Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-09-14

My association with members o
the legislature for a period of eigh
years, served only to confirm in mt
the opinion that in no state In this
Union can there be found a more
conservative, high-minded and gen
timely patriotic body Of men thar
those who meet biennially in Des
Moines to deliberate and legislate
for the state of Iowa. And this
know, despite any insinuations as tc
the power, influence or numerical
strength of the lobby in Des Moines
no matter how respectable or high
in official position may be the source
of the insinuation. sincerely trust
then, that the coming legislature
will be able as a result of their unit
ed deliberation and wisdom, to work
out anu enact into law a fair, just
and reasonable primary law.
How peculiar it is that while our
Governor is now SO active in pro-
claiming his faith in the common
people, that it has not always been
been SO. Like on some other propo-
6ltions, his conversion Is so recent,
that it scarcely reaches beyond the
period of probation of our Methodist
brethren.
When member of the legislature,
and the bill was up to change the
law and make the railroad commits
sion elective by the people in place
of appointive by the governor, he
was not then in fafvor of their nomi-
nation or election by the people and
voted against the bill. Contrary to
the vote of Governor Cummins, a
railroad commissioner must now pre-
sent his record in Office to the voters
of this state, and ask their approval.
The last affirmative demand of the
"Cummins republican platform" not
yet mentioned by me, Is In reference
to the domination of corporations in
politics, including our own state. AS
this is such new and novel discov-
cry for our republican brethren to
make, it is worthy of more than
passing attention. Iowa, more than
most OF the states, is,as we all know,
an agricultural state. It's citizenship
is made up of what our governor OF
late so fondly terms the common
people," There are within its borders
comparatively few large industrial
corporations worthy of mention ex-
cept the railroads. We understand,
then, of course, that when the gov
ernor speaks from the platform in
reference to the corporations, he has
in his mind the railroads. Is not
this also a new. and rather novel
role for our Governor to assume? Let |
us see. l remember quite well when |
little more than ten years ago the J
people of my county selected me to |
represent them for a season in the |
lower house of the legislature. was |
at that time, no doubt, rather I'M
sophisticated youth, having not then |
or at any time since enjoyed the SEN
sation Of representing any railroad as
q local or general attorney, yet, with |
all my youthfullness and inexperl.
ence, In common with many others, |
did not have to be in Des Moines
very long to ascertain that the rail
roads of the state did manifest some |
considerable interest in state poll
tics. After a season, my people sent
me to represent them in the state
senate, and / was still member
when the Governor was serving his
first term. During this session, a
bill, of which shall speak later,
was before the senate to change the
law in reference to taxing railroads,
and that the railroads were then con-
in evidence, was patent to
the most casual observer. But did
any Of you ever hear, during the per-
iod of his nrst term in Office, of the
discovery on the part of the Governor
Of the fact that the railroads were
in politics? At that same session,
Representative Hughes in the house
was battling for his anti-pass DILL, as
he had at previous session, but
even its Importance failed to attract
the Governor, and Mr.. Hughes was
without the assistance of his elo-
quent voice. Whether the Governors
prior large clientage, or the assist
ance rendered him by the railroads
In his nomination tended to obscure
his vision, am not here to say. d
That he had some assistance of this
character we have the evidence from
4 reliable source. Whatever else the Ii
"Cummins republicans may say OF L
The Honorable Leslie M. Shaw, Sec
rotary of the Treasury. not one, to my Ii
knowledge, has ever said that he Il
spoke without knowing whereof he
spoke, or that his reputation for truth
and veracity has ever been called in
question.
In public speech delivered in
Newton this summer, find the fol-
lowing statement: "There are six |,
trunk lines of railroad extending
across the state from east to west,
and in 1900 there were three extend
Ing across the state from north to
south. The principal Iowa attorneys
Tor two of these systems, the Chica-
90. Burlington & Quincy, and the
Chicago & Northwestern, were under
stood to be opposed to the successful /;
one of the said roads was
neutral. The principal Iowa attorney
for another was the successful can
didate himself, and the principal at II
norneys for five of the. others sup
ported him. And the president OF |,
one of them came to Iowa In his pri-
vate car to assist to secure a dele
cation from certain county for the
successful candidate" In 1903 the
Governor was accorded a unanimous
by his party In conven-
ton assembled, and assuming that
even the two railroads mentioned by /
Mr.. Shaw were against Governor
Cummfns the first time, they must
have been either silent with their
objections or favorable to his renom-
ination.
In his first inaugural address, no
mention Is made of the Governors
discovery at that time that the rail-
roads were dominating Iowa politics.
Nothing in reference to them was
said in that address. beyond the mere
80 ~ f. \ Il