Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-06-20
FARMERS ATTENTION.

| governor is only an incident with
him. He cares nothing about the
office any longer save as it serves his
greater purpose. He pretends of
course that there is something at stake
so great and so vital that only he of
all the men in Iowa can save the
people, But there is nothing in this.
If the governor had half as much
humor in his makeup as he has
egotism he would laugh till his sides
ached at his own Joke, says the Cedar
Rapids Republican. Mr.. Cummins
has no use for the governorship save
as it will advance his ambition to go
to the senate. He knows that as A.
B. Cummins he would attract little
attention. He could get invitations
to speak here and there as private
citizen but the newspapers would not
report the meetings. Out of Office
he would soon be forgotten. A large
percentage of his following would
desert him the moment his success
was qualified. Mr. Cummins realizes
this, and for no other reason is he
seeking third nomination.
A. B. Cummins is therefore to be
considered as candidate for the
senate, to succeed either Allison or
Dolliver. Delivers term expires
first. If he thinks he has the votes to
unseat Dolliver next winter, out will
go Dolliver. If not, then Allison's
seat will be contested. Mr.. Cummins'
campaign then is national campaign
and his views on national questions
are all important. Do the people of
this great agricultural state desire
the things for which A. B. Cummins
stands triumphant in Washington?
We do not believe that Mr.. Cum
Minis reflects the thought and purpose
Of the republican party in Iowa ON
any great national question, NOT one.
The governors tariff views are
we'll known. He is for
reduction of the tariff as trust
busting measure. He is for
reciprocity in natural products with
Canada. These issues were fought
out in 1901, and the governor was
defeated owe erwhelmngly. So crushing
was his defeat that neither the govern
or nor his followers are mentioning
these questions now. But everybody
knows he is of the same opinion still.
for did he not recently go down to
Boston to take the democratic end of
a tariff discussion against two distin-
guished republicans-having for his
colleague Mr.. Whitney. late democrat
ic candidate for lieutenant governor
of Massachusetts, the man who was
so caustically called to account by
President Roosevelt, because he had
sought to misrepresent the president.
Mr.. Cummins, however, would like
to have this forgotten for the time
being. He has sought to concentrate
Oh the railroad rate issue. But even
on this issue he is antagonistic to
Iowa sentiment. Not that Iowa
people are opposed to regulation of
railroad rates. They are not opposed,
but they are opposed to the kind of
rate policy advocated by Mr.. Cum
minis. Effort has been made to get
away from the record established by
Mr.. Cummins, by abuse of the man
who happened to bring it out. But
the record will not down. In fact the
people are just beginning to compre-
hend what that record shows. They
were so amazed when first they saw
it that they could scarcely credit their
senses. What, they said, the governor
of Iowa, denouncing Iowa's rates as
too low. surely there must be some
mistake! But there was no mistake
save the mistaken notion that the
governor of Iowa must perforce be
loyal to Iowa's interest.
| Here is the record. 1t speaks for itself.
Read it,-this extract from Governor
Cummins' testimony before the inter
/ SttttO 0ntl lOiOiSn COiiiAhClSC
of the senate. You were then asked.
20. Do not your Iowa farmers and
producers get their surplus grain and
| live stock to the market largely under
this low rate under the long haul?"
| "a. / think our people go into
the eastern markets with butter and
eggs upon a rate to which they are
not entitled in any fair adjustment
They are not entitled to it upon any
fair adjustment of rates throughout
the United States"
| Was the question more hostile to
the people of your state than was
your answer? Again you said page
2O63).
~ think it quite true that when you
give the commission power to fix a
rate instead of the one condemned
you give it power either to raise or
lower the rate. F"
20. Do you think that power
would always be exercised in the
direction of reducing the rate?"
IA. l do not" Was that question
hostile? Again you say:
~ believe that the true, just prin-
ciLle for the fixing of rates is the
cost of the service" page 206h).
You were then asked:
20. Would that not destroy the
long haul?"
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