The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-26
Tells Him He Represents Rail-
 roads in Senate
IN HIS COURSE
Tells the Senator He Cannot Reach Over to Iowa and Tell Them How to Elect a Republican
 Governor.

Des Molnes. la. March Ex-Governor Cummins has mailed to Senator Elkins of West Virginia. d reply to the Sena-
 tors letter in which he criticised state ments made by the Governor In speeches to the voters of Iowa. regarding his ex- animation before the Senate committee on Interstate commerce when il had un- der consideration the railway rate bill.
 The Governor says that the Senator accused him of falsehood in declaring that
 his eross-examination was hostile. that an attorney of the railway companies sat
 at the right of Senator Ell<ins during the examination. that Senator Islklns appear
 ed to be in communion and sympathy
 with this attorney and the attorney hand
 ed to Senator Elkns questions to be
 asked the Governor
 On Side of the Railways.
 If" says the Governor in his letter to the Senator, You understand your duties
 and obligations as chairman of a legisla- tive committee 10 be similar to those of
 an advocate I have no criticism to make
 of your conduct, except to say that you
 were on the side of the railways instead of on the side of the people l have thought. however. that as chairman of
 such committee your duties and obliga-
 tions were more nearly like those of a
 judge, namely, to hear both sides patient
 ly without bias or prejudice and then
 to decide impartially without fear or fa-
 vor. You heard patiently, but it was clear | ,f4a,f ion
 that you had decided the case In favor of
 the railroads and were determined to
 shatter my evidence if you could. The cross s-examination shows concluslvely that
 you had made up your mind that the
 proposed authority ought not to he given
 to the interstate commerce commission | and that the power sought to be given
 was unnecessary. dangerous and filled l with disaster to commerce. It is from be-
 ginning to end just such a eross-ex-
 animation as an attorney for the rall-
 way companies would have conducted,
 and 1t was unseemy for you to assume
 that attitude.
 Scenes In Committee Room.
 "The scene in your committee room Is sharply stamped on my memory and it | lS lnpOSSlDlt lldL hdii bt AhieA''NNH
 about it, Sitting squarely at your right | hand Just a trihe behind you, sat gen i tleman who as 1 was afterwards in- l formed is ex-Senator Faulkner l in- | quired what relation he bore to the in- | vestlgaton and l was told that he was
 an omploye of the railway companies to 1 resist the proposed law. l do not know whether the other senator's saw him or | not for their faces were turned toward 1 ua from him bIt I do | know that you saw him. first because he | was so close to you that you could not | turn your head without seeing him; sec ] ond. because you were in conversation 1 with him a part of the time; because 1 saw him with his hand on your shoulder | pass to you questions which you read and then put to me There can be no | mistake about this. for my senses were as alert just then as human faculties can be.
 You may believe that an investigation carried on in this manner is in accord
 ance with fairness and decency, do not. You may continue in your behalf If you
 like. but 1 shall continue in my denunci-
 ation.
 i "It appears to me that if you propose | to assall all persons and papers and mag aznes that have admitted your loyalty
 to the railroads and questioned your fdel- | ty 10 the people, you should give some | attention to the diidFkS coming iTOH points nearer Washington than Iowa. Stand for Railroads in Senate.
 "The truth Is. senator. that you have fairly established the reputa ton of stand l ing for the railroads in the United States | senate. II is most unfortunate that any | senator should acquire such a reputation among the people of the country. It is | in the highest degree important that the | body of which you are a member shall l enjoy the fullest public confidence. The
 gravest problems which confront are ] those which relate to the regulation and restriction of corporate power. These problems will not be successfully solved | by those whose lives have been mold | ed by corporate thought and corporate l influence that they instlnctively turn to | corporation officers and managers for n- l forma ton and guidance.
 "It Is with profound regret that have | condemned your course. but my regret
 disappears and another feeling takes it's | place when I observe that you are not | only persisting in your indefensible attl- | tude, but are endeavoring to reach over | a thousand miles of space and advise the | republican voters of Iowa how to select | a governor The burden is too heavy for | you; you cannot lift fl. The task is too great for you; you cannot accomplish it.'