The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-06-01


districts and give you ten or dozen
delegates. And have come TO say to
you that you can depend upon my do
ing everything In my power to secure
you the largest possible number OF
votes in Iowa
one can ask, Albert am certain that
if you will give me your best support,
that | shall have good representa-
ton out of the Iowa delegation to the
national convention
AS to Roosevelt, Clifford Pinchot
said again and again: Roosevelt
will not be candidate. He has said
repeatedly that he could not be can
didate against Taft,
There were many conferences and
much discussion as to whether there
should be formal announcement OF
my candidacy. At one time a call was
drafted, and signed, by number OF
my supporters as basis for present
ing the matter to the public. To my
surprise, Senator Cummins declined to
sign such call, this raised again the
question In my mind as to whether 1t
did not indicate some mental reserva-
ton regarding the pledge which he
had given to support me, and renewed
my concern that later he might enter
the field as a candidate himself. in the
event that my campaign should dem
onstrate that Taft was very much
weaker in the northern states than
was commonly believed at that time.
But Bourne and others. who had many
personal interviews with Cummins on
this subject, gave me every assurance
Cummins would, under no circum-
stances, become a candidate; that his
reluctance to sign a call for me was
solely because he did not regard that
as the best form of introducing my
candidacy to the public. The publica-
ton of any call not signed by Cum
minis would, however. at once have
led the opposition press to charge that
did not have the united support of
prominent progressives. And for that
reason the call was not published.
could not wholly dismiss from my
mind the apprehension regarding
both Roosevelt and Cummins. From
time to time it would intrude itself
into my reflections. I was confident
that both we're eager for the presi-
dency. | knew that either of them
would be more acceptable to the re-
dictionaries than l, because both.
judged by their public records, would
icompromise and make terms with the
Opposition.
The narrative at this point takes UP
the movements of the Pinchots, James
r. Garfield, Medill Mccormick, ellison
Gardner and the others who almost
daily were comforting with Roose-
welt preparatory to his tossing his
hat in the ring. The story runs:
! We now began to have serious diff
ferences with Clifford Pinchot. He in
sisted that the Brown-Hanna combina-
ton should be made, and that the La
/ Toilette organization in Ohio should
put a Roosevelt delegate on the ticket
lin each congressional district. My
answer was that my candidacy should
not be made shield and cover for
Roosevelt, that If he was to be can
Ididate he should come out in the open;
that / would never consent to be a
stalking horse for Roosevelt or any
other man.
was now to be reminded that
l"nothing weighs lighter than prom
Use" On January 20 Cummins an
nounced his candidacy for the presl-
dental nomination 1t was little more
than eight months since the confer
ence of progressives In the committee
room of Senator Bourne on April 80
when Cunmins had said, Il shall not
be candidate; 1t Is out OF the ques
ition.' To Houser, (Senator LaFol
ilette,s campaign manager) in explain
ling his action in coming out as can
ididate. Cummins stated that it was his
purpose to hold Iowa from going te
TAFT. Houser protested and urged hin
to keep his promise. But he issuee
his announcement. In the end he was
able to get only ten of the twenty-si'
delegates from the state of Iowa to tht
rational convention. Judged by his
estimates of what | would be able tt
do is that state and from the cor
, Erespondence at our headquarters,
conld scarcely have done worse.
ruunR EMS SUNDAY