The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1906-04-19
GOVERNOR AND EDITOR MEEr IN
FIRST JOINT DEBATE.
BOTH ELAY CORPORATIONS
Personal Abuse Resented by Per
kins, Who compels Governor to
Admit He Was Once Corpora
ton Tool and Democrat.

uTQdy dlISIuOOH III the HfSL JOluJ uS-
bate in the history of the republican
party in Iowa.
In opening his address Governor
Cummins spoke at length of the cor
poration influence in politics not only
in Iowa. but in the United States. He
declared absolutely that the present
contest between himself and Mr.. Per
kins is a question of the domination
of state politics by the people or by
the corporations.
Chief among those he mentioned as
supporting Mr.. Perkins was J. W.
Blythe, Iowa counsel for the Burning
ton system, but he asserted that all
other railroads interested in politics
are assisting the Perkins campaign.
Governor Cummins read hitherto
unpublished letter from former Gov
ernor William Larrabee, known as the
father of Iowa railroad regulation,
commencing Cummins for the part
he took as representative in framing
the Iowa law, which is the model Of
the Hepburn bill.
The governor said his record on the
railway question was open to inspec-
ton and he challenged Mr.. Perkins to
answer what he would do in case he
were governor and measures affecting
the roads came up.
Perkins Takes His Turn.
With this challenge the governor
concluded his opening argument and
Mr.. Perkins was then introduced. In
opening Mr.. Perkins said he regretted
much that line of cleavage had been
cut in the republican party by so dis
tinguished citizen as the governor OF
Iowa. He said he was here to defend
his own name. Did not profess to be
a Moses, though ne had stammering
tongue. He did not pretend to be the
only one, the only man in Iowa. He
came as republican, loving his state
and his country, and willing to serve
where he could serve best. He had
seen an advance report of President
Roosevelt's speech which he delivered
that afternoon. and he knew in his
heart he stood with the president in
his adherence of the muck raker in
politics.
Then, taking up the question, What
does Perkins stand for?''he continued:
II stand for Iowa; for protection;
for the presidents idea Of railway
control; for trust and corporation sub
ordination; for popular government;
for the primary principle; for anti.
pass legislation; for the cheap long
haul; for economy in administration;
for lower levies under the higher as
sessment; for equitable taxation; for
simple honesty; for progressive right
eousness; for a square deal; for har-
mony in the republican party.
Does the governor object to this
platform? Does he think to indict me
before the people on this statement?"
Denies He Is Railroad Man.
Mr.. Perkins then took up the third
term proposition and said that the ex-
igency was not such as to demand a
third term now, and probably if the
governor received a third term he
would probably think the exigency
greater for another term at the end of
the next. He said, further:
81 resent with all the force at my
command the insinuauon that if am
elected governor will be the servile
tool of the influences which he charac.
terizes as servile and vicious. Abso-
lutely there is not a peg anywhere in
my whole record upon which to hang
such an assertion. 1t is charged that
/ am no fighter. am mere today to
fight"
Mr.. Perkins said ne never was in
the employ of the corporations, while
the governor knew that he never
would have been governor in 1901 il
it had not been for the influence OF
the corporations which were behind
him. Speaking Of his present candi
dacy, he said if J. w. Blythe suggest
ed his name for governor he did not
know it. 81 am as much in favor as
any man in the audience can be Of
dealing with the corporations fairly
and justly, always with the good Of
the people in view," he said.
Attacks cummins' Record.
Referring to Gov Cummins' legis
latiye record, Mr.. Perkins asked:
How did he get there? He was
nominated by a so-called independent
republican convention. Is that so?'
asked Mr. Perkins, turning to the gov
ernor. Gov. Cummins nodded his
head.
"And he was indor-ed by the demo
Gratis. Is tAat so?" turning again K
the governor. Again the governor
nodded. Turning to the audience. Mr.
Perkins continued:
$50 he went to the legislature b,
virtue Of the democrats of Polk coun
ty. never held or asked an ofic'
under such conditions"
Mr.. Perkins referred to the prohibi
tIon question and his attitude, and
said he was at all times ready to trus
the people. He referred to differen'
matters in the history OF Gov. Cum