The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1909-08-09
Iowa Senator Outlines the
Plan of Campaign to Be Fol.
lowed by the Progressive
Republicans"
PLANNING TO SECURE
THE PARTY'S CONTROL
They Are Aligned for Battle
Against the Element Repre-
sented in Congress by Sen.
N. w. Aldrich.

Chicago. Aug. 9.-War to the limit
with no quarter asked or given. and
with the control OF the republican
national organization the one great
prize at stake. is officially declared
by the progressive" republicans.
The republican national convention
of 1912 is the promised field OF the
most spectacular battle of the cam
paign already initiated The tariff
and how to revise 1t furnishes the
posing forces.
Senator Albert Il. Cummins of Iowa
homeward bound from Washington, at
Congress hotel. flung down the gaunt-
let for all practical purposes official
ly and formally delivered the political
ultimatum which opens hostilities be-
tween the progressive and the old ord
er which has aligned itself behind the
banner carried in Washington by Sem
ator Nelson w. Aldrich.
The only point of compromise which
Senator Cummins suggested was that
there would be a mutual fight against
possible democratic control of con-
gress or the house of representatives.
Tariff the Republican Issue.
"The democratic party has demon
strated thoroughly its innocuous ina
bility to be trusted with the formu-
lation Of q tariff law for the United
States" said Senator Cummins. Il
do not fOresee any serious possibility
Of democratic congressional or nat
iOnal victory because of the passage
of the new tariff law. Any republican
law based upon the underlying prin-
ciple of protection is preferable to any
democratic law based upon the prin-
ciple of tariff for revenue. All re-
publicans will fight together when
danger of democratic congress
heaves in sight.
In my judgment. the tariff never
again will be an issue between the
republican and democratic parties. Il
is the decisive issue between the two
well defined elements within the re-
publican party. 1t is an issue which
must and I believe will be settled
definitely at the next national conven-
tion.'
The Iowa senator talked candidly
and freely of the campaign plans Of
the progressive wing OF republican
ism. He held nothing In reserve and
evidently spoke as one Of authority
within the ranks of the senators and
representatives who believe the Payne
| tariff bill does not keep the pledges
made in the Chicago platform of 1908.
Program Of the Prosrsssives.
The big items emphasized BY Sem
ator Cummins as critical points to be
pushed to tie fore by the progressives
are these:
1. Placing in control at the head OF
organized republicanism men who WI
stand absolutely by platform pledges.
2. Struggle for this policy at every
convention local. congressional or
state between now and 1912 where
there are enough progressive republi-
cans to make II worth while.
| 3. No general revision Of the tariff
for perhaps q decade. but revision
from time to time in particular sched-
ules. as expert investigation demon
strates to be necessary and At the
same time conforming with tho broad
principle OF protection.
4. Appointment of an expert tariff
commission at the earliest practicable
moment to furnish this Information to
congress.
5. And particularly-no opposition
to President Taft. whom the progress
sive believe to have q thoroughly pro
gressive program In hand for his ad-
ministratiOn-at least until the presi-
Dental policy demonstrates the con.
trary.
Campaign 10 Under Way.
| Senator Cummins followed this out.
line Of policy with the statement that
the campaign had begun: that the bat
tie in congress and the roll call when
some of the progressives openly went
on record in opposition to the tariff
bill as framed were integral and well
defined strate1ical moves on the part
Of the progressives and that he. for
one, is prepared to Immediately enter
upon a speaking campaign in behalf Of
the general policy Of the progreAsives.
AS for other progressives-known in
Washington as the ''insnrgents"-they
can speak for themselves. he declar-
ed.
The Iowa senator arrived from
Washington at 5 o'clock In the after
noon. He had been . trayeafng COM
panion of Speaker Cannon for. whom
he said he had the highest personal
regard
4 do not say the progressive plans
at this time embody . fight against
the reelection Of Speaker Cannon" ha