New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-02
TOO READY TO- CHANGE.

Senator Cummins finds himself IN the
awkward predicament of the poilticiah
who has to refute his own record. he
has been saying things in congress
since the Canadian reciprocity Din was
drafted which contradict fatty the
things which he has said as Governor Oh
Iowa and as the constructor or iowa
Republican platforms. 1t would De an uh-
hanpy situation even for practised op-
portunist. skilled in changing his opin-
ions as fashions in politics change. But
Mr. Cummins has prided himself Oh
being a statesman with programme OF
his own. He invented "the Iowa ioea
and made himself a power in Iowa u!
explojting II. On that issue he was
elected Governor three times anu then
sent TO the United States Senate. heci-
procity with Canada was a part OF tne
Iowa idea" and in 1904. when Mr.. yum
Minis as Governor could only suggest
legislation by Congress and not partlci-
nat in II he asked the people OF Iowa:
l. Which would you rather do. lose the
markets which will be created oy our
vast EXPORTS lUlQ 1dlldUd, VI 'iNNs
ada in competition in the things when
Won produce? | assert confidently that
in the sharp struggle with Illinois, WIS
consin, Minnesota. the Dakotas, Ne,
braska, Kansas and Missouri YOU wouio
never be able to discern the influence or
Canada in corn. oats, hay, barley, catlle'
horses, hogs. butter and eggs
Now as Senator he is working to de-
feat reciprocity on the ground that Iowa
will discern the influence Of Canada IN
corn, oats, hay. barley, cattle, horses
hogs. butter and eggs His excuse for
repudiating 1.-The Iowa idea Is that
times have changed" But II they have
changed they have changed only In nav
inG made the farmers Of the Northwest
more immune than ever against the evil
effects Of Canadian competition, and
in charging the market across the Cana
dian boundary, from freer entry into
which they are certain to benefit
The Iowa Senator says that times
have changed since 1904, when he he'd
that the Northwest had much more to
gain from reciprocity than to lose. But
have they changed since 1910, when Mr.
Cummins dictated platform for the
Iowa Republican Convention which IA
vo;ed the creation of tariff commits
sion. approved the appointment by
President Taft of tariff board and said
that the tariff schedules ought to be
revised hereafter one by one and in the
light of information to be furnished by
q board or commission? only the other
day the Iowa Senator was suggesting
the grating Of several revised schedules
on the Canadian reciprocity bill without
waiting for reports from the tarl1 eA
merits now working on those schedules.
A statesman should not be expected 10
standardize his opinions once for all ana
cling to them unyiedingly for a life
time. But he ought to show some dis
position to respect as legislator the
nledges which he has given as party
leader and writer Of platforms. That Is
one respect in which consistency is not
only q level but also a necessary COM
modify in practical politics. What conn
dence can be placed in statesman
whose public professions are as unstable
as his intellectual processes? when
things are coming his own way II Is
time for a sensible politician to stand
fast and not TO change.