Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-20
Standpatters Put Entirely DIFF
ferent Construction on Torbert
Letter in 1906 Campaign
ADMITTED cuMMINs CANDIDATE
Used Statement That He Would op-
pose Allison as Argument Against
Support for Third Term for Cover
nor-Quotations From Files of Lead
ing Standpat Newspapers.
Special 10 Tines s-Republ,can.

Special 10 Times Republican.
Des Moines, Dec. 20.-A perusal of
the files of the standpat newspapers OF
Iowa, the newspapers that speak with
authority for the standpat faction OF
the party, discloses that at no time
during the campaign did they ever in
terpret the letter from Governor Cum
Minis to Mr.. Torbert as pledge that
he would not be candidate against
Allison.
Keeping in mind the fact that the
letter to Torbert was written in April,
1906, subsequent news items and edi-
torials in the standpat press makes in
teresting reading. 1t should also be
noted that these newspapers now
maintain that this letter was an ABB
solute pledge from the governor not
to run and that furth rmore it was
circulated among Allsons friends to
prove that the governor had made thu
pledge.
Under date Of May "a a Cedar Rap
ids dispatch to the Burlington Hawk
eye, speaking of the withdrawal Of
standpatters and all friends Of Senator
Allison, with manifest satisfaction.
They feel that Mr.. Kretschmers ac-
ton has removed all danger Of Sena-
tor Allison being defeated for re-elec-
ton as United States senator" "lt
has been known for some time that
Governor Cummins' object in seeking
a third term was to put himself fair
fly, in The race as candidate for I'm
tied States senator, and that he had
decided to attempt to defeat the SEN
ior senator
These standpatters knew of the
Torbert letter then. Evidently they
did not consider it as a pledge at all
at that time.
( Under the same date and in the
same issue Of the HaWkeye from Du-
buque appears a dispatch on the same
subject which says: When 1t be-
came apparent that certain influences
We're at work, the success of which
meant danger to Iowa's senior senator,
power to make sure Senator Allison's
return to the United States senate" !"
Evidently the Dubuque standpatters
had not interpreted the letter as a
pledge not to be candidate against
Allison.
The words quoted from Dubuque to
the Hawkeye also appeared verbatim in
the Daily Capital and other standpat
papers. In addition the Daily Capital
said editorially that ''he (Kretschmer)
feels that his continued candidacy
would be detrimental to the interests
of United States Senator William b.
Allison" This appeared in the Daily
Capital of May 25. Evidently the
Capital which speaks with authority
for standpatters and which the editor
of which claims to be in the councils
of the standpatters, did not interpret
the letter to Torbert as binding
pledge such as the paper claims 1t Is
now.
Such extracts from the news and
editorial columns of the standpat
newspapers could be multiplied in
definitely. At the time, month after
the Cummins letter was in the hands
of Torbert and being circulated in
Dubuque county as the standpat news
papers now say it was, the Daily Cap
ital and other papers were saying OF
Kretschmer such things as:
"Mr. Kretschmer has given the state
of Iowa example of magnanimity
which will make a profound impress
sion"
Iowa has use for men of his
breadth and caliber. The state will
call upon him in due time"
"The Hon. Fred N. Kretschmer of
Dubuque, is one to whom the republic
cans of this state are under lasting
obligation"
"The eyes of the republicans OF
northeast Iowa are open as the eyes OF
their fellow republicans in other parts
of the state have been open, to the
fact that it is the purpose of Albert
B. Cummins and his machine followers
to force Senator Allison into retirement
at the end of his present term"
These editorial utterances of the
standpat newspapers do not indicate
that the Cummins letter to Torbert
was interpreted as a pledge not to be
candidate against Allison. All of
these things were published month
after the Cummins letter was in tne
hands of Torbert."
Senator Dolliver may come to Des
Moines during the holiday week to add
a second chapter to his arraignment
of Governor Cummins. Partial arrange
lnents have been made for the junior
senator to deliver an address here and
the local Allison managers say he will
supplement his Council Bluffs speech
with additional statements to prove
that Governor Cummins assured the
friends of Senator Allison, during the
campaign of last year. that he would
not be candidate against the senior
senator.