Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-18

career OF a lawyer, and when at last
he opened his office at the capital Of
Iowa, he rose rapidly in the profess
sion and became one Of its most in
, fuential members. He was a diligent
worker. an attractive public speaker.
and with all these qualities he did not
lack the pleasing and persuasive per-
sonality which enters so largely into
the success OF a political leader. He
was popular in all the better meanings
| of the word. He had had q taste of pub
lie life, and when he became a candi-
date for the senate it is not likely that
he had in mind any elaborate scheme
Of political reform. The field was open,
and he entered 1t, as any ambitious
man might, in his own name. and with
no advantages except the general good
will of the public. His course in the
legislature had. however. been far from
satisfactory to the big business inter-
ests, and he had not gone very far in
his campaign for the senate before he
discovered the location of the private
| offices in which. after mature consid-
Grafton it had been decided that he was
an undesirable citizen. His defeat
neither disappointed nor discourag ed
! him. He called his friends about him.
and announced his purpose. with their
1 help. to keep up the fight. The sue
cessful candidate, in making his cam
paign had been accustomed TO say. as
an argument in his own behalf that he
only desired the office Of senator to
round out his career; but as the end of
] his term approached, the old senator.
whose experience in Iowa public life
had already covered a period of nearly
forty years. reached the conclusion
that such long career could not be
rounded out by single term In the
] senate Thereupon Mr.. Cumnins an
] nounced his candidacy. and struggle
i ensued. which has ever since been FAM
| Gus in Iowa political affairs. II ended
! in the reelection of Senator Gear by
! margin so narrow that it showed clear
ly the change which had taken place
! in the public mind thruout the state.
! 1t became evident that Senator Gear
was proba bly, -he only man IN Iowa
who could have defeated Mr.. Cum
Minis.
| A Power Greater Than the State.
| In the meantime new governor had
been elected, and when shortly after
wards Senator Gear died, the question
! OF appointing his successor arose. Thru
an amendment of the constitution, pro-
vading for biennial elections. the 1egis-
| lature which had come so near electing
Mr.. Cumnins had its official life ex-
| tended to the next regular session.
Therefore some one had to be appoint
ed who could either hold all the
| strength that Senator Gear had in that
| legislature, or Mr.. Cummins' election
was sure to follow. In solemn con-
clave, the name OF every conspicuous
| public man in Iowa was canvassed. the
test of his availability being, not
whether he had served the state faith
! fully, not whether he was prepared by
training or experience for the high Of
flee, but whether, II appointed. he could
hold his own in the legislature already
elected in which the strength OF Mr..
| Cummins had been fully demonstrated.
The appointment of Mr. Cummins was
no. considered, because he had Offend
ed and defied a power greater than the
government Of the state.
At this stage in his already stormy
career Mr. Cummins made up his mind
that, without the direct participation
OF the mem bership Of the party in the
selection Of its candidates. high and
low. the old system could be used to
used to exclude permanently from pub
lie life any man who refused to make
terms with the machine. He announced
and made his appeal direct To the
townships. with a definite program OF
primary elections. and the overthrow
OF the domination OF railway agents in
republican politics. In announcing his
candidacy he named the railway law
yers who had for so many years man
aged the political affairs OF Iowa, and
began his CAM aign by stating that he
had not become q candidate at thek
request. They replied with bitter
scorn that they would pound him into
the earth: and thus the contest opened
which gave to Mr.. Cumznins seven
years in the office OF governor OF Iowa,
every one Of them fruitful in the en-
actment OF new laws in line with his
program and in the efficient admins
tratton Of the affairs Of the state.
Tho Iowa Idea a Para phrase.
The Iowa idea" originated IN the
convention which nominated Mr.. Cum
minis Tor governor, altho 1t did not orig
mate with him. It was written by Mr..
George E. Roberts, famous even then
as student Of economic problems. and
had the approval Of the late Senator
Allison and the whole Iowa delegation
in congress. 1t has enjoyed q remark
able celebrity, altho it was mere
paraphrase OF national republican
platform, and was taken almost literal
ly from the state platform OF Connecti-
cut Of the same year, written by the
late Orville II. Plat. It declared that
the schedules OF the protective tariff
should not be 80 framed as to make
them a shelter for monopoly doc
trine neither new nor strange, and now
received everywhere. except by few
leaders in the present congress, as a
rational and consistent Interpretation
Of public rights as against private an
terests.
The Coming Of Roosevelt.
While these events, so briefly out
lined. were rapidly changing the politi-
cal ideas OF states like Iowa and Wis
consin. similar signs OF activity began
to be seen in Kansas. Nebraska, Min
nesota, the Dakotas. and even in far
off California, which for more than q
generation had been a mere principal
ity belonging to a railway company
| which detailed its own favorites to
carry on the affairs Of the common
| wealth. 1t is not certain, however. that
| any Of these movements. even when
they were victorious In a local sense,
could have made permanent headway
| against the inertia OF our national poll