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About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 1911)
OCTOBER 13, 1811 The Commoner. What the Insurgents Are Doing WHERE SENATOR OUMMINS' STANDS Special dispatch to tlio Now York Tribune: Dea Moines, la., Sept. 5. Senator Albert B. Cummins In a signed statement today states in a: "bill of particulars" the reasons why he thinks President Taft should not be re-elected. He says that on all vital questions the allies and supporters of Mr. Taft have been the reaction aries and "stand-patters" in the senate and house, and that if the republican party believes In perpetuating this leadership it can not do better than renominate Mr. Taft. Mr. Cummins says he does not believe in this, and therefore hopes for the nomination of a progressive re publican. The statement follows: It is to be understood that my opposition to the renomination of Taft is based solely upon his attitude toward public questions, and my conviction that the convention ought to nomi-. nate a candidate for president who will be strongest in the election. I have no other than the most friendly feel ing for the president. With the preliminary and explanatory suggestions I present my bill of particulars. It will bo conceded, I suppose, that President Taft's alignment must be denned chiefly: 1. By his position upon the Payne-Aldrich ta-rlfE law. 2. By his position upon the bill for the further regulation of interstate common car riers, brought forward about the first of the year 1910. 3. By his position upon the change made in the postal savings law, just as it was being passed in the' senate. 4. By his position upon the proposed Income tax law, which was sought to be incorporated into the Payne-Aldrich tariff act. 5. By his attitude toward the control and disposition of our public domain. 6. By his position on the Canadian tariff bill passed at the extra session just closed. 7. By his work for the peace treaties. 8. By his vetoes of the woolen schedule, the free list and the resolution admitting New Mexico and Arizona as states. It is manifest that space to analyze each of these measures and argue at length their merits or demerits is not available. I shall content myself in the main, therefore, with merely re calling to the minds of the people the line-up on each of them. , 1. The Payne-Aldrich tariff law. Mr. Taft's associates in the making of this law, which he declared to be the best ever passed up.on the subject, were Mr. Aldrich and his followers in the senate; Mr. Payne, Mr. Dalzoll, Mr. Cannon and their followers in the house. It seems to me I am justified in the conclusion that he did not take "the progressive view" with respect to this measure. 2. One of the notable laws passed during the present administration is the act amending and enlarging what is commonly known as the inter state commerce law. President Taft made legis lation upon the subject the prominent feature of the first regular session after ho was inaugu rated. Through his attorney general he pre sented to congress a bill which was Intro duced in the senate, referred to the committee on Interstate commerce and reported back to the senate precisely aa the attorney general wrote it, and as President Taft apparently be lieved it ought to be enacted. If this bill had passed'as insisted upon by the president, the work of nearly a quarter of a century would have been swept away and we would have taken a long step backward in the regulation of our railways. The committee bill was put through the com mittee under the coercion of Mr. Aldrich and with his declaration that not a letter or lino should be changed in It. It came to the senate and was opened up for discussion. Many parts of It were so bad that they found no defenders, and such effort as was made to defend the ad ministration bill was led by Mr. Aldrich and Mr. Blkins. It was reconstructed upon the floor of the senate by the progressives a-gainst the violent opposition of the reactionaries who were acting for the president. I believe that people generally -will agree with me that with respect to this measure Mr. Taft did not take "the progressive view" of the subject. ,.,.," 3. Before the present administration came In a postal savings bill had been practically greed upon in the senate, and the fight which tho progressives had made was to Insure tho deposit of tho money put into the postofllces in tho banks of tho local communities. Wo had won out, but just as wo wore on tho point of passing tho bill, President Taft had sufllciont influence to rowrito that part of tho bill, and everybody recognizes that the law as it was finally adopted, in that respect, was a victory for the great city banks and a defeat for tho small country banks. Again tho presldont was found in the company of tho reactionaries and not with tho progressives. 4. Tho progressives wore exceedingly anxious to attach an income tax law to tho Payno Aldrich tariff act. Wo had good reasons to bo lieve that the president was with us In this effort, but at the moment when it seemed likely to succeed, the president, under tho leadership of Mr. Aldrich and his close associates, brought forward the so-called corporation tax law and defeated the proposal to levy a tax upon tho great incomes of the country. Ho did this through tho instrumentality of tho most pro nounced reactionaries of congress. I think it must bo conceded that whatever else may bo said of his action, ho did not take "tho progres sive view." We were encouraged by tho suggestion that wo would bo able to obtain an amendment to tho constitution and we could then have an income tax law of unquestioned validity, but tho con stitution has not yet been amended to remove the doubt, and it Is exceedingly doubtful if it ever will be. 6. All that I care to say is that he seems to be out of harmony with those who were recog nized before his advent into office as the best exponents of the conservation policy, and so far as I know his appointment of Mr. Fisher as secretary of "the interior was about the first act of his administration which commanded tho approval of tho progressives throughout the country. 