Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-30
RECALLING EMBARRASSING FLIkTATIoNs

RECALLING EMBARRASSING FLIHTATlONS
1t is somewhat amusing in the light
Of the real facts that the tiirtations of
republicans with silver during the
years prior to 1896 should be recalled
now to be made subject of discussion
in the senatorial campaign. but Dolli-
yer is to blame for it. Fully nine out
Of ten republicans who were in pubic
life during the wears of education and
crystallization of public sentiment on
in the campaign of 80, are anxious
now to forget the tlirtations of their
college days. The intense suspense in
which the country was hung as 1t
listened breathlessly to the tick of the
telegraph wires from the st. Louis
convention which nominated Mckin-
ley, should recall the uncertainty OF
republican doctrine as to the gold
standard in those days, but DolIlVer
stirred it all up by eulogizing Senator
Allison as the father Of the gold stan
dard," and there is no use trying to
cover up those schoolboy escapades.
The Sioux City Journal may we'll Ia
ment the revival of things said thirty
wears ago. 1t should not have been
done.
However, it will not do for the re-
dictionary press to revive a lie ABOUT
the governors letter to Dr. Gorrell in
1909. That was nailed fast in the first
governorship campaign. This letter
was then quoted in part only, careful
omission being made of the paragraph
in which Cummins was favoring the
coinage OF silver at the commercial
ratio" There was vast difference
even in those days between. the coin
age of silver at the heaven-born ratio
and the commercial ratio Cummlns
was wanting to do something for silver
like all other republicans, and had not
vet realized that coinage of silver at
the commercial ration meant single
gold standard. DR.. Gorrell was a free
the state senate. Ele wrote to Cum
minis in order to determine whether to
vote for Cumnins for United States
senator or for Hepburn, and after ne
got Cummins letter he voted for Hep
burn. When the Grinnell Herald or
other newspapers quote the Gorrell let
ter in part they are practicing decep-
ton Willingly or unwittingly.
But this story can never be con-
cluded until the politics of the st:
Louis convention of '96 are recalled.
Allison was a candidate for the noni-'
nation for president. Cummins and
Hepburn and Henderson were dele
rates. Cummins had studied the mon
ey question in the three years from
'93 to go The Iowa delegation held
stormy caucus on the question of in
committee to stand for the word gold
in the platform Cummins was for
gold and said So Henderson and
Hepburn pleaded that they could NOT
be returned to congress from their
districts if gold appeared anywhere in
the platform. Allison was appealed to,
being the Iowa candidate. He wrote
:. monumental straddle. which was in
troduced in the caucus of 1oWa's dele
cation. and carried by 81 votes to 5,
Cummins being one of the five who
stood for gold. In the meantime Lodge
and Tom Plat and the eastern hard
money men had whipped Mark Hanna
and Mckinley into line for gold. and
when Mckinley came over. the whole
republican party became the gold STAN
dard party. This is history as the
events occurred. Judge Prouty did not
censure, condemn or criticize allison
for his silver flirtations. He simply
questioned Delivers statement that
the venerable senator could claim
much glory out of the paternity of the
gold standard bill After the party
had adopted it, Allison adopted it of
course. But it will not do to reply by
republishing lie in garbling the Cor
rell letter. That was nailed down In
the campaign to pound Cummins in
TO the earth seven years ago.