Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-05-23
HON. GEORGE D. PERKINS.

de was invited to be candidate Dy
DISTINGUISHED men who might. be called
leaders in the republican party. His
candidacy was not altogether OF hls
own making. Several months ago il
was thought by certain party leaders
that because he had been friendly tC
Albert B. Cummins in all his battles
that he (Perkins) might be accepted by
both factions. thus avoiding bitter
contest in the party. This hope OF
causing Mr.. Perkins to be com
promise candidate found further
basis in the fact that it was Mr.. Per.
kins' withdrawal in 1901 which en-
abled Albert B. Cummins to be nomi'
mated. Without the vote of Woodbury.
county in the preliminary stages OF
the convention the whole Cummins
arrangement would have gone down
in defeat. 1t was also remembered
that in 1908 Mr.. Perkins appeared as
compromiser again in the interest OF A.
B. Cummins. At the special request OF
Mr.. Cummins, Mr.. Perkins held a
conference with Senator Allison and
Mr.. Blythe at which platform was
/ agreed upon which was satisfactory to
Governor Cummins. According to
the governors own report, he wrote
the platform himself and Allison,
Perkins and Blythe agreed to it. Mr..
Perkins having taken the position III
favor of the 1908 platform, worked for
it's readoption before the convention
of 1904, appearing before the COM
mittee on resolutions and making a
speech in behalf of the 1908 platform.
Thus did he work for compromise and
for peace.
Mr.. Perkins lis somewhat past sixty
years of age. He is in good health.
His mind s'clear and active. He served
four years in the state senate, represent
ing Woodbury. and other northwestern
counties. He served as United States
marshal and then served eight years in
Congress. In the national house he
attained most honorable standing.
Men who served with him in congress
speak of him in the highest terms.
Personally Mr.. Perkins life has been
clean and manly. His tastes are
domestic; he is lover of his home and
is always happy when there surrounded
by his family. He is an honorable
man; good employer. considerate of
all those about him. Printers who
have worked ON the Sioux City Jour-
nal relate these circumstances with
much pride, because the Journal has
always been beautifully printed and
'made up'' in good paste.
No man was ever put ito greater test
than was George D. Perkins in the
days of prohibition. He then owned
and edited a political newspaper. His
party was committed to prohibition
and how could he escape? How could
he be loyal to his party and continue
to publish his daily paper? He found
a way. He dealt fairly with the
public and took an honorable position
in support Of the law. When Rev.
George G. Haddock was assassinated in
the streets of Sioux City by a saloon
slugger another test came to Perkins,
and then his voice in public meeting
in big church in Sioux City was for
the law and its enforcement. Those
were trying times for Perkins. Every
thing he had was at stake. He i'm
periled his life's work but he stood by
the law. He shone well in the light
that beat upon him. Supreme tests
come to men at times. and in the
supreme test, George d. Perkins was
not found wanting. His course in the
Haddock case was heroic and demon
strated that inside of his seemingly
slow moving nature there was the SUBJ
limest courage.
Perkins is honorably seeking the
Office of governor He is not organizing
a machine. Friends are helping him
in their own way. He served in the
war for the union, and his comrades
are doing what they can to help him.
In every locality loyal republicans are
doing what they can. As yet, they
have heard no good reason for giving
Albert b. Cummins seven years in that
Office. They believe that if he had
anything to do, he ought to have
done it in the five-year period.
They do not believe the corporation
story wich the governor relates.
Perkins has not had the benefit of
railway support The governor is de-
cieving the people as to the issues.
He simply wants the Office again in
order to perfect his machine and keep
it in order to make. fight for the
senatorship. Being candidate for
senator, the manly thing would be for
Governor Cummins to withdraw his
present candidacy, coupled with his
announcement for senator. But it is
too much to hone that he will do that.
That was Gears way it is foreign to
Cummins.
The campaign has been in progress
many weeks. The cause of the COVER
nor is perceptibly weakening. The
fight for Perkins is growing stronger.
Republicans are seeing the danger to
the party which would be involved in
the governors denomination. The re-
publicans are realizing that we are in
danger OF losing the next house of re-
resentatives. They regard the COVER
nor's candidacy for period of seven
years as pure selfishness and an express
sion of ingratitude toward the party
which has honored him.