Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-07
TALKS
ON THE TARIFF
CcontInued from FIrst Page.l

ASphNAAAANo 49, .
doctrines and sustaining its candidates.
Their struggle will be within the lines, but
they will not hide the truth as they see it,
for they know that If the republican party
is to be permanently successful 1t must be
faithful to Its platforms and must meet
courageously and justly the new age Of
and business with its new prob
lens and questions. 1t cannot any longer
be progressive in its platform and stand
pat in its congress.
Platform Only ArbIter.
"a few moments ago I said that I was
willing to accept an arbiter as to the repub-
licanism of those who voted against the
tariff bill, and l hasten to name the Judge.
I appeal to the national republican plat
form of 1905; and, tested by the criterion
of that instrument. the republican voters
of the United States will determine, Just
as rapidly as they have the opportunity to
do so, whether our votes were in accord
ance with it's declarations and pledges.
II am astounded to hear so modest a man
as the speaker of the house claim that the
leaders who constructed the tariff bill and
the majority which passed 1t constitute the
republican party. To say tina because q
majority Of the republican members Of
| GOlBltEn III AaNOA VI aNAANAAAA6 tam
duties to certain commodities, and other
members in a minority were in favor of
attaching other duties to the same COM
modities, that therefore the minority had
rebelled against the party, is nonsense Of
so sublime a degree that It provokes not
debate but derislon.
II understand perfectly that it would
have been helpful to party harmony II we
could have voted t.. sther; but that is not
the question. The platform was for pro-
lection. All the republicans in congress
were for protection; but the view Of these
high priests appears to be that IL they
thought that, upon any given article pro-
lection required so per cent, and we thought
the article would be amply protected with
rs per cent, unless we voted for 30 we were
no longer republicans. The whole PROPOSE
ton is so absurd that even the most rabid
member of the triumvirate will not repeat
It often.
No Reason for Change.
There need be no concern about the atti-
tude Of the insurgents and their friends
They will do their best to nominate candi-
dates who believe In a progressive repub-
Ican party. When they succeed. they VIII
rejoice because a step will have been taken
In the path of reform. When they fail,
] NnGN Will DC IGBubAhlahe RNAAAh - - $500
ever was a time when there was absolutely
no reason for transferring any branch OF
the government to democratic hands, this
is the time. individually. l have high re-
gard for the integrity iand patriotism OF
many Of the democratic senators and repre-
sentatives in congress, but collectively they
are more unfit 10 manage the affairs OF
a great country than ever before In the
history of the organization. Nevertheless
we do not intend to accept as final tho
revision Of the tariff against which We
voted. and we do intend to tell the people
OF the country from time TO time why we
could not and did not give the bill oui
approval.
Senator Cummins said he did not wan
It to be understood that the majority OIL
the republicans in congress were untaith
ful TO the hedges OF their party. He did
think, however, that congress had not IN
information that was necessary to enable
those who believed in protection TO ap
pIv the doctrine as it was defined In tn
platform. There never can be a gen
uine republican revision Of the tariff,
he said, until a body Of intelligent mel
shall inquire into and collect the fac''
which relate to the cost or production a
home and abroad"
Not for enerR Revision
Senator Cummins said he had never al
vocated a general revision OF the tariff
and never would. "The crusade" salt
he. (which intend to strengthen with al
my power is a crusade for a tariff com
/, mission-a permanent, dignified and in
/, dependent tariff commission, tariff com
Z mission that will gather together the fact
as 20 cost OF production and lay then
3 before congress and the country.
There are millions Of republicans VIII
/ ~believo that tariff duties should not sub
I stantialy exceed the difference betweei
the cost OF producing things here AM
4 elsewhere with a fair profit added.
l believe they constitute a large majority
I of the party. but II they do not. they vii
in the near future. They viii never qui