Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-05
Solicitude OF Iowa Opp nents
Most Marked Since Failure to
"Pound Him Into the EARTH
cuMMlNs' MISSION STILL SECRET
Object Of His Visit to Washington Not
Vet ReveaIed-couId Not Well Re-
fuse Position of Attorney General If
! offered to Him-wouId Be Step To-
wards Higher Things.
to Times Republican.

Des Moines. Nov, 5,-Governor Cum
Minis visit to Washington Is being
talked of more in political circles than
any other thing. tho the real object is
still closely guarded secret. 1t is
learned that there are only one or two
men in the state who know the real
purpose Of his visit and the only thing
newspaper men have been able to do
is to learn things about the visit and
not the purpose.
1t is known that on Thursday the
governor expected to be In Des Molnes
for some days, with no future plans
that would take him away. Friday he
let it be known to the executive coun-
Gil that he would be out of the city for
few days but did not give his des-
tination and the first information that
he was going to Washington came In
the news from Washington that he
had arrived there.
1t is learned that on the trip with
the president down the river to attend
the National River Improvement AS
sociation meeting the president asked
everyone on the boat about Taft for
president and as near as can be aScer-
tanned the great Majority informed him
that Taft would not do and that he
himself must be the president for an
other four years. 1t Is further learned
hot 1o laf ha I'm n
some of his close friends that soon aft
would make up his mind on the mat
ter and decide whether or not to back
down and accept nomination again.
President Roosevelt may have sum-
moned the governor to Washington for
the purpose of informing him of his
decision in the matter, but it is be-
lieved her that there must have been
other purposes in addition to THAT
Friends Of Governor Cummins see
many reasons why Roosevelt should
name the governor as his attorney
general. Eastern newspapers have
not been slow about intimating that
the legal department Of the presidents
cabinet is weak and the legal depart
ment is the important department of
Roosevelt's cabinet. Governor Cum
minis would give it the strength that
1t needs, and there is an ambassador
ship conveniently vacant for Bona
parte.
The first story Of Cummins for at
torney general came from Congress
man Hepburn at Keokuk, but this
standpat source is quite natural, as
there has been conspicuous move
ment on the part of the standpatters
the way of Allison. This started with
George Roberts boost of the governor
for vice presiden& The object of side
tracking Cunmin. was too conspicu-
ously apparent here and the standpat-
ters had to drop the scheme. The next
heard of was this idea Of making
Cummins attorney general. Cummins
could hardly afford to refuse the posi-
tion of attorney general, for it is q
position with much more power In it
than that of senator and coupled with
the reelection Of Roosevelt, which
would give Cummins something like
five years in the office, would almost
certainly lead to Cummins being a
most conspicuous candidate for the
presidential nomination in 1912.
Iowa standpatters started out some |
years ago with the avowed intention
Of pounding Cummins into the EARTH"
As expressed by j. w. Blythe in the |
lobby Of the Savery Hotel Now it is |
a problem with them of how to make
peace with the governor without be-
ing forced to acknowledge that they
have been pounded into the earth /
1t is not unnatural there
fore that they should be willing if not
anxious to get Governor Cummins into
any place outside of Iowa.