Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-04-04
IS cUMMlNs AFRAID OF PERKlNs7
The Willy Governor After Being Twice Chal.
lenfed Refuses to Debate
Issues With Perkins.

lenfed Refuses to Debate
Issues With Perkins.
Some time ago the committee in
charge of the candidacy Of Hon. Geo.
D. Perkins for Governor of Iowa,
through Senator Jackson of Woodbury.
county, asked Gov. Cummins to meet
Mr.. Perkins in joint debate believing
that Mr.. Cummins had not been fairly
stating the issues, and that this
method would give the republicans
OF the state an opportunity to meet
both candidates in fair contest over
the issues, if there are any. Mr..
Cummins seems to have paid no atten-
tion to the first letter and the follow
ing was sent to him by mail on last
Wednesday morning, and in the after
noon he sent the reply which follows
herewith.
The reply of Gov. Cummins it seems
is an attempt to evade an honest, open
discussion of what he claims are issues
before the people in this campaign and
the position of Mr.. Perkins and him
self respecting them. Mr.. Culnmins
has been chasing from one end of the
state to the other getting in on farmers
institutes and every kind of meeting
possible, to get the farmers aroused
for him and his false issues and when
asked to meet Mr.. Perkins, refuses to
do SO. It is practically an admission
that he is afraid to meet him face to
face in discussion before the people.
Mr.. Cummins is everywhere known
as a polished orator. Mr.. Perkins is
plain, blunt speaker, but his words
carry conviction. and impress his
hearers with his honesty, his fairness.
and his ability.
THE CALLENGE.
"Des Moines, Iowa, March 27.-Hon.
A. b. Cummins, City. Dear Sir :
Having no reply to our suggestion for
q joint debate between yourself and
George D. Perkins at one or more
points in each congressional district Of
the state, we venture again to call
yOur attention to the matter aud to
urge upon you an early and favorable
consideration of the proposition.
.'It is but fair to the republicans of
the state that they should be given
the truth of the various matters you
are engaged in discussing. and yOu
doubtless realize that partisan speech
is not SO we'll calculated to bring out
the truth as full debate.
have said that Mr.. Perkins was good
man in bad company, and yOu failed
to mention the fact that in this con-
test he is in the company of President
Roosevelt aud his cabinet, of Senators
Allison and DOlliver and nearly all of
our congressman.
lyon say you are for primary law.
and yet you fail to say that your
friends defeated the Saunders bill,
which was the only fair and practic-
able measure before the senate.
"YOu say yOu are for an anti-pass
bill, and yet fail to record the fact
that Mr.. Perkins for years has publicly
favored such measure, while you
were soliciting and using free trans
pOrtatiOn for yourself and friends.
"You say you are for rate legisla-
tion, but you fail to say that Mr..
Perkins has fought for such legislation
for twenty-five years, while you
were the representative OF many rail
roads, combines and trusts; that you
were elected to the legislature on a
democratic ticket for the express pur-
pose of defeating such legislation and
that it was through the efforts of
Governor Larrabee and Mr.. Perkins
that law was passed over your head
controlling railroad rates in Iowa.
lyon say that you prayed to your
God every night to be forgiven fol-
the sins you committed in behalf OF
these corporations, but you do not call
attention to the fact that Mr.. Perkins
had committed no sins for which
forgiveness was needed.
"You say to the farmers that in
unseen ways they are being robbed,
but you fail to make mention Of the
fact that during the four years you
have been governor you have not adj
vOcated q message for their relief,
while, on the contrary, you said to
the United States senate committee
on interstate commerce that OuI
people 20 into the eastern market with
butter and eggs upon q rate to which
they are not entitled.
s'You do not mention that for some
wears you advocated q reciprocity with
Canada which would lower the price
of Iowa wheat for the benefit Of the
Touring mills of Minneapolis.
"You accuse Mr.. Perkins of being
q railroad man. The fact is that Mr..
Perkins never has had any railroad
connection, business or political,
while, ON the other hand. the records
Of the district court of Polk county
show that you acted as attorney for q
railroad company in important litiga'
| tion only last December, such railway
being one Of those which you, rs .
member of the executive council, have
been assessing. You would condemn
a Judge for accepting a retainer from
q litigant and yet yOu act as attorney
for railroad company which the law
requires you to impartially assess.
"Can il be that you do not want th'
people of Iowa to know the truth o
these matters?
"We suggest that refusal to ente
the debate may carry that impression
Yours truly, John H. Jackson,
For Committee.
THE REPLY.
DES MONIES, Ia, March sS. 1905
L Hon IOhu II JackaOn in CharC