Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-27
Federal Judge McPherson's Dis
graceful Conduct at Banquet
in Council Bluffs
SOME TALK OF IMPEACHMENT
offense Such, However, As to Not
Bring 1t Within the Pale of the Law
Governor cummins and Others
Openly insuIted at Banquet Given
by the Commercial Club.
IBy Ora wllliams.J
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines. March 27.-If the pres
ident of the United States had author
ity to remove a federal official for get
ting drunk and making a fool of him.
self in public and insulting his friends
and the state in which he lives, there
would probably very soon be chance
for new federal judgeship in Iowa.
Men OF southwestern Iowa are suffic-
iently indignant to do something more
than consider resolutions and indulge
in unprintable calculations, if by do
ing something more they could force
what everybody comedies to be the
proper action.
An effort to hush up the scandal has
not succeeded very WELL The facts
are leaking out. The governor of Iowa,
who had right to feel outraged, pre-
served his eomposure and said moth
ing. He has become in some measure
accustomed to ali sorts Of gratuitous
insults from those who are desperate
ly fighting to accomplish his undoing.
The commercial club which was re-
sponsible for the occa sion which made
possible this latest disgrace to Iowa
has not agreed on what to do to maks
amends. But some of the main facts
are just now getting out and they are
Of such character that the people
of Iowa, especially decent and self-re-
xsA1-
the truth.
The occasion was banquet rendered
Governor A. B. Cummins by the COM
niercial club of Council Bluffs two
| weeks ago. II was fine, body OF rep
reseniative men who gathered to do
honor to the republican leader Of Iowa
on that occasion. Men of high posi-
tion had been invited to participate in
the program, and among these was
Smith Mcpherson, of Red Oak, former
| congressman and present United
States district judge. Now it so hap
pens that Mcpherson is one Of the ir-
reconcilables of Iowa, a standpatter of
recognized standing, one who repre-
sents in southwestern Iowa fairly the
bitterest political antagonism to Cum
minis and his progressive program; but
the commercial club sought to vary the
program by having with the governor
at least one conspicuous representative
of the rival faction.
When the banquet opened all was
harmony and good will The governor
was to speak last. The toastmaster
ran down the program and introduced
Judge Mcpherson who was to talk on
Southwestern Iowa The judge rose
to speak. He was unsteady on his
legs. The champagne glass at his
Side had been emptied several times.
The judge did not stand erect. He
leaned heavily on the table as he
spoke. His words were uttered witt,
difficulty. His speech was of the kind
commonly referred to as maudlin. His
friends were Disguised, but he rambled
| on In an incohere71t way, and when an
effort was made to stop him 1t was
| found to be useless. Forsooth he must
speak to the end. and he could not be
stopped. Some there were who thought
| 1t sorry spectacle for q Judge of the
United States court to drop himself up
on the edge OF banquet table and NUT
ter out a series Of imprecations against
everybody and everything not just to
his liking, but they could not stop it.
The distinguished Judge forgot all
about his topic and his toast. He for
got his duty to his hosts. when ]
came to Iowa many years ago." he
muttered, II looked over Council
Bluffs and then went to Red Oak to
live. That's where / showed better
sense than you people," But Council
Bluffs failed to laugh.
| He devoted himself to politics. He
was for things as they are and tc
leave everybody alone The republi-
can party is all right and nobody
should make disturbance as to the
party or the men who have profited
thru it. It'll take more than a short
haired old maid, Ida Tarbell, and q
long haired reformer, Billy Bryan, tc
convince me the republican party is
say, but his words were badly mixed
| Then he went right down the line
and roasted everybody. He devoted a
lot Of time to denouncing efforts al
reform In city water works and spoke
against municipal ownership, which Is
being supported by the club which In
vited him, and he hurled his broken
and sputtered anathemas as all who
urge progress in any line.
But as the speech continued it be-
| came evident that Smith Mcpherson
was going to usurp the place OF the
ltoastmaster and an effort was made to
prevent this. The mind of the distin-
guished standpatter was incapable OF
understanding this and he insisted on
and did introduce the governor. II
was a great relief to all.
| Governor Cun1nins totally ignored
what had preceded and delivered an
address which was in such striking
and delightful contrast to the pessl-
| mistic utterances Of the man who mac
preceded him that the club soon forgo'
the disgraceful scene.
It appears that the commercla! ciu1