The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-01-11
CUMM|NS PLANS
ON MA".l'lG RACE
Convinced Iowa viii Not be For
laffolIette.
STALKING HORSE IS BARRED
Realizes He Must Be Bonafide
Candidate For the Presidency, to
Get the Republican Support
of His State.

Washington, d. c., Jan. 10.-Spe-
cial: Another republican presidential
candidacy is hanging in the balance.
1t Is that of Senator Albert b. Cum
Minis, and the Iowa situation may
cause it TO become a reality within a
short time. With the situation in his
state before them for consideration,
Senator Cummins, it is understood,
will ask some of his colleagues III
Washington to advise him what to do
and his course of action is liable to
be guided largely by their conclus-
ions.
When congress adjourned for the
holidays Senator Cummins went to
his home in Des Moines with the in
tention OF calling in his lieutenants
from around the state and having
them report exactly what the condi-
tiors were regarding the fight which
vi to this time has been drawn on
Taft versus La Toilette lines.
According to information that has
just reached Washington from what
100 local leaders of the Cummins
forces met their chief and disclosed
the existence of a situation which
seems to call for the senator's candi-
dacy If it is to be controlled at all.
In brief, the situation reported on
was to the effect that the progressive
leaders cannot obtain an uninstructed
delegation from Iowa to the Chicago
convention, and cannot win La Fol.
lette instructions. During many cam
spaigns the Iowa delegations to repub-
lican national conventions have gone
under instructions, usually with fav-
orite son candidate. This year, how
ever, it had been planned, If possible,
to have an uninstructed delegation
which Senator Cummins could con-
troll in the event an out-and-out La
Toilette delegation was impossible.
The La Toilette managers have
been counting heavily on Iowa and
have been inclined to regard the per-
sonal candidacy of Senator Cummins
as traitorous to the insurgent cause.
The point now indicated is that La
Toilette caunot defeat Taft in Iowa
in straight-out fight, while, at the
same time, il Senator Cummins en-
tiers the presidential list it is with the
understanding that he must be
bona fide candidate and not stalk
ing horse.
In other words, he cannot take a
delegation instructed for him to Chi
cago and subsequently throw it where
no may please.
With the prospect OF Senator Cum
Minis announcement of his candidacy
for the presidential nomination by no
means remote there is much interest
among politicians to know how the
close friends of La Toilette will take
it, in view OF the fact that they have
sought to proceed on the theory that
all OF he progressive strength must
be concentrated around one man
and that one man, of course, La Fol-
lettc.
The La Folletteites are suspicious
OF every move made that is not open
ly in the interest of the Wisconsin
senator, whereas the administration
forces seem TO find a good deal of
enjoyment in a situation that may
breed discord among the insurgent
leaders.
1t is not improbable that the candt-
dacy of Senator Cummins, now under
serious consideration, would bring
support from some of the progressive
antiTaft leaders here, some of whom,
by the way already have been some
what preiudiced against the LaFol-
lette movement by reason OF the rad
zeal stand taken by the Wisconsin
senator ON the recall proposition.
Mr. Kenyon Of the insurgent group
in the senate never has been for La
Toilette on the presidency PROPOSE
ton, but has been for Taft. Senator
Kenyon, however, would feel bound
to support Cummins If the latter de-
cides to be candidate. As such a
supporter he would have a place on
the delegation to Chicago. After
Cummins. however, he would be for
Taft.
The situation is of additional inter-
est from the national standpoint, be-
cause Senator Cummins is understood
to have harbored belief that in the
event anything happened to put Taft
out of the race he would be a logical
progressive compromise. and that he
might command the support OF regu-
lars who never would let LaFollette
pull down the nomination