Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-23
PLAN ATTACK
UPON CUNN|NS
Old Fight Between Him and
Defenders of Corporations,
Likely to Come Up
HIS POSITION ON MONOPOLY
Clear and Unmistakable Statement of
1t Given to the Public-WilI Not Be
Alone in Movement for Adoption of
System to Regulate Railroad and
Transportation Rates.
70 Tines-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Nov. 23.-The political
opponents of Governor A. B. Cummins
are marshaling their forces for con-
certed attack upon the doughty gov
ernor because of his bold pronounce
ment on the question of federal con-
less all signs fail there will be fought
out again the old fight between him
and the defenders of the corporations.
His attitude in appearing with the
governors of Minnesota and Wisconsin
before President Roosevelt to urge up
on the latter that he grapple with the
railroad rate problem at once, has
brought upon Governor Cllmmins 4
storm which is but feebly suppressed
Already it is being said that this Is
new fad of the governor, and that 1t
is an innovation OF transitOry nature
But as matter of fact Governor Cum
Minis has d long and consistent rec
ord in opposition to monopolies and
extortions, and his attitude ON the rail-
road rate question is not new. 1t will
be recalled that twenty five years ago
when the farmers of the west were
struggling to free themselves from the
grasp of the barb wire monopoly,
when they had been fighting against
odds for years, when they feared that
their cause would be lost because of
the betrayal Of lawyers they turned
to A. b. Cummins and employed him as
attorney to fight their cases thru the
federal court. and that he did SO in a
successful manner. 1t was while thus
engaged that he got his first insight
into railroad rate Determinations.
Coming down to more recent times it
will be recalled that Governor Cum
minis appeared before a large public
gathering April 80. 1902, in the city Of
Minneapolis, and declared that there
are but two forces which can be trust
ed to regulate industry and commerce:
the first is competition, the second,
law" 1t was here that he declared
that .the American people will no
more submit to commercial despOtism
than they will to governmental des-
potism, and the tendency in the one
case can be- and will be, as easily
thwarted as the tendency in the other.
Continuing, he laid this down as his
rule:
Il suggest first, that no corporation,
whether Industrial or otherwise, should
for in money at par value; second,
believe that some branch of the gov
ernment must be vested with the power
g <,c,
upon which a monopoly, or substantial
monopoly, has been established"
pss
Here was the clear and unmistslkable
statement of the present position Of
the governor Of Iowa on the question
Of monopoly in charges for products
or service. 1t was far more, because
of this utterance than because of any
thing that the governor said on the
tariff question that it was resolved last
year that he should be kept off the
Iowa delegation to the Chicago conven-
ton, if possible. and failing in that,
that he should be shorn Of any power
for good. The solid railroad influence
was arrayed against the governor and
at the behest of railroad magnates
lifelong personal friends of the govern
or were forced to desert him and join
his political enemies under penalty of
losing good positions.
Governor Cummins will not be alone
in his movement for the adoption Of
a system for regulation of railroad and
transportation rates. He has been in
communication with others in this
,ha,, nfy 10
is familiar with the situation which
called forth the demand for application
of law where the principle of compe-
ton has failed. He had 6. conference
here during the summer with Mr..
Frank Barry of Washington, D. c.,
who is secretary of the Interstate Law
Convention, which held a session in
st. Louis few weeks ago. He is
aware that this convention has allied
with it more than four hundred crgani-
cations, representing nearly every state
of the union. 1t has back of it in the
demand for amendment Of the inter-
state commerce law so that railroad
rates may be fixed, fifty-eight state
and sectional associations, BAG state
and local organizations, and seventeen
state oranges. The movement has
been approved formally by the
legislatures in the states of
Iowa. Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan,
Minnesota, South Dakota, Missouri
and Wisconsin. In Iowa the demand
for control of rates is backed by the
Iowa Grain Dealers Association, the
Corn Belt Meat Producers Associa-
ton, the Grain Dealers Union of
southwest Iowa and northwest Missou-
ri, the Iowa Nebraska Wholesale Gro
GERS Association, the Iowa State Man
ufacturers' Association, the Iowa State
Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, the
Des Moines exchange and commercial
clubs in a dozen good cities.
When Governor Cummdns presented
his views to the convention of the up
per Mississippi River improvement
Association at Dubuque. the people