Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-04-14


governor was already there. There was
short and red-hot session between
the governor and the railroad boss
The governor announced his purpose to
veto the bill, and right then and theirs
was made the first pronouncement OF
the purpose of Mr.. Blythe to pound
Cummins into the earth" That enter
prise has absorbed much of the ener-
gies Of Mr.. Blythe ever since, and has
been attended with lamentable want oil
success.
The governor regarded the bill as
thoroughly bad. Being a great lawyer
as we'll as student of affairs. he
could see what 1t meant. Its POSSIBLE
ties appealed to him; he knew 1t could
mean only bad, for 1t overturned the
very fundamental principles of good
law and good public policy. His veto
message was already written, and 1t
was duly sent to the senate.
Blythe's First Defeat.
Its receipt occasioned a huge sem
sation. There had been an intimation
in a morning Des Moines paper that
the bill would be vetoed. Nobody be-
lieved 1t. The story was one of those
sensational stories which nobody would
believe--until the confirmation was
absolute.
Blythe went away from the state
house that morning the sworn enemy
of Cummins. He had threatened the
political life OF the governor. and the
governor had dared him to do his
worst. The railroad lobby CRASHED its
teeth and then set about to pass the
bill over the veto Of the governor.
But 1t was useless. The veto mes
sage was unanswerable Nobody now
had the courage to stand out. in the
face Of the scandal which had at last
come to a head, and press for q re-
consideration. The bill died; the
Northern Securities company did not
move into Iowa because Iowa had de-
clined its hospitality to the greatest Of
all the holding company mergers. The
plan for organization of the Rock Is
land holding scheme had to be extern
sively changed before 1t could be
adapted to the Iowa situation. 1t was,
however, so adapted. and when at
length the articles were filed they We're
supposed to be air-tight In legal
sense.
Governor Cummins, while recognize
Ing that the plan was probably legal,
believed 1t utterly abhorrent to sound
public policy. He directed Attorney
General Mullan to go into the matter
carefully. and report whether there was
ground for an action to invalidate the
charter of the new Rock Island railroad
company. organized under the law of
no vNIp
being carried into effect.
Mr.. Mullan made the investigation,
and reported that there was no pro-
vision Of Iowa law, which he could dis
cover, that would make the scheme
null. He was compelled to give up the
fight, and Governor Cummins. reluct-
antly and in disgust, admitted that he
had been defeated.
Six years have passed, and today the
interstate commerce commission pre-
sents this case OF the Rock Island con-
troll as the first in its list of horrible
examples Of the dangers of such con-
troll and consolidation of railroad hold
ings. Times have changed. The pub
lie is now prepared to be Mortified at
such things. Theodore Roosevelt has
taken lead which the public's mind
has followed, and today an awakened
conscience and sharpened under
standing of the significance of these
things are united to protest against
them.
Governor Cummins' vote undoubtedly
killed the chance of saving the North
ern Securities merger, but it did not
reach the Rock Island.