Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-16

One who has been merely Silent
spectator of the drift of events the past
few months in this state is Governor
C,nnmins. He has taken no part in the
controversies He vas the author OF
the harmony movement Of last year and
he. spoke early for harmony this yeac
But he has been for weeks a sick man
ard he is still in a physical condition.
not at all encouraging. The after Ell
fects of grip and rheumatism have left
him weak and almost crippled. he Is
taking massage treatment ana is I'M
proving but slowly. What worries his
friends most is that he fails to recover
strength and 1t would be very difficult
for him now to make speech with his
accustomed vigor ard force. But Gov
ernor Cummins Is ore whose position Is
never in doubt
II see in the eastern papers he said
few days ago. what appeared to be
an inspired interview with Senator AL
drich. the typical high tariff advocate,
who had just come from conference
with President Roosevelt. and he out
lined what would be the sentiments
contained in the national platform to be
adopted at Chicago. II he speaks as
with authority. then II Is plain that the
national platform VIII come much more
nearly to statement OF views such as
/ have advocated all along than to a
statement of the position of the stand
patters would acid but one thing to
the platform az it has been outlined by
Senator Aldrtch after conference
with the party leaders at Washington.
/ would not leave the time for tariff re-
vision indefinite. would say that we
should begin next December the work
that must be done would declare
that congress should then enter upon
such an examination Of the tariff
schedules as would show whether
changing conditions In. commercial and
Industrial life have rendered necessary
q lowering or a raising of tecific tariff
schedules That Is all would add if I
had ii in my own hands to make plat
form that would just suit me.
'.All that l have contended for and
all that l have ever said as to what
should be in the national platform this
year Is that 1t should point to an ex-
animation Of the schedules with a view
u revision, md leave details to the
lawnaiing power. The party stbuld
be ready to make an honest inquiry into
the schedules. and The platform should
be broad enough So that everyone be-
lieving that there should be revision
might be found working for the repub-
Hean party
Nov ii there is any issue at all
between myself and the standpatters
1t Is on this question. They have
taken the position that the party must
1ag. look at tariff revision at all. mast
not open the door for revision, must
not admit of the possibility of tar
iff ripping as they have chosen to
call it. If this is not the issue be-
tween us then there is no issue"
Governor Cummins is very hopeful
that the platform committee will pe
SO wisely selected that platform will
be adopted that will not exclude any
honest republican from earnest work
for the party. He has repeatedly
pointed out that this is entirely pos
sible. The convention can adopt a
platform without repudiating any OF
the past utterance,s of the party m
this state and refer to the national
convention more specific statement
of the party principles. and thus gath
er to the party those who favor tar
iff revision sometime, those who IA
vor tariff revision now, and those who
oppose tariff revision.
The exact complexion of the dele
cation representing; Iowa in Chicago.
will not be known until the ballot
ing is done In the t,aucuses. But little
more can be told of ii now than three
weeks ago. The delegates are selec-
ted in the First, Eighth and Third
districts. They will be selected to-
morrow for the Seventh district. Bu.
even if all the rames were known
there would be uncertainty as to the
character of the delegation. The
Cummins men have claimed that they
would get warm friends and admirers
of the governor from districts as fol-
lows-two each from the Second,
Fourth, Tenth and Eleventh: one
from the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and
possibly the Ninth. Their opponents
claim two each iii the First, Third,
Fifth. Sixth Eighth, Seventh, Ninth
and one in the Second and one In the
Eleventh 1t all depends on what is
the attitude of Judge Henderson, in
the Seventh; e. r. Clark in the
Fifth; T.. f., Ellsw orth, in the Third;
and of men to be ramed in some other
districts. The merI named, are known
to be, If left alone earnest supporters
of the Iowa platform. The stand
patters claim. however. that before
they allowed them to become practically
elected. they We're all placed under the
most stringent pledges. Just what
these pledges are is not agreed. One
standpatter who boasted of the pledg-
es eXacted claimed that it went no
further than that they would oppose
placing in the national platform a
clause favoring Canadian reciprocity.
Just what Will happen in the Sixth
and Eleventh districts is not clear.
There appears to be doubt about the |
Ninth. also The district was con-
ceded to the stanipatters some time
ago. but rumor came yesterday to |
the effect that there had been some |
change of sentiment and the delegation |
might be divided
But it is certain that If there is to |
be a division at any time in the dele |
CATION on the revision issue or on |
the question of standing by the Iowa |
platform then thee will be no great !
on either side. In other words |
the delegation will be nearly evenly |
divided on issues and men. 1t is pos
sible that the deciding votes on any
that may come I'M will hp |