The Detroit times., 1910-10-13
CUMM|Ns MAKES
CAUsT|C REPLY
He Scores Sam Smith, His Opponent,
and Says He Is the Real
Hopper

HARTLAND, Mich, Oct. 13.-In a
speech here Wednesday night. Alya
M. Cummins, Democratic candidate
for congress in the sixth district, an
swered the speech of Rep. Sam Smith
at Grand Blanc. Monday night, In
which Smith charged him with hav-
ing been a Prohibitionist and q Re-
publican as well as Democrat
Mr.. Cummins declared this charge
was absolutely false, and said:
"Mr. Smith seems to entertain a
profound aversion for any man who
has ever found occasion to change his
political Affiliations. To have Topped
Is TO him a heinous offense. Now,
want to say that | deny most emphat-
ically the correctness OF his position.
Whether q change of political profess
sion of faith With none's party, or a
change of parties altogether, Is a
thing to be ashamed OF, or thing to
be proud of, depends wholly on the
motive which inspires the change.
hold that a mans whole duty Is done
when he follows the guidance OF his
own reason and conscience. When he
does that, whatever he does, whether
his conclusions are In fact correct. or
In fact erroneous, Is for him right.
ION the other hand, for a man to
be a standpatter and a supporter OF
Cannonism and Payne-Aldrichism 80
long as they seem to be dominant,
and then to turn double-somersault
In an effort to land In the progress
sive band-wagon when the elections
and primaries show those forces to
have lost their grip. is not to my no
ton the most enviable position a man
could occupy.
Carl Shurz repeatedly changed
his political affiliations, and history
with one accord proclaims him one Of
the great men of his time. Sam Smith
trims his political sails to catch a IA
vorite breeze and his contemporaries
say, 1T is time to Taught and history
won't say anything about II at all.
But so far as I am concerned. i
have neither honor to claim nor
shame to escape In the matter Of poll
teal hops.
81 do not know who Mr.. Smiths in
formant may be, nor do l care, but
whoever he may be, he Is an unmiti-
gated liar, and like Mr.. Roosevelt,
use the term in a descriptive and not
in vindictive sense. Inasmuch as
Mr. Smith says the voters will be
glad to know what the facts are, |
will give them as briefly as l can.
al was admitted to the bar In June,
1891, when was % years old. Pre-
vious to that time / had been stu
dent in the literary department OF
Kalamazoo college, and OF law In the
Office of Hon. s. l.. Kilbourne at Lam
sing. In the fall of 1891 | opened a
law Office in Mason and in the follow
ing spring | was for the first time In
position to take any part whatever
in politics. | supported the Demo
cratic ticket and was appointed city
attorney OF Mason by a Democratic
mayor and council when | was %
years old When was q years old
was elected prosecuting attorney OF
Ingham county on the Democratic
ticket. At the end of my term as
prosecutor | moved from Mason to
Lansing, and six years ago | was the
Democratic candidate for the legisla-
ture from the city OF Lansing. year
later | was elected to the school board
OF Lansing as Democrat and re-
elected three years ago. declined
denomination one year ago, and
this fall, against my protests, | was
nominated at the primaries for con-
gresham. have supported the
Democratic party from the stump In
every campaign. beginning with that
OF 1892. when was % years old,
though | a mfree TO admit that | have
not been a hide-bound partisan, and
have, as occasion seemed to me to
require, voted for individuals upon
,ha Renuhlican ticket