6. With respect to the Canadian tariff bill, there is, of course, tho widest difference of opinion. It is a false prctenso from beginning to end. It gives free pulp and free papor to publishers using print paper and It gives free farm products, but It will not roduco the cost of living, and it will not, in my judgment, widen or enlarge our markets for manufactures In Canada. Its evil effects have been greatly exaggerated, and its beneficial effects aro almost wholly imaginary. The newspapers have their free pulp and free paper and I can easily understand why the measure appears to them as progressive legisla tion, but to those of us who have been laboring for a systematic and comprehensive reduction of duties, so that they will, in all the schedules, represent the difference between tho cost of production at home and abroad, tho Canadian bill is the most unfortunate act of legislation passed within tho period of the present adminis tration, for it has destroyed tho chance of a fair revision of the tariff along republican lines for years to come. It is perfectly apparent that we must now either suffer the injustice of the Payne-Aldrich tariff law Indefinitely or the perils of a democratic bill for revenue only. It's hard for me to think of tho Canadian bill as progressive, believing as I do that Its passage was the result of an under standing between the president and those emi nent reactionaries, Penrose, of Pennsylvania, and Lodge, of Massachusetts, that they would see It through the senate If all other tariff bills reduc ing duties should bo vetoed. 7. With regard to peace treaties, I am In hearty sympathy with the president In the en deavor to broaden the field of arbitration, but they can hardly bo instanced as a great advance in tho move for peace when they are construed as tho president himself construes them in his public speeches, and as they must necessarily be construed if the senate amends them as Is proposed, for they are practically the same as the peace treaty we already have with Great Britain. 8. With regard to the woolen bill and the free list bill, I have only to say that I haven't heard of any progressive rejoicing over the vetoes which killed them. They were both pre pared with the greatest care and in tho full light of abundant information, and both amply justified by the standard of protection. I pre dict that these bills gave the president the only chance he will ever have to sign acts of congress reducing tho Iniquitlous duties of the Payne Aldrich law, but preserving the system of pro tection. In waiting for lifa taTlff roport ho lost an opportunity which democrats will not glvo him again. With rcspoct to tho veto of tho resolution admitting Now Mexico and Arizona as states, I havo thiu to Bay: Some of tho progressives woro opposed to provisions in both constitutions. Thoy woro not all In favor of tho form of iuitlatlvo, roforondum and rocall found in tho Arizona con stitution. I do not approve tho recall of judges. All thoso tilings bocamo immaterial In tho prcsouco of ono progressive proposition, viz., that congross had no right to prescribo constitu tions for theso Incoming states. OLAPP DENOUNCES TAFT VKTO Special dispatch to Now York Tribune: San Francisco, Sept. G. Tho action of President Taft on tho Arizona statehood bill, eliminating tho recall of tho judiciary, was denounced by Sona tor Clapp, of Minnesota, at n dinnor, given last night by tho direct legislation leaguo, as an atr tompt at tho brlbory of tho pooplo. Ho said: "What Bhall wo say of a policy to forco an olectorato to forswear Its convictions as tho prico of admission to tho union? It savors of tho dark ages. It Is an attempt at tho bribery of a pooplo. Thoro aro two cases of brlbory now being In vestigated by tho senate, yet, in tho faco of that, hero is an attempt to bribe a wholo people. Tho Inault to tho pcoplo of Arizona will react on tho opponents of tho rocall finally, and will do much to further tho recall of the Judiciary throughout tho United States. The fight against tho recall of tho judiciary Is tho last stand of tho special interests." CRAWFORD FOR LA FOLLETTE Special dispatch to Now York Tribune: Sioux Falls, S. D., Sept. 5. In a statement to tho Sioux Falls Press Senator C. I. Crawford, of South Dakota, says: "I am for La Follctto for president. La Follctto represents tho principles and convictions of our peoplo, and for that reason, and because in general I agree with him and admiro his superb courage and commanding ability, I shall support his candidacy for the republican nomination for presldont." DAN V. STEPHENS Nebraska City (Neb.) Nqxvb: Tho democrats of the Third congressional district did well when they nominated Dan V. Stephens to succeed Mr. Latta as their congressman. Mr. Stephens Is a man of more than state reputation. By his efforts In behalf of democracy ho has become known all over tho country. He Is not a demo crat simply because that Is tho name of tho party, but ho believes in tho principles tho party stands for. Every democrat and progressive republican in tho Third district should uso their influence for Mr. Stephens. Tocuraseh (Neb.) Journal-Tribune: Those who know Dan Stephens will have no fear as -to his position on all public questions, as ho has been a loyal party worker for many years. In fact it was Stephens who managed both the suc cessful Latta campaigns, and that he will bo elected Is a foregone conclusion. While Mr. Stephens docs not pose as an orator ho is en dowed with an abundance of sound horso sense, and we predict a brilliant record for the young man. ' Lyons (Nob.) Mirror: We feel like throwing up our hat and hollering, because Stephens is a noble man of energy and courage Just such 4 man as the people need to lead them in tho' great struggle for tho betterment of mankind. Scribner (Neb.) News: When It comes to vote-getting Mr. Stephens' prowess over many a campaigner was demonstrated in the remark able victories and gains ho made against great odds in the number of campaigns he personally conducted for other men of his party faith. Tho News is more than pleased with the selection and firmly believes that tho nominee will make a triumphant march to the goal of his ambition. Oakland (Neb.) Independent (rep.): As was expected, Dan V. Stephens was nominated for congressman of this, the Third district, at the democratic convention in Norfolk, Tuesday. We remember when Stephens first entered politics as a candidate for county superintendent in Dodge county against the republican Incumbent, Mr. Clarendon. Stephens was an obscure coun try school teacher, was not much in favor with die school teachers for the office he was seek ing, but he conducted a most strenuous cam paign and when the votes wero counted it de veloped that he had had the support of the mass of farmers who do the voting and ho was elected, and re-elected to the office. If campaign work will win, then Stephens Is there with the goods. 1 if 1 1 4 iiJ 4te