Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-05-29

he came to make up his mind as rep
resentative of the sovereign people OF
Iowa. When he was hired by the roads
he was hired as a lawyer to act in GER
tain specific cases.. That had absolute
ly nothing to do with his duty as an
official in other specific Instances. It
would be well if all lawyers could see
clearly this important distinction.
Helped to Build Railways
To complicate matters still more.
Cummins' early associations had been
almost wholly with the railroads
when in his capacity as civil engineer
he had built or helped to build sew
| eral lines. The only seeming influence
| Of this fact. however, was to give him
clearer insight into the question and
to make more certain his action in be-
| half of the people. He knew. and
| therefore his duty was the palmer aud
| the greater.
Albert Baird Cummins was born In
1850 in PENNSYLVANIA. His people were
originally southerners. He attended
| the common schools, an academy and
a college until nineteen years of age.
| He then went to Iowa, where he be-
came a clerk in county recorders
office. Afterward he worked for sone
| time as a carpenter and then became
an express messenger. This did not
last long, and next he was an assistant
| surveyor of county in Indiana. It
| was then he became civil engineer
on railroad and was advanced rap
idly. He still was dissatisfied. how
| ever, and threw up his engineering to
study law. At about this time a. B.
Cummins had that mossless rolling
stone backed off the pier.
1t was 1873 before the future govern
or located in Iowa as q lawyer, and
1t was sixteen years later before he
took prominent part in politics. He
was then candidate for United
States senator, but was defeated by
John II. Gear, who was old enough
for political death and met physical
death before he took his seat. This
was generally expected, and it was
agreed that when the aged senator
did shuttle off Mr.. Cummins was to be
his successor.
Leslie NJ. Shaw was then governor
Of Iowa, and thereby hangs a tale
not one of the antediluvian anecdotes
, told by Shaw, but one of the more
recent ones told about him. Instead
, Of calling together the Legislature t
! let it fulfill its compact with Cum
NUNS, Shaw took matters into hi.
: own hands and appointed Dolliver t
the vacant seat. This gave Dolive
an advantage in the race, and whel
the supreme test of strength cameNiI
1899 he beat Cummins by three votes.
That was nine years ago, but TIL
sequel to the story is only now comm;
to pass. This year Leslie NJ. Shaw i
a candidate for president, at least il
his own mind, and Albert r. Cummins
while really candidate for the Unite'
States senate, apparently takes grea
pleasure in putting a spoke into tn
Shaw wheel by entering the presideu
tial game himself.
One of the most exciting periods o
Mr.. Cummins' life was when he Tough
the prohibitory law. This act had bee
passed several years before and
was considered political death to OIL
poseN. Cummins did oppose it, how
ever, and with effect. He spoke agains
1t, ran for the legislature as an indie
pendent with a Democratic indorse
ment and Overcame an immense Re
publican majority. In the legislator
he was instrumental in bringing abou
a radical modification of the law.
The Women's Candidate.
1t is one of the anomalies of stril
ing career that despite his fight agains
prohibition Cummins is considered til
women's candidate. They flock to hea
him, electioneer in his behalf and pre-
claim him their beau ideal of what
public man should be. This may b
due to the fact that he is very hant
some figure of man-tall with iro
gray hair and mustache. possessing a
the graces of the finished orator an
endowed with large share of til;
peculiar something known as person;
magnetism. Moreover, the governor a,
dresses many of his most effective or;
torical appeals to the fair sex, who a