Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1914-10-09
Issued on Friday Of Each Week.
Senator Cummins.

Senator CumminS.
While it is probable Senator Cum
minis would oppose the Wilson admins
tration under any circumstances sim
ply in expression of his obstructionist
tendencies, under present conditions no
other course is open to him. The sena-
tor is shrewd enough to know that his
one hope lies in convincing the people
Of Iowa that the Wilson policies are
failures. How well he is succeeding
need not be here die cussed.
1t is we'll known that Mr.. Cummins'
ambition, now and for years past, has
been to be president of the United
States. It is a laudable ambition but
the senator has no monopoly on it and
men who measure up to required
standards are also in quest of the high
est Office within the gift of the Ameri.
can people. Yet Mr.. Cummins is not
discouraged.
Back in the nineties Mr.. Cummins
was elected member of the legislature
from Polk county. Democratic votes
made his election possible. This was
the extent Of his legislative experience
but thus equipped he aspired to the
seat in the United States senate then
held by the late John Henry Gear. He
was told by the powers that he was
too young in political affairs-that he
should 60 out and acquire experience.
He took his advisers at their word and
went :into the highways and byways
and behold, in 1901. he was elected
governor. He trained with republi-
cans, ran on their ticket, but flirted
with democrats. He played the game
and played it we'll.
MIR. Cummins held down the job of
governor but never took his eye from
the senatorial!toga. John Henry Gear
died. Mr.. cummins was anxious to
serve but Congressman ]. P. Dolliyer
Of Fort Dodge, got the plum.
Mr.. Cummins, crestfallen but not
discouraged, frightened up his belt and
kept at the:governor's job. AS usual
he was against the existing order. He
fathered the republican Iowa idea
lower tariff, Democrats applauded
and voted for him.
Three times he was elected governor
although his eagerness to secure the
nomination made the character of the
tariff plank in the last platform on
which he ran, matter of no conse-
quence. 1t set forth in effect that
schedules that are too high should be
lowered and schedules that are too low
should be raised automatic to a
marked degree, requiring no defense
and implying no pledge. There was
then no ranting iagainst the robber
tariff by Mr.. Cummins. He wanted
the job and was willing to run on a
middle.of .the-road populist platform if
necessary to placAte the old-line lead
ers.l
Mr.. Cummins understood perfectly
how quickly men without towering abil-
ity drop from public gaze orce they are
out of Office. The third term as COVER
nor was necessary if his senatorial am
bition was to be realized. To make
smooth sailing in securing his third
nomination for governor he declared
contesting for the seat of Senator ALI
son was farthest from his thought.
But ambition knew no restraint and
having been again elected he announ
ced himself as contestant against the
Dubuque man before the June pri-
maries.
Senator Allison defeated him, but in
August death removed Mr.. Allison. A
special senatorial primary was held at
the general election, Mr.. Cummins
winning over Major Lacey. He was
made senator.
But Senator Cummins is through. He
does not measure up to presidential
standards. His attacks on the Wilso..
administration are falling upon deaf
ears. The old line republicans have
lost patience with him, the democracy
10 through with him and Col. Roose.
velt's appeal to his Iowa followers
means the loss to Senator Cummins of
the 1900 former progressives who
voted for Judge Stevenson for gov
ernor. dubuque Telegraph. Herald.
The rumorl generally in circulation
that sixty -four nominees for the Iowa
legislature are attorneys associated in
one way and another with railroad cor