The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-12-20
hose who have followed him since the

Those who nave followed MIN SLICE lAe
days when his interest in the liquor
traffic made possible the election OF
Governor Boes. Those who nave fol
lowed his course as the representative
of several railroad companies, both IN
the courts and in the lobby. Those
who have followed his course as per-
Ipetual candidate for the senate. Those
who have followed Mr.. Cummins' ca
reer, must acquit him of any lncOn-
sistency. He has been steadfast and
true to the one object of his existence,
under all circumstances and at all
times That object has ever been the
personal and political advancement OF
Hon. A. B. Cummins. Nothing has
been allowed to stand in the way OF
this glorious ambition. He has stood
not OH the edge of standpat plat
form, but squarely in the middle OF IT.
to use his own words, he has sacrificed
his friends without conjunction. His
path is strewn with political corpses
not OF his enemies, but OF his dearest
and most worshipful friends. LOOK al
Garst, look at Funk, look at Byers
He has used any tool that suited MS
convenience. Look at keltz whom ne
now hopes to foist upon an outraged
people as United States marshal. II
was not to be expected that he would
be true to La Toilette. He has never
been true to any man who stood IL
his way. He went to Washington with
the set purpose of discreditlng the
president in every possible way. Party
ties have ever set lightly with him. He
has had but one creed, and he himself
| has ever been it's prophet, it's Messiah
and it's god That the republican party
was made to suffer, that reform is now
to be flabbergasted in the house. OF its
friends, makes and will make no DIFF
ference. 1t is not republican party
lit is not progressive party, 1t is not
reform party which the senator from
Iowa is trying to build up; it is Cum
Minis party, pure and simple, and his
ambitious soul will brook no other
leadership.
After all we can but admire such
mastery and masterful ambition.
There is something inspiring in the
picture Milton draws OF the PROUD
spirit that would rather rule in hell
than serve in heaven" There is some
thing inspiring in the career OF Ma
poleon. The story of that Alexander
who sighed for other worlds to
conquer, is thrilling one. They
tell US what selfishness and am
bition and a ruthless disregard
for the rights or the feelings OF
friends and foe can do when raised
to the xth power and backed by intel
ligence and perseverance.
Whether the republicans OF Iowa
will be stampeded by this new develop
ment remains to be seen. We cannot
believe that the republicans who
have fought the battles of the party Tor
years, who have been steadfast and
loyal all the time, will tamely submit
to this train-wrecking program. Tart
sidetracked, La Follettee in the ditch
and Roosevelt in the round house with
Cummins cavorting down the main
track of republicanism which he has
spurned and scorned whenever it ran
counter to his ambitions, is picture
that no loyal republican can view with
|equanimity.
The sober Judgment of the people is
going to be that Taft was one OF the
very greatest presidents the United
States has ever had. Whether sober
Judgment can be rendered during the
strife of the next few months, 1t is
hard to tell, but the judgment OF his
tory will be that Taft has been un-
swerving in his loyalty to the country
and to his oath, that he has not been
led aside by petty politics or personal
ambition, that he has not been an op-
portunist. that he has enforced the
laws where others have only talked
about enforcing them, that he has al
lowed no popular clamor to drive MN
from the path Of sane craftsmanship.
In every case where the president has
been attacked, time has shown the
wisdom of his Judgment.
1t was the popular thing to wave the
bloody shirt at Russia, even the re.
publican members of the house fell
for it.. The lingo resolution was
passed, but the effect was disastrous.
lit is only the sanity and the diplom-
acy of the president which now stands
between this country and an ugly sit
uation needlessly provoked by hot
heads who sought only personal ad-
vancement. How easy it would nave
been for the president to have gained
great popular acclaim by a lingo mess
age such as Cleveland fired at helpless
Venezuela The chip on the shoulder
attitude is ever popular. But the pres
ident while insisting that the rights
of American citizens be respected, was
endeayoring to arrange the matter
without friction and to obtain the
same results without insulting a
friendly power. The Sulzer resolution
served as a bomb. All negotiations
were declared at an end, the fat was IN
the fire, and all that some members OF
congress might gain little cheap
glory Never has Taft shown in a
better light than during this crisis,
never has his judicial poise and fair
ness been better displayed.
The split in the progressive ranks
by the candidacy of Cummins as
against La Toilette assures the noml-
nation of Taft beyond question. His
nomination at the Chicago convention
will in the end be made unanimous.
La Toilette will justly feel that he has
been betrayed and insulted. He had
a right to expect the hearty support
of the Cummins faction in Iowa and OF