The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-24
.CUMMINS OPENS
IOWA CAMPAIGN
Keynote Speech Made at Churdan
Governor Declares Rail
~,, roads Are His Enemies. *5E


roads Are His Enemies.
Special to The Journal. =, - .5s-
Churdan, Iowa, Sept. Ex-Governor
Cummins delivered the opening speech
of his campaign here today. He began
with a personal statement which the
situation seemed to require. He said:
1t is habit of mine to look both men and
situations sQuarely in the eyes. In entering
upon the campaign before me l will not depart
from this habit.
nomination was earnest. There was a great
deal of feeling in it, and, unfortunately, some
acrimony. Many republicans were sorely dis
appointed in the outcome of the convention, for
only message Is that, altho l was not their
choice for governor, was nominated by a re-
publican convention after fair fight, and l
am entitled to their support, If they believe that
republican supremacy in the nation and in the
state will promote the welfare Of the people Of
the country. I am to be opposed for election
by every political railroad in the state and by
every monopoly, trust and combination turnout
the land. 1 have incurred, in some way, their
undying hostility, and their power is not to be
despised.
The democratic candidate for governor is
sonal friendship, and whose character and at
tanments I have held in high respect. as
sumed that his nomination would insure d
political discussion pitched upon the lofty plane
of dispassionate consideration of the policies and
histories Of the two great political parties which
have for now more than fifty years sought the
administration Of the mightiest government upon
the face of the earth. 1t was with deep regret
that discovered in the opening speech Of my
opponent, delivered at Ottumwa on the sixth day
of the present month. that 1t would be his pur-
pose in this contest to stimulate by reflections
upon my conduct and motives the disappoint-
ment among republicans rather than to expound
and defend the principles of his party.
was amazed to find in the speech to which
have referred nothing but q reproduction Of the
attacks which issued SO ccopiously from the rail-
way bureau during the preliminary campaign.
Mr.. Porter evidently expects every democratic
vote, simply because he was nominated by a
! democratic convention, and therefore he gave
scant attention to either his platform his
party; and he exhausts his powers of speech in
trying to prove to dissatisfied republicans that
have not been faithful to my party nor to the
people of the state whom 1 have tried to serve.
1 recapitulate these things in order that you
| may know that L do not begin this struggle
| blindly. In what I shall have to say there
| shall be neither hope expectation Of bring.
| ing to the support of the republican party what
| is ordinarily known as corporate influence
Harmful Influences in Politics.
| The individuals who compose corporations have
precisely the same rights that all citizens have
| in public affairs, and they ought to exercise
them with the same freedom and independenc,
| that characterizes the unncorporated part of thu
community; but 1 profoundly believe that cor
porations, as such, should be vigorously excluded
from politics; that such associated influence II
harmful influence, and if could have my wa!
| not one dollar from the treasury of corpora
ton would ever be contributed to the treasur!
of political committee.
The principle that the5 government Of tn
nj Sfataa and ho Of ST
| shall be conducted by it's: men and not by it
corporations is nearer to the hearts of the pee
pie than any article Of partizan faith. Do no
misunderstood me. My opinions upon party Is
sues never have been and never will be tempere
to- secure democratic votes. I republican
and | believe in the doctrines Of my party.
am proud Of its history, cherish its traditions
and rejoice in the victories it has accomplished
1 have an abiding conviction that its work j.
the future will be wise and just, and that it
policies will lead the nation thru paths of homo
to the highest distinction which u government
can enjoy. intend to do all that can, b
voice and vote, to secure the election of ever
republican candidate for both state and nationa
office. If the democrats support me, and'I hop
many Of them will, they must do so upon tn
belief that there is something Involved In th
struggle now in progress more vital than part
zanship; that government Of the people, by th
people, for the people, is a condition preceder
to the existence of political parties.
National Questions. u
Unlike my opponent in this, as in many othe
respects, it seems to me that discussion {
national questions is not only appropriate, br
required. He filled three columns in cXploitin
my views upon the tariff, and few meager line
in expressing and explaining his own. He
apparently afraid to rally democrats under I'll
flag Of tariff for revenue only, and expent
his strength In quoting from my speeches
prove that believe that some Of the duties al
too high and should be reduced. His long an
labored effort has, if understand it full.
two ends in vew-frst, to establish that upc
the tariff not sound republican, and tht
| therefore republicans should support him,
freetrader; second, that inasmuch as fave
!, some notifications in the tariff schedules coul
not consistently accept platform which did NJ
declare specifically for such notifications, ar
that because I did not bolt in 1904, and becau:
was somewhat responsible for the platform
1906 I a weak. vacillating man, untrue
my convictions Of right and wrong. If, in tn
, campaign, I had no purpose in view save to l.
instate myself in the confidence and esteem
my distinguished rival, would not undertal
the task, but as there has been and still is
dense fog raised about this question in low
and inasmuch as many honest men and fait
full republicans have been misinformed respec
ing my position upon the tariff, I shall give Il
subject the consideration its Importance require
Steadfast in His Position.
In order that no man shall be able to perve
what / am about to say, I want to make
clear that I retract nothing that I have sa
with regard to the tariff: My views are u
changed, and, within the ranks Of the party
will labor as earnestly as I can, not for ge
eral revision of the schedules. for that I ha'
never favored, but for reducing certain duti
which our experience during the past nine yea
has shown to be excessive.
Protection given thru import duties tn
our home producers shall enjoy reasonable a
= vantage in the home markets over their forei;
!, competitors, is the corner stone Of our grow
and prosperity and is a vital article in the +
|, publican faith. + = 1t is enough to 81
: that challenge any man to discover any spec
that I ever made touching the tariff in which
did not, in the strongest language within \
- vocabulary announce my undated faith in t
: policy Of protection, which began with Abraha
Lincoln and has continued to the days of The
Y dore Roosevelt. What, then, is my offense? Sil
v ply this: That I have believed and declared til
some Of the protective duties were higher tn
h were needed for protection, and ought to
Il reduced. In so believing and SO saying I ha