Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-16
Publication Of Dolliver-Torbert
Letters Moves Governor to
Make Formal Announcement
NEVER AGREED TO KEEP OUT
Also Denies the Torbort Conversation
Concerning Senatorial Succession
Question Of Good Faith Must Go to
Voters, Says the Governor-other
State News.
Special to Times Republican.

Des Moines, Dec. 16.-The publica-
ton of the Dolliver-Torbert letters and
the false construction placed upon
them by the personal enemies of Gov
ernor Cummins, have moved the gov
ernor to make a strong reply n in
addition thereto make formal an
nouncement of his candidacy for the
United States senator as the successor
of Senator Allison.
Governor Cummins returned from
New London yesterday and prepared
his announcement last evening. He
was out of the city Saturday, the day
hat the Dolliver statement appeared,
blu over the telephone authorized the
declaration on his part that the Tor
bert letter was not fairly construed as
a pledge not to be a candidate against
Mr.. Allison and a denial that he had
ever told Mr.. Torbert in conversation
that he would not be.
Up to this time Governor Cummins
hadenot said that he would be a can
didate for senator before the primary
Of June, 1908. His letter definitely
takes him into the race against Mr..
Allison. Early last ummer the news
papers stated that the governor would
be a candidate, but the announcement
vas not authorized, at the time, by
him. He has permitted it to be under-
stood, however. that he would enter
the race, tho the announcement of yes
terday was the first formally made by
him.
The announcement includes the de-
NAL in detail of the conversation said
by Mr.. Torbert to have been held be-
tween him and Governor Cummins and
in which the former said that the gov
ernor positively pledged himself not
to be a candidate for the senatorship.
The governors statement follows:
with regard to an alleged CONVEX
1905, 1 have his to say: That while l
have often spoken kindly of Senator
Allison to Mr.. Torbert, and inasmuch
as Senator Allison had said to me that
he did not intend to follow the example
of certain senator's, whom he named,
and remain in the senate after the i'm
pairment of his strength and vigor, l
undoubtedly told Torbert, as I told
scores of other friends, that l did not
expect to ever oppose Senator Allison.
II assert with the utmost d~irectness
and emphasis that I promised
Mr.. Torbert nor anybody else, either
directly or indirectly, that l would not
become a candidate against Allison. l
make this assertion broad enough to
v everybody and every day Of ev-
cry year.
Respecting the Torbert letter, 1
truth in an exact way, and none save
those who are hunting an opportunity
to pervert my meaning can find in it
a pledge that I would neved oppose Mr..
Allison. If it pledged me to Allison
for 1909, it would, I suppose, pledge me
for 1915, il he lives until then, and so
on during his natural life. 1t is absurd
to put such a construction upon it,
and no fair minded man will do it.
1.-The letter was written in April.
1906. I was not a candidate for the
senate. I was a candidate for COVER
ner. A year passed and still l was not
a candidate for the Allison success
sion.
For the last three monthsI have
been thinking seriously of becoming a
candidate, and have said 1 expected to
enter the primary; but until now the
matter has not been absolutely settled.
This incident brings the subject to q
conclusion.
my enemies announce the PROPOSE
ton that I cannot, with honor, be a
candidate. I accept the issue, and it
shall be submitted to the republican
voters of Iowa. I am quite willing to
have them say who is guilty of bad
faith.
This is not the first time my mo-
tives have been maligned and my
words distorted, and it will probably
not be the last time, for my oppon-
ents are both persistent and
full. I have learned that the tom-tom
is not very destructive in political
warfare, and I am not much disturbed
by the opening strains Of the concert
tt my friends I beg to send this
message, I am fighting on for the
same things, in the same way and with
the same confidence as in former
years. The outcome is with the peo-
pie.
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