The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-26
Insurgent Activities.

much.
Insurgent Activities.
With all the Washington buzzing
about census politics there is even more
about The insurgent activities in the
West. Senator Cummins, of Iowa, rap
idly becoming the recognized leader of
the insurgents, has served notice that
the campaign for tariff revision is to
be renewed, especially for a tariff COM
mission. The dispatches intimate -
that Senator Cummins may be a candi-
date in 1912 for the Presidency, al
though he asserts his loyalty to Taft,
who, he declares, did all he could do
to bring about revision of the tariff
downward The Senator also wants to
eliminate the standpat leaders from
public life and put the party under the
leadership of more conservative men.
With such battlecry Mr.. Cummins
starts out to do the fag end of the
Chautauquan season, when the edge of
popular interest has been taken off by
previous speakers and when he must
have a few '.thrillers,' if he would
draw large audiences.
It is well understood that Senator
Cummins protestations of loyalty, to
Taft are largely formal. He wants to
fight inside the Republican party and
he hopes to be Presidential nominee
if not in 1912 in 1916. For he will
still be young enough for the Presi-
Dental running in 1916, as will Senator
La Toilette, who has had a lightning
rod up for years. But with all the rad
icalism, or progressiveness in the West,
there is also big following of old-line
Republicans, who would go back on
Senator Cummins should he openly dis
avow a Republican President.
All the same the line of discussion
the Senator is making before his Chau-
tauqua audiences in the West bodies
trouble for the Republican party next
year in that section of the country.
Senator La Toilette, of Wisconsin, is
also out denouncing the tariff bill, as
is Senator Bristow, of Kansas, and
others who voted against its final pas
sage. But about the time their season
on the Chautauqua circuit comes to a
close President Taft will be swinging
across the same country and will be
speaking to people who have made the
audiences for Senators Cummins and
La Toilette. He will tell them he thinks
the tariff law good one and will give
his reasons therefor. He will descant
upon his program for the next session
of Congress and review the program
of legislation for the next twelve
months. There is much in this program
which the President has outlined for
himself that is warmly approved in the
West. These Chautauqua patrons are
likely to find something in the Presi-
dent to their liking, if not by the time
that his train steams away into tbs,
7 Rockies at least by the time that the
next session of Congress has adjourned.
The effect of the President s western
| journey upon the progressives and the
outcome OF the next session of Con-
gress IN reformatory legislation will
have very important bearing upon the
next Congressional election and upon
| the President $ administration in gen
eral The insurgent Senators talk rath-
er bitterly of the President in their
| private conversations, but they will
have to be chummy with him on his
western trip At least some of them
Will. It is understood that both Sena-
tors Cummins and Deliver will meet the
President in the course of his western
Iowa That would be in accord with
the usual practice for Senators of the
| party to attend the President as he
meets their own constituents. 1t will
| be interesting to note what course
| Senator La Toilette follows, because the
President the other day abandoned his
| enga cement to stop at Madison, which
| is the home OF Senator La Toilette, and
made arrangements to stop instead al
Milwaukee, which is much larger city
When Mr. Taft. as candidate for the
! Presidency. travelled in Wisconsin dur
ing the last campaign Senator La Fol
lette appeared with him, but was re
| served IN his conduct and restricted il
the volume Of his speech. It will be
little surprise if Senator La Toilette
finds il convenient to be outside the
| state when President Taft travel:
| through there in September.
/ In contrast with the cancellation OF
/ the Madison date was the announcement
that the President had arranged to stoI