Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-08-11
Entered at the Newport News va.
Postoliice as Sccond-Class matter.
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST II, 1909.
SENATOR cuMMiNS' INDICTMENT
OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.


Democrats will have no occasion for
basing their fight upon viewing
with alarm" plane, and the Republi-
cans will have no excuse for pointing
with pride" The Democrats will be
able to point definitely TO the utter
failure OF the Republicans to make
good the promises OF their 1908 plat
form, while the Republicans will find
themselves in such "A position that
the best they can do will be to plead
guilty to the charge of broken faith,
promise to GUST the leaders who are
responsible for the violation of party
Pledges and attempt TO make the peo-
lie believe they will do better next
time
That the Republican campaign
promises were not kept is so obvious
that argument on the subject is use
less. The men who control legisla-
ton by the Republican majority did
not go into The special session with
intention TO keep these promises;
they put true valuation ON the plat
form and campaign pledges by regard
ing them purely as means To an end,
the cad being the continuation of the
Republican party in power. and the
idea Of revising the tariff downward
never entered their heads. Senator
Crmmins, of Iowa, a Republican who
apparently Is among the few members
&c his party who took the Chicago
platform seriously. gave strikingly
bold and literal description Of the sit
uation in his speech in opposition to
the report Of the tariff conferees.
Speaking of the finance committee,
A-r Cummins said:
The finance committee, compos-
ca as It is. holding the opinions that
majority Of its members do. could
not propose such a revision of the
tariff as. in my Judgment. the needs
of the people require and our plat
form promises. They undertook the
;ask-snd l dc not speak lightly. for
IL has been hour after hour forced
into my own mind against my own
6esire--bclirving that there was no
necessity toi lowering the duties. and
they nave made such reductions only
as seemed to be necessary to satisfy
nhst they felt was no more than
tsseless and sensciess clamor. They
do not look at public affairs from the
Standpoint occupied by those who
have insisted that as between foreign
ccmpctition and domestic monopoly
the former should be preferred They
see no menace in the extinguishmeni
cf trade rivalry From a committee
30 constituted. and from a majority
81 sympathy with Il. the revision for
which stavc been hoping. and foi
which believe the party declared
was no more possible than n would
have been to drive John Calvin into
an abandonment of the doctrine o.
infant damnatioE--
How Is such an argument a. this q
be answered BY The Republican lead
CTS when they ask the American
people thrcc ycars hence TO continue
them in coatrcI of TIE government
Mr. Cnmmins says the majority IN
Congress Il IN sympathy with the q
nance committee. and that the Enzncs
ccnlnitfee. believing that there VA
no Necessity for lowering the duties.
ssde only such reducticns as ~crs
1s~ncd necessary 10 satisfy VIA
.ncy fell vas no more than base
iczs ana scnscicss cismor- 30 SPIT.
~ Nr. CsHninz' charity IN giving III
rcH><sacs credit Tor believing thsl