an exhibition OF
y SelrShneSS Sucn as IniS {. FROM SIiliiies
to Cummins, no governor assumed to
4 be the absolute dictator of his party
i the guardian of it's mind and con-
science. Governor Cummins will find
that he indeed does not know when II
is time to let well enough alone. He
had been loyalty supported when he
little deserved it. He has been cour-
teously treated when he did not appre-
ciate it. He aspires to be dictator. The
1 ioo no tu nf iowa had
dictator, and it never will have one
Heretofore the republican party never
knew factionalism. 1t is apparent thai
Governor Cummins will have nothing
else. The rank and file of the party
! will not stand for it another moment.