Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-27

". A. Sfnltn IN tIle scranton Joulittil
Leading men of the standpat faction
have long been telling the people of
the state that Governor Cummins is
a bold, bad man, and that he is also
a dangerous man. The Journal has
believed that these accusers of the
governor were jealous of him because
he has been political thorn in the
flesh. but when we look back over the
political career of A. b. Cummins ana
study his position on public questions,
we are free to confess that we are
surprised. and this will account for
the heading OF this article. 1t Is
fact that cannot be controverted that
Governor Cummins has done many
things that no other governor ever
did in this state.
For instance: Several years ago the
governor at the head of a committee
and in the interest of the stock men
and farmers of the state Went to
Washington and interceded with Pres
ident Roosevelt to use his influence,
and power IL need be, to stop the rail
roads from discriminating against the
stock men and farmers Of this state
While In Washington he squarelv
placed himself upon record as being
in favor of enlarging the power of the
interstate commissioners No other
governor of this state has ever been so
rash as to do anything of this ma
ture.
Then he had the audacty to appear
y, CREATED for the
purpose of investigating interstate
commerce business, and with charac-
teristic recklessness he looked that
West Virginia dictator. Senator Steve
Elkins, PUNK in the face and told him
that the people We're being swindlei
by the railroads. When. we ask, has
Iowa had a governor who had the te-
merity to stand before the lords of the
senate and demand a square deal for
his people? Is 1t any wonder that he
is accused of being bold, Needless
man?
Back In 1901. when Hubbard ana
Blythe said to him that he must lay
down or be pounded into the earth,
what did he do but get on his ear and
actually defy these leaders of hosts?
And that was just awful!
go
- Then, adding insult to injury, when
the railroads attempted to merge their
interests in Iowa, he again stuck his
bill in and blocked the game. Do you
blame the railroads for despising that
man Cummins?
Surely one would now imagine that
the governor would be content to let
up on the railroads. but with seeming
insatiety he went to and fro in the
land boldly proclaiming that the rail-
roads should be compelled by law to
carry passengers for two cents mile,
and he kept up the disturbance untll
such a law was passed by the legisla-
ture. Is it at all strange that the cor
porations of the state (and the nation
for that matter) are solidly arrayed
against such governor? Self defense
is human nature.
Again, like an avenging Nemesis, the
governor discovered another weak
place in the corporation armour, ana
in consistency with his rash career he
turned the Legislative batteries upon
free railroad passes. and an anti-pass
law now confronts the people or the
state and even the best friends of the
railroads are paying their fare to state
conventions. 1t would seem that even
precedent counts for nothing with this
new kind of a governor
But like Columbus, whose watch
word was sail on and on" this merci-
less governor still had in his mind a.
severer blow for these same corpora
tions and he went up and down in the
state following until his voice failed
him for a state wide primary election
law, knowing full well that such law
meant a knockout blow for the rail-
road corporations, inasmuch as their
political leaders could no longer COM
pei men to vote in the presence of the
king and vote coupon tickets, Such a
law turns the vast machinery of the
state of Iowa over to the people of the
state, who will now be permitted to
make laws regulating and controlling
the larger business affairs even as their
own are regulated and controlled.
This idea became law, and yet there
for trying to dethrone such "boss."
While perhaps of minor Importance
but along the same line, cOrroborative
evidence as to the purpose of this WILL
full and persistent governor he has Sc
cured the passage Of a law making 1t
a crime for corporation to contribute
to political campaign fund. Prece-
dent violated again!
Then he has been instrumental in
compelling the railroads to pay Il much
larger proportion of the taxes Of the
state than they have ever paid before.
For this he can scarcely deny personal
responsibility, graceless as he is.
But the governor publishes others be-
side the corporations. There Is that
large class of citizens in the state who
have openly violated the liquor law
for 10 these many years without let
or hindrance, save during the admin
istration of Ex-Governor Larrabee,
when some of the lawless We're brought
to book. Back of these saloonkeepers
are the great distilleries and brewer
les. which are powerful enough to
make congressman and United States
senator's vince, but not so with this
ruthless governor That man Cummins
was so presumptious as to go into the
enemys most fortified city and say