Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1906-03-29
GOV. CUMMINS' REPLY
HITS OUT FROM SHOULDER IN
ANSWER TO ELKlNs.
Iowa Executive Tells West Virginia
Senator That Latters Subservience
to Railroads Is Matter of Common
Record-Withdraw Nothing.

Record-WithdraW Nothing.
Des Moines, March 26.-Governor
Cummins has mailed to Senator Ell
kins Of West Virginia a reply to the
senator's letter in which he criticised
statements made by the governor in
speeches to the voters of Iowa, re-
garding his examination before the
senate committee on interstate COM
merce when it had under considera-
ton the railway rate bill.
The governor says that the senator
accused him of falsehood in declaring
that his cross-eXamination was hos
tile, that an attorney of the railway
companies sat at the right of Senator
Elkins during the examination, that
Senator Elkins appeared to be in COM
munion and sympathy with this at
torney and that the attorney handed
to Senator Elkins questions to be
asked the governor.
Not on Peoples Side.
'If, says the governor, in his let
ter to the senator, "you understand
your duties and obligations as chair
man of legislative committee to be
similar to those of an advocate, have
no criticism to make of your conduct,
except to say that you were on the
side of the people. l have thought,
however, that as chairman of such a
committee your duties and obligations
were more nearly like those of a
Judge; namely, to hear both sides pa
tiently, without bias or prejudice, and
then to decide impartially, without
fear or favor. You heard patiently,
but it was clearly apparent in your
cross-eXamination that you had de.
cided the case in favor of the rail-
roads and was determined to shatter
my evidence, if you could. The cross.
examination shows conclusively that
you had made up your mind that the
proposed authority ought not to be
given to the interstate commerce
commission, that the power sought to
be given was unnecessary, dangerous,
and filled with disaster to commerce.
1t is from beginning to end just such
a cross-eXamination as an. attorney
for the railway companies would have
conducted, and it was unseemly for
you to assume that attitude. The
scene in your committee room is
sharply stamped on my memory, and
it is impossible that | can be mis-
taken about it. Sitting squarely at
your right hand, just trifle behind
you, sat gentleman, who, as l was
afterwards informed, is ex-senator
Faulkner. l inquired what relation he
bore to the investigation, and | was
told that he was an employee of the
railway companies to resist the pro-
posed law. | don't know whether the
other senators saw him or not, for
their faces were turned toward me,
and, therefore, away from him; but I
do know that you saw him, first, be-
cause he was SO close to you that you
could not turn your head without see
ing him; second, because you We're
in conversation with him part of the
time; third, because | saw him with
his hand on your shoulder, pass to
you questions which you read and
then put to me. There can be no mis-
take about this, for my senses were
can be.
Stands for Railroads in Senate.
The truth is, Senator, that you
have fairly established the reputation
| of standing for the railroads in the
United States senate. 1t is most un-
| fortunate that any senator should ac-
quire such reputation among the
| people OF the country. 1t is in the
highest degree important that the
body of which you are member shall
enjoy the fullest public confidence.
The gravest problems which confront
you are those which relate to the regu.
lation and restriction of corporate
power. These problems will not be
successfully solved by those whose
lives have been so nodded by corpor-
ste thought and corporate influence
that they instinctively turn to corpor
a'ion officers and managers for infor.
nation and guidance. 1t is with pro
found regret that | have condemned
Your course but my regret disappears
and another feeling takes its place
when / observe that you are not only
persisting in your indefensible atti
tude, but are endeavoring to reach
over thousand miles of space and ad
wise the Republican voters of Iowa
how to select a governor The bur
den is too heavy for you; you cannot
lift it. The task is too great for you;
you cannot accomplish it,
| AovNuood P,.< Il. po:.