Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-05

Morning, June 30.)
Des Moines, June 30.-It must
not be supposed from the fact
that Governor Cummins has made his
campaign in opposition to the corpora
lions that those who are on the other
side of the political fence are not as
much committed to the interests of the
people as he is.
1t IS worth remembering, in studying
the Iowa political situation, that prac.
tlcally all the old party leaders are in
the anti-Cummins camp. There are
two or three candidates for governor
against him, but only one of them has
achieved any particular prominence in
this campaign.
The principal opponent Of Mr.. Cum
minis is George D. Perkins of Sioux
City. So far as personality goes, he
is even more democratic man than
the governor. He really looks the part
better and fills up the critical eye with
the average measure. of a granger can
didate. He has been in Iowa for forty
six years, off and on, served accept
ably in congress, had short but en-.
tirely creditable army record, and has
made a success of life by industry, In
tegrity and capacity.
Hard to Pick Better Man.
It would be hard to pick a better
type OF man than Mr.. Perkins for the
Chief office in commonwealth like
Iowa. He is slow OF speech and i'm
presses one as a man who weighs well
his words and thinks out what he has
to say before he says it. If he has
behind him almost the solid support Of
the Iowa delegation in congress 1t is
because he fairly earned it while he
was in Washington. AS chairman of
the committee on printing in the house
OF representatives, as remember it,
Mr.. Perkins made a splendid record.
He is too old to learn new tricks, and
believe he is entirely sincere when he
says he would not accept the nomina-
ton If it came to him tinted with even
the suspicion Of fraud.
While he talked in his private room
of the headquarters suite at the Saw
cry hotel yesterday he was particularly
characteristic in his gestures and in his
conversational method. Mr.. Perkins is
short and f1orid, smooth of face, and
excessively slow Of speech.
iiiS iietS's VI SiSs
He has habit of Analysing situa-
ton by beginning at the beginning and
telling all it's details with almost pain.
full accuracy When he gets through
with his subject, although his listener
may have anticipated his conclusions,
there is no doubt as to his facts.
He has seven plaits in his shirt and
he uses a half burned stub of cigar,
held between his thumb and the first
two fingers, to emphasize the points he
wishes to make. When he is short of
words he lights his cigar again, and
this process is repeated without any
appreciate consumption of tobacco,
because the first puff after the match
is applied Is almost invariable the last
one until a new light is necessary
One is Immediately impressed with
the fact that here is a strong, conserv-
alive, and wholly reliable sort of man,
one who made his way in the world
by hard knocks and who created real.
ly first class newspaper in an out-of-
the-way but bustling town by down
right force of intellectual application.
There could not well be a better type
for an Iowa governor, and while it
may be true that Mr.. Perkins repre-.
sents the corporation end Of the polit-
ical seasaw, it is equally certain that
he would never, under any circum-
stances, betray the interests of the
people from whom he came and OF
whom he certainly still is.
Wants No Tainted Office.
81 don't want any nomination which
is not absolutely beyond suspicion he
said. 81 have been about forty-six
years here in Iowa. am in about my
last round, and I'd rather go out with
the good opinion Of the people round
about me than to have any kind of an
Office. You see, am sixty-six years
old now and have built up a reputa
ton for squareness which l don't pro
pose to sacrifice whatever may be the
demands Of political campaign.
81 have written letter to Governor
Cummins offering to submit the ques
ton of contests in the different coun
ties to the arbitration of the national
committee, chiefly because I have the
interests of the republican party at
heart
Il went into this campaign almost
unCOnSclOuSly, but now that am In II
do not propose to sacrifice any of my
ideas as to the right and wrong of poll
tics. came here when l was boy
less than twenty years old and enlisted
as privatet soldier and was sent
home to die But I fooled them.
didn't die, and now at 66 have not the
slightest intention of being a party tc
any political trickery or sharp prac
tice. will not take nomination
which comes to me In such way. ant
the friends of Governor Cummins, who
seem to think that I could be party
to downright political trickery simply
don't know me, that's ALL
And then the cigar stub waved 8
| series Of eccentric circlts in the all
and wound up with a monogram OF
two and the inevitable newly lighted
match.
Speaking of Corporations.
you are supposed to be the candi
date of the corporations and Governor
Cummins to be distinctively on the
side of the people"