The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1906-06-21
SHAWS' FAKE POLITICS
Dishonest Methods in Iowa Helps
Cummins-Rooseveit Denies TAX
ing Part in Campaign

incident of the campaign for the re-
publican nomination for governor in
this state was the unsuccessful effort
of the managers of George d. Perkins,
aided by Secretary of the Treasury
Leslie NJ Shaw, to drag President
Roosevelt into the fractional contest.
Secretary Shaw made three anti
Cummins speeches in Iowa last week,
and after going to South Dakota, re-
turned to Washington. The caucuses
in Scott county, one of the pivotal
counties in the pending contest, were
called for Thursday night of last
week. The Perkins managers ap-
pealed to Secretary Shaw to return
and speak at Davenport against Cum
Minis, as Davenport always has been
strong Cummins community. He
cancelled some eastern engagements
to do it and then wired the managers
of the Perkins campaign in Des
Moines that he would make the Dav-
export speech, having decided so to
do latter comforting with President
Roosevelt"
Ed H. Hunter, manager for Mr..
Perkins, is one of the shrewdest poll
ticians in Iowa and has had wide ex-
perience, for years having beer
chairman of the democratic state cen-
trail committee before becoming re-
publican after holding the Des Moines
postoffice by appointment of Grover
Cleveland He instantly perceived the
intention of the Shaw reference to
President Roosevelt and adroit an
nouncements were prepared for all
| the Perkins newspapers in the state,
declaring that President Roosevelt
| had sent Secretary Shaw to Iowa to
speak against Cummins in the fac
tional contest now in progress.
This Interpretation was given to
! the secretary's telegram by National
Committeeman E. e. Harris newspaper
| by the Burlington Hawkeye, which
| is the personal organ of j. w. Blythe,
of the Burlington railroad, whom Mr.
| Hunter represents in managing the
| Perkins campaign, and by Mr. Per
| kins himself. Mr.. Perkins discussed
the presids nt's entrance into the Iowa
campaign in an extended editorial in
his paper, the Sioux City Journal, and
declared that the president stood with
him in the fight against Governor
| Cummins.
| cumn1ins Men Aroused
| In view of the fact that Governor
Cummins was one of the leaders of
the progressive republican movement
III Iowa which was responsible for
forcing the Iowa representatives at
Washington into line for the presi-
dents program, the friends of the gov
ernor could not understand why Mr..
Roosevelt would send Shaw to Iowa
| to fight him, or, for that matter, why
he would take part in the campaign at
all. No effort ever had been made to
enlist the favor of the President for
| the governor, though the faction which
he leads is the faction in Iowa that
is loyal to the president and supports
his program without reservation.
This curiosity prompted about 5000
kilograms from every section of the
state to the president, asking him if
it were true, as represented by Shaw
and the Perkins managers, that the
secretary of the treasury brought a
message to Iowa republicans from the
White House in making his speech
for Perkins against Cummins
The president promptly replied that
Secretary Shaw came on his own re-
sponsibility and that he had not and
would not take any part in the fac
tional fight in Iowa, or elsewhere.
The matter was so notorious and
was brought so pointedly to the at