The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-06-25
OhhINS OF IOWA
DOWN AND OUT (!
Career Of the Man Who just
Lost to Allison.

Des Moioes, Ia. June la.--Gosern-
or A. b. Cumnins, who gained ma
tionai attention because OF his ad-
vanced ideas In republicanism. Is a
political bankrupt.
With shrewdness he has during the
past ten years built up remarkable
political machine, machine that
still stands, but the motive power
that turned the wheels Is gone.
Strangely enough the power that
gave Cummins strength Is the same
power that crippled him.
Unquestionably Cummins won his
strength when he broke down the
fences Of conservatism In the repub-
lican party and demanded forward
step In the way Of tarid revision.
Believing the means always justi-
ned the end and discouraged In their
oxn efforts under their own banner
democrats fiocked to bis standard.
He was political Moses, they be-
lieyed. to lead them out OF the will
derness. Political conversions be-
came frequent and he succeeded In
building 10 machine within the re-
publican party. He secured the nom
ination for governor and was easily
elected 10 1901. In 1903 he was again
given the republican nomination. but
at sacrifice Of his principles. He
was given the Endorsement OF bis
party, but was handed a ''standpat"
platform upon which to stand. His
acceptance OF this condition vas con-
doned by his followers on that same
theory of means being Justification
for END.
But though Governor Cummins or
his generals may not know or at least
have admitted u, his real political
fall came In 1906. Then he ceased to
be the idol and became the tool OF
the progressive" element. At the
republican state convention, neld
that year In Des Moines, he was the
absolute master of the situation.
The convention hall was fllIed with
delegates, fully two-thirds OF which
were his followers. His word was
law. He could have dictated every
policy aud have written his own plat
form. But from the minority In the
conventin came threats OF desertion.
Harmony" was the delusiye cry
raised. So TO avoid friction and in
sure his own reelection he sacrificed
his principles for his ambition and
did not insist on tariff revision
plank In the platform. Then the
democrats lost faith. They said
amorg themselves that IL would be
unsafe to send him TO the national
house expecting him TO carry out In
practice what he had preached. II
Is true they gave him their support
that year, but here again they APP
piled the theory that the means was
justifiable 10 gain their own ends.
They wanted certain reforms In the
state against railroads that they
knew he could bring about which
they could not in their own party
alone. They elected him governor,
but they drew the limits TO bis am
billions at the edges OF the two grea,
rivers ON the sides OF Iowa.
When then he sought to 20 farther
he became useless as a tool TO the
democrats and they threw him aside.
la using him to gain their ends hs
had Slapped much OF the strength Of
the old party. They wished a mar
In the national house who would GER
tainly stand for their principles
Their only hope was to abolish tn,
middle party" as the Cummini
following was, and TO again draw th,
party lines sharp and well defined
They accordingly went into the state
wide primaries, secured republican
ballots and voted for Senator william
b. Allison for the United States sen
ate. This eliminated Cummins ant
the democratic or progressi "
strength viii fall back to the supper
OF Claude Porter for senator, Will
the republicans will retain the oil
protective tariff following. That tn
democrats did this thing Is certain
That they voted republican ticket
Is demonstrated by the fact that bu
very few democratic votes were cas-,
while thousands OF democrats wer
seen at the polls.
A. X. Cammins has been governo
OF Iowa for seven years IL Is genei
ally conceded that he has been q 600
governor. He might make goo
United States senator, but he bs
: figured the wrong politics to wiz
> He took the last term OF govern
merely 10 keep his finger 10 II
3. pie until the time was ripe 10 reac
: out for the senatorship. lie ebo'
8 the contest with Senator Allison
J 1t Is a dramatic and unique n
: suit as 1t Is twice Mr.. Cummins III
: contested and been defeated by
Z man the course Of whose life Is a
. most run. He first sought seat
the senate by contesting against Sci
ator Gear. In The republican cauc'
Eof the legislature he vas defeated |
but q few votes. Gear was elects