The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-01-04
THE SENATORIAL SITUATION.

| CdQQludCeS, all vi WHO'LL leSl tHdl IiiCs
have special claims upon Mr.. Cummins
who is the acknowledged dictator Of
that faction.
The standpatters are standing 10y
ally by Senator Young. This is easy
for them to do, because Senator Young
has made god during even the short
time he has been in the senate anc
further because, being in the minority
in the legislature, they see that thell
only hope is in united front. UP TIC
date there has been no break in the
regular ranks, although the multi
plicity of candidates has brought 10,
cal pressure to bear for them to sup
: port district progressive candidates.
Among the progressives the ma,
neuvering has been amusing. AT flrst
the attempt was made to secure the
withdrawal of several aspirants so
that a union might be effected on Web
Bvers, who is Cummins personal
choice for the position. In this way
the Withdrawals Of Senator Smith and
Lieutenant Governor Clarke were Sc
cured. FRANKIE and other small fry
were never seriously considered and
while they have not all withdrawn,
they might as we'll do so.
The entrance of Kenyon into the
race put a different phase on the mat
ter. Kenyon is a man of great ability.
He is progressive in principle. He
is tariff reformer' and a trust
| buster" both of which are good as far
as they go, from the insurgent stand
point But Mr.. Kenyon lacks in two
particulars, which are deemed essen
tial by insurgency. First, he is
friendly to Taft, second, he is not
lickspittel of Cummins. The Des
Moines Leader was at first very friend
ly to his candidacy and regarded him
as a fractional Moses, but since Cum
Minis return to Iowa the Leader has
been pulled off and now other candi-
dates are rapidly being brought into
the field.
Garst has been brought out for the
obvious purpose of taking strength
from Kenyon in this district. No one
regards Garst's candidacy seriously
It takes a glad smile and one hand
shake to get Garst to run for any Of
fee. He has accepted so many hon
ors which his friends have almost
handed him that he has become
laughing stock.
Funk has been brought out in the
eleventh for the purpose of drawing
away the strength that would naturally
go to Kenyon. Funk is of senatorial
size, but he is an old man. He was.
fully in his prime when he was de-
feated for the nomination by Gov.
Shaw nearly fourteen years ago. Since
that time his course has been erratic.
He has retired from active business
on account of age and intirmity. His
public career ended with his defeat in
1897. but although big Drained man
in many ways, he has not had the wit
to know that he was politically dead.
He is today a very pleasant and profit
able memory in the minds of Iowa ed
itors and Iowa politicians, but like
Jeffries, he cannot come back
George NJ. Curtis, of Clinic, is the
latest aspirant. Mr.. Curtis is a SPLEEN
did, true-blue man. During the early
the "angel" who supplied the funds
and a large part of the enthusiasm.
1t will be hard for Mr.. Cummins to go
back on the old friend who made his
career possible. Mr.. Curtis declares
that he wishes only the short term
and it is highly probable that insur
gents will unite upon him finally for
the short term with Byers as the re-
siduary legatee to make the fight in
the primary for the long term. This
involves the elimination of Garst and
Funk, who are used to it, and of Ken
yon, who is not, and whose friends are
making a real fight for him.
The Byers candidacy is the real
shadow of the situation. He is not
competent and he is not politically
honest. In 1897 he had entered into
a secret alliance with Blythe for the
regular support against Funk and up
to the first of August of that year it
was the Blythe program to nominate
Byers if Parrot could not be named.
The candidates. Of Harsh on the
south, Flickinger on the west and
Shaw On the north Slapped Byers
strength and made him impossible as
a candidate. But he was at that time,
posing as a Cummns man but secret
ly in alliance with CumminS' enemies.
His record before and since, has been
that of a time server, allying himself