The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-07-02
JEFF DAVIS BOASTS EN-

Washington, June 2S..-Couched in
characteristic language, an address
was delivered in the senate by
Senator Davis of Arkansas, in opposi-
ton to the pending tariff bill. Sen
ator Davis found general fault with the
measure as a tax upon the people, as
a discrimination in favor of certain
interests and as promoter of trusts.
Contending that the republican par
ty had failed to keep it's promise to
lower the tariff he said that IL that
party had possessed the manhood to
state boldly that it intended to in
crease the tariff "the places that know
them today would have known them
no longer forever, and they would
have been a hiss and byword in the
land their destruction inevitable"
He dwelt at some length upon the
motives of the members of the party
which were to still further swell their
already colossal fortunes and to take
from the poor man the last vestige Of
hope and from their helpless families
their means of sustenance."
Still, he was not without hope be-
cause he believed that the American
people were awak med to realization
that the promises of the republican
party were nothing more than broken
reeds and smoking flames. He con.
tinued
"They are turning their faces in
10. co tha
great middle west, where small cloud
has arisen, which is gathering in
strength and volume, led on by the
insurgent republican forces in this
body, that assures the downfall and
destruction of the Bourbon element,
the old dominant party planned by
Hamilton, in which there yet reposes
the spirit of kings, and the belief Of
that one crowd was created to be rid.
den booted and spurred by their mas.
tiers, and that when they call for bread
| they should be given a stone, and
when their children cry for fish, they
should be given a serpent These in.
surgents, sir, catching the spirit of
freedom and independence; catching
the spirit of democracy, and catching
| the spirit of the eternal brotherhood
of man have before them great posi-
bilities, and in their ultimate success
and helpfulness to the people, depends
much for the future happiness Of this
republic"
"Why do the republican leaders on
this floor no longer conceal their real
purpose?" asked the senator from Ar
kansas. "Why do they exhibit their
mailed hand and cloven hoof in this
transaction" Answering his own
questions, Mr.. Davis said:
"They are drunk upon power. Upon
temporary glory. Upon passing sue
cess. They feel that these protected in.
dustries, whose 'slush fund and whose
blood money has kept them in power
for the last quarter of century, pos.
sess now such omnipotent power that
pie cannot be loosened and their power
to further rob them cannot be de-
stroyed."
Declaring that the tariff bill is vir.
tually the product of Senator Aldrich.
and asserting that Mr.. Aldrich had
been elected to the senate by legis
lature chosen by eleven per cent of
the votes Of the small state Of Rhode
Island, Mr.. Davis contended that the
senatorial supporters of the bill had
lshown great subserviency to Mr.. Aid
rich.
Indirectly, Mr.. Davis criticised dem
ocrats who had declared their lack OF
allegiance to the democratic platform
which, he said, he was willing to
Swallow from 'eand to eand' and
from 'kiver to kiver.'"
Mr.. Davis defended Mr.. Bryan az
the reputed author of the democratic
platform. Even though Mr.. B ryan
, might not be president, Mr.. Davis ex
pressed the hope that he would never
, circumscribe the field of his useful
! ness, the field of his eternal greatness
I by accepting a seat in the senate Of
, the United States"
1.-THE field is too small" said Sen
ator Davis. His power for useful
! ness would be too circumscribed, and
, pitiable spectacle he would present
indeed, were he here today, bound and
gagged, as are the helpless minority
to the autocratic will of the senior
senator from Rhode Island"