Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-08
cumMINs. the PEOPLE AND REFORM.

CUMMlNS. lHe feUflc ANU nEFOhM'
Comparison of the editorial and
news pages of the newspapers oppos-
ing the primary law affords a study in
inconsistency With the editorial
writer's assuring their readers of the
unalterable and determined opposition
of the farmers to the state wide pri-
task embarrassing. One of these in
stances of determined opposition to
the state wide primary occurred yes
terday at Des Moines, when the Corn
Belt Meat Producers Association after
going on record in favor of Roosevelt S
ian a rate regulation, resolved:
Resolved, That we favor the enact
ment Of law by the present Iowa
legislature which will place the nomin-
alton as we'll as the election of all
our lawmakers, state and national, and
all our officers, in the hands Of the
independent voter.
Resolved, That we demand of the
Iowa legislature now in session, the
enactment Of stringent anti-pass
law.
Resolved, We deem it absolutely
necessary to the agriculture of the
country that we should enlarge our
foreign market for meat products by
reciprocity or otherwise, and we de-
mand that our representatives in con-
gress take immediate action in this
matter.
All these go together. rate regula-
ton, reciprocity, the primary law and
the anti-pass measure. They constitute
the principal planks in the platform
of republican progressiveness. What
convention of farmers has failed to de-
clare for rate regulation? What gath
ering of Iowa agriculturalists since the
primary and anti-pass bills became
present issues has neglected to favor
them by vote? Where is an instance
Of farmers meeting declaring against
any Of these reforms? Petitions loaded
with the names of farmers favoring
these issues have been filed with the
legislature. Against all this the OPP
position has petition worked by a
Blythe committeeman and bearing six
teen names beside his own, and the
verbal insistence of syndicated
whelmingly for the primary, for the
presidents plan of railroad rate reg
ulation, for the anti-pass law and the
pure food law. The reform movement
in Iowa is backed now as it always
has been by the country districts.
One public man in Iowa most pre-
sentiment. He has led the fight in this
state on the issues nearest the inter-
ests of the common people. He was
a rate regulator when these were few
among Iowa public men. When others
were testing the strength of public
sentiment on this important question
Cummins was in the van. We are all
rate regulators in Iowa now. He fav-
orei Hughes anti-pass bill when the
majority sneered at its author; was the
pioneer Of primary agitation and urged
portunity with the manufacturer at the
risk of his political existence. Today
the true sentiment in Iowa is for all
these reforms.
The farmers and the rest of the plain
people of Iowa need Governor Cum
Minis services two years longer. He
should not shun the task the people
have set for him and the Times-Re-
publican does not believe that he will.
It is no derogation of the other wise
useful and honest men who stay close
to the people to say that Mr.. Cummins
is the logical candidate for the next
gubernatorial nomination and that he
should make the race even tho it
should include a personal sacrifice.
Five years he has led the fight in Iowa
for popular government. He should
not resign his leadership because the
enemy demands it.