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.
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