Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-12-18

had verbally stated it to me. Accord
ingly in the spring Of 1906 had some
correspondence on this subject wirE
both Governor Cummins and Mr.. +.
II. Conway who. in the governor s
frequent absence from Des Moines on
his campaign work, was looking after
the governors political interests. My
last letter on this subject was to Mr..
Conway on April 18th, in which
wrote as follows:
AS wrote you yesterday, think
| certainly nothing would help the gov
ernor more in Dubuque and uhe Third
district than making some denial that
| Governor Cummins wanted Senator
| Allison's S seat in the senate"
What Cummins Wrote.
The following is an exact copy of
Governor Cummins reply to my sug-
gestion:
i note what you say in regard to
Senator Allison. / am not a candidate
for Senator Allison's place nor have
ever suggested the thing to mortal
man. 1t is simply abominable the
way my enemies lie about me. l am
candidate for governor, nothing
else. 1t would be just as appro-
pirate for me to deny that
was a candidate for president
of the United Safes or for the ap-
pOintment OF some vacancy in the
supreme court of the United States as
TO deny my candidacy against Sem
ator Allison. 1t is unmitigated rot and
should not deceive any man. With
sincere regards I am, Yours truly,
ALBERT B. OUMMINS.
Won Over Allison Men.
II do not deem it improper, Senator
Dolliver. to send you this copy of
Governor Cummins letter because as /
then fully understood and now have
no doubt it was sent to me TO show to
Senator Allison's S friends and to re-
assure them that in supporting Gov
ernor Cummins they were not build
ing up a rival to Senator Allison.
1t was in fact so shown at the time to
many of Senator Allison's nearest
friends and have NO doubt did Gov
ernor Cummins great good in that
contest.
$50 gratified was l at the governor S
unqualified denunciation of the talk
of his contesting with Senator Alli-
son for his seat as lie and unmiti
gated rot, that l, OIL April 26, 1906,
sent an exact copy of it to Senator
Allison at Washington to show him
that l and others like me were doing
him no harm in supporting Governor
Cummins. In my letter transmitting
this copy to Senator Allison sum.
married. the foregoing correspondence
and wrote:
Assurance Given Allison.
II recently wrote Governor Cum
Minis that 1 thought it would be a
great advantage TO him if he would
unequivocally express himself that he
had, no desire to be your successor in
the senate and in effect that unless he
so stated he could not play marbles in
Dubuque county or in the Third dis
trict and l subjoin an exact copy of
his letter in reply thereto. (Here fol-
lowed copy of Governor Cummins
reply as above The above letter in
connection with the letter 1 wrote
him and with the specific declaration
to me personally that so long as you
desire TO be senator from Iowa he
would be your trie nd and supporter,
seems to me to make his statement un-
equivocal and satisfactory"
1t is needless to add that / more
profoundly regret than l am able to
express being drawn into this con-
troversy for the reason that between
Governor Cummins and myself there
have always been the warmest senti-
ments of friendship But l recognize
how utterly and altogether futile it
would be for me to attempt To with
hold these facts and his letter when
they were known by so many men in
Dubuque county, in the Third district
and in the state of Iowa. l trust,
Senator Dolliver. that l have fully
answered your inquiries and remain,
Yours sincerely,
WILLARD H. TORBERT. "
And There Are Others.
Said Senator Dolliver:
"Similar and even stronger assur-
ances were given not only in public
speeches but in interviews between
the governor and leading public men
in Iowa who were assisting him to
overcome what at one time appeared
to be successful movement to defeat
his reelection. Some of these were
authorized by the governor to explain
his attitude to Senator Allison and to
make public use of the governors as
surances of his friendship for the
old senator and they did so use them.
Ii the governor persists in his denial
that such assurances were given the
proof will not be wanting.
Cummins' Flimsy Excuse.
Gov. Cummins has replied as fol-
lows to the above:
~ was candidate for governor,
and the senatorial situation did not
enter into the matter l was asked to
make statement that l was not "a
candidate and L did so. but l dis
tinctly did not pledge myself never to
be candidate against Senator ALI
son."
The letter was written last summer,
during the gubernatorial campaign.
Cummins was asked repeatedly to-
make statement in writing that he
would not be candidate. He wrote
the letter as quoted above, besides
in speeches and private
not to be candidate
against Allison. The fiimsy attempt