Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-17
CUMMINS HITS ELKINS
Governor Describes His Experience at
the Rate Hearing Before the Com
mittee in Vacation-committee Room
Packed With Railroad Attorneys.

Special to Times Republican
Storm Lake, Feb. 17.-Probably no
part of Governor Cummins' speech be-
fore the Farmers Institute here, aside
from his Endorsement Of Senator Dolli-
yer, attracted more attention than his
arraignment of Senator Elkins, chair
man of the interstate commerce COM
mittee of the United States senate.
The governor had given his opinion
of how the railroad lobby at Wash
ington, which he declared that for
magnificence and extravaganza never
had been equaled, had picketed every
avenue into the city and for seven
years had prevented any legislation
to give to the interstate commerce
commission power to enforce it's or
ders. Then congress ordered the in
vestigation. The governor said:
Il caused myself to be invited to do
what l could do in tho interest of my
people. l had prepared statement
Which required me three-quarters of an
hour to read. The committee called it
evidence. When / had finished the
chairman began a cross examination
which continued six hours, and for
four hours and a half not one single
question was put to me except to over
Whelm me and send me from that
room in disgrace. 1t was the cruel and
relentless examination with which an
attorney jabs a hostile witness. l was
the only man in that large room crowd
q n tho hn bo1
on the invitation of the railroads and
on a free pass. A great committee of
the senate was conducting an investi-
cation.
But that was not what made me
angry, for I can stand cross exami-
nation, even by a railroad "a rney. But
while this chairman was probing me
there sat by his side the general attor-
ney of all the railroads of the United
States. They sat so close that their
arms We're almost entwined in loving
embrace. And when I saw that at
torney passing up to the chairman
question after question to embarrass
me, and when I observed the tender
existing between him and
the chairman of that great committee,
the hot blood of Indignation ran thru
me until l could not preserve the pro-
prieties of the occasion and l said then
that so long as God should give me
voice l would denounce that infamy.
The initials of the name of that chair
man are Stephen B. Elkins, and he
halls from West Virginia. The people
of West Virginia did not put him in
the senate. The railroads placed him
there, and those Of his state and of the
country are his special care. He is
there to do what the railroads COM
mand him to do"
Pessimism Rampant.
1t was at this point that the gov
ernor indorsed Senator Dolliver.
The governor spoke of the criminal
audacity of the railroad promoters ana
the ignorance and credulity of the
purchasers of railroad stock, declared
the railroads had dominated the leg
islatures of the land and added that
if he could have his way about it
he would correct their ways. The
governor prophesied that if the peo-
pie should not wake up and get
hustle on themselves the l(ailaIon6s
would double their capitalization dur
ing the next ten years and maybe
without adding mile of track
you've got to fight" the governor
said, you've got to get up and grid
on your armor or your share in this
government will hardly be worth men
tioning."