Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-22
rcollier's weekly.l

rCollier's Weekly.1
In Des Moines he came to be rec
ofnized as really big lawyer-the
biggest in the state. Every town has
at least one lawyer who people will
tell you is the best in the state or in
the entire community. But there
seems to be no question that Cummins
was really about the best to be found
in Iowa, He has natural legal mind.
Give him an elaborate tangle Of legal
facts and he can get right to the meat
Of the situation good deal like well
trained rabbit dog following a trail!
thru dense underbrush.
A while ago one of Cummins' part
ners worked several days preparing a
brief. 1t was a big, knotty, perplexing
case. and the partner wanted the sem
ators opinion Of it. Cummins glanced
over the brief few minutes and then,
pointing his finger to one line, said:
Right there is the point to your en-
tire case" And events proved that he
was exactly right.
All his life Cummins has been a
toiler and fighter. He was obliged
to begin work when he was 10 years
old, and he has worked. mostly. ever
since Rarely has he had a holiday
since he entered public life. In the
fifteen years prior to the last Few
months 1t is doubtful If he has de-
voted one entire day to pleasure.
Years ago Cummins made the discov-
cry that one can often accomplish
things by work which could not be
gained in any other way. So. as
say. he has worked. Work with him
has been almost a fetish. few men
In public life seem to struggle up to
certain point and then proceed
largely on their regulations: but Cum
Minis appears to have lacked the knack
Of climbing without fighting. His po-
litical record is not one of unbroken
defeat or uninterrupted triumph. On
three different occasions he made an
unsuccessful dash for the United States
senate. But the point is that three de-
feats did not head him OFF.
cummins and tho Railroads.
For years Cummins fought corpora
ton control Of affairs In Iowa. 1t was
one Of the funny little quirks of fate
that though ne spent part of his early
years working for the railroads he was
to devote number OF his later years
to fighting them. The railroads made
men United States senator's: they
made an obscure country lawyer a
cabinet officer. No man dared to fight
them. Cummins' first show of indie
pendence of the railroads was when
as a member of the general assembly
he supported an amendment to the
constitution adapted to prevent rail-
roads from escaping liability for acct
dents to employees. Yet at that time
Cummins was a railroad attorney. 1t
was during the time Cumnlins was
governor that Iowa not only shook off
most OF its railroad shackles. but be-
came one of the first states of the
union to put on a complete antitrust
program. Cummins got passed a 2
cent fare law, an anti-pass law
primary election law, provision linn
iting the hours Of work for railroad
employees. law to prevent corpora
lions from contributing to campaign
funds, campaign publicity law.
pure food law. a pure seed law. He
vetoed a bill removing the debt limit
Of corporations, law which was
drawn in the interest Of certain rail-
roads The plan was to New jersey
ize Iowa. Cummins was urged by old
friends to sign the hill--in fact. most
OF his more intimate associates favor
ed it. But he refused
There was naturally a complete
break between Cummins and the rail-
roads, whose fight was led by J. W.
Blythe. OF Burlington general solicit
tor for one OF the big lines and re-
garded as the railroads political agent
In Iowa. The Blythe machine-known
as The Reservation" because OF the
completeness and strength Of It's or
ganization--had the southern half Of
the state under It's thumb SO firmly
that Cummins first race for governor
seemed well-nigh hopeless. cummins
success in that campaign Is still talked
Of in Iowa as one OF the big feats in
the political annals OF the state. Then
he was elected twice more. both times
on a platform that was anti-pass.
anti-railroad, anti-lobhy. for state
wide primaries and equal taxation.
However, Blythe and his "Reserva-
...r' succeeded m two occasions IN
postponing Cumming entrance into the
United States senate.
1t was while governor that Cum
MINIS gained national attention as a