The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-20
ELKINS REPLIES TO CUMNINS.
REFUTES THE GOVERNORS CRITI-
CISNS BY HIS TESTIMONY.

The senator Denes Cummins TO Show That
o Hostile Question Was Put TO Him
when He was Before Senate Commit.
tee, and Shows He Was Treated Fairly.
WARRINGTON, March Ex-senator Stephen
B. Elkins, chairman Of the Committee on
Interstate Commerce, made public a letter
to-day which he wrote to Gov. A. B. Cum
minis OF Iowa on the 10th instant, replying
to criticisms reported to have been made
by thesGovernor at various points In Iowa
where he delivered speeches. Senator
Elkins quotes from Gov. CUMMINGS address
at Fort Dodge, in which he said, referring
to his appearance before the interstate
commerce hearings last summer:
Il honestly believe l was the only man In
the room, unless 1t was the members Of the
Senate, who had not gone there on pass and
upon the i~nstigation OF the railroads.
And again: "They oross-examined me for
six hours, and except the questions put to
me by Senator Dolliver land they were very
| few there was not one single question put
| to me from a friendly standpoint
Senator Elkins refers to Gov. Cummins's
statement that the chairman Of that oom-
mittee cross-examined me for more than
| four hours and every inquiry that be made
of me was made as q hostile oroas-examiner
and made for the purpoe Of overthrowing
what 1 said an sending me HON in dis
gust and humiliation
Again Gov. Cummins Is reported to have
| said;
Sitting on the right hand side Of the
chairman Of the Interstate Commerce Com
mittee, 80 close TO him that 1t seemed to me
| their arms were intwined In loving assooia-
ton and embrace, was the general counsel,
as was informed, for all the railways Of
the country, employed for the specific pur-
pose of o~bstruoting and defeating the meas
ure that had been recommended by the
| President
Further along Gov. Cummins is quoted
as saying: Il saw that man pass up to the
| chairman a score OF questions to be put
me-"
Senator Elkins's reply to Gov. Cummins's
structures includes about five thousand
words. Much Of 1t 10 a reproduction OF
the Governors testimony. taken from the
printed reports OF the hearings and pro-
duced TO show that Gov. Cummins was
treated fairly by the committee, and that
| the questions p~ropounded to him were
e%minently fair and proper. Senator Elkins
say; ~. u,. ~. .ttoo. ., A1hsr. n c,,n-
III JnlD was Inc dUuuCk VI AlDoEU D.. SuIn-
minis, l would not notice 1t, but you are the
Governor Of the great State Of Iowa, and
your wholesale denunciation Of the United
States Senate as a body with the single
exception Of the Junior Senator from your
State, must not go unanswered"
Mr.. Elkins refers to the fact that Gov.
Cummins requested to be heard and that
he was advertised as the star witness for
the people.
oaaorIipn RI voiIr 0Wn faQHmnnv the
Senator continues. was notified that you
| would appear and the time OF your ap-
| pearance. o came to Washington and
gave an interview announcing your pres
ence. The hearing was open. All who
desired % to do could attend. You made
a speech, and the committee listened at
tentively and respectfully"
Referring to the alleged cross-examina-
ton, Senator Elkins quotes the following
question and answer
O. Do you think the law as II stands now
Is about as effective and strong as 1t can be
drawn to prevent determinations and re-
bates? A. / do.
Senator Elkins quotes Gov. Cummins's
testimony further to show that he said he
was not complaining of the rates charged
the farmer, but only Of the rates charged
manufacturers. He quoted him another
O. II Is your Judgment that the commits
W bLotlh oS hShS ava IO'NN N's
a substitute rate without appeal? A. Not
In the terms you state. My view is that
Congress ought to confer upon the commits
sion the power to fix a rate. That II the
railroad believes that the commission has
acted unlawfully. it may file an appeal
In any court OF competent Jurisdiction. and
If the error of the commission Is 30 manifest
as TO warrant a temporary Injunction. the
rate can be suspended until the Anal hearing
of that case.
Further along, in answer to the same line
of inquiry, Gov. Cummins Is quoted as hav-
ing testified:
effect until the railway shall have had ample
opportunity to make application to the
court for relief"
Senator Elkins then inquired Of Gov.
Cummins IL he knows that the principal
amendment shall be added giving the courts
! the right to review the findings Of the COM
mission. Quoting from Gov. Cummins's
speech to the Iowa farmers in which he said
| the treatment he received was 30 hostile that
my indignation overcame my. discretion
and l said then and often since that 80 long
as God gave me voice and strength l would
denounoe that infamy from one border OF
our country to another, Mr.. Elkins places
against this statement OF the Governor the
testimony before the committee. when, he
replied, In response to a question whether
he had anything further to say:
Nothing, except to express my thanks
for the patience and courteous way in
which the members Of the committee have
listened to my statement
Senator Elkins denies that any railroad
attorney suggested any question pro-
pounded to Gov. Cummins, and calls the
other members Of the committee as wit
nesses to this fact. In reply TO the Gov
ernor's statement that the committee was