The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1909-07-29

SAYS CRAWFORD
IN A COMMUNICATION TO THE
REGISTER.
he EXPLAINS HIS ATTITUDE
ON THE VARIOUS SCHEDULES OF
THE TARIFF BILL.

following letter from Senator zoe l.
Crawford, dated at Washington July
"a, in which he fully explains his at
titude on the tariff question:
There has been so much deliberate
and wholesale Misrepresentation Of my
attitude in regard to the tariff bill
and my votes upon the various sched-
ules, that I take the liberty to enclose
Herewith a copy of the remarks which
II made when l voted against the
senate bill, also copy of letter which
| wrote the other day to friend of
mine in South Dakota in reference to
a remark contained in a letter he had
received from a friend of his in Iowa
complimenting me upon my vote
against the bill, but saying that "Craw-
ford had been wabbling about some"
My statement at the time 1 voted
against the bill in the senate, and the
statement contained in the enclosed
copy of the letter, will give you the
situation quite fully, so that you may
be advised.
1T should be remembered that the
house bill did not make any change in
the wooden schedule and no proposal
was made to increase the duty in that
schedule I simply voted against the
amendments proposed in the senate
to reduce the Dingley rates in the
woolen schedule.
GAS disclosed in my remarks in the
senate, my purpose in voting against
the bill in the senate was for the ef-
feet it would have as protest when
the Conference Committee was con-
sidering the bill
"The indications are now that the
President is coming to our relief, and
that if he can possibly bring it about,
the bill will be greatly strengthened
when reported by the Conference Com
mittee."
Below is a copy of Mr.. Crawford's
speech, which he made in the senate
Just before the final vote on the tariff
bill, taken from the Congressional Rec
ord of July s, 1909, page AIS:
"Mr. President, just a word before
the roll is called. I do not think the
chairman of the finance committee has
any more authority to say to me that
I have no right to speak as rcpubli-
can, or. to express my sentiments as
a republican senator, than 1 have TO
say the same thing to him. J. recog-
nize his right; and 1 recognize the
right of the majority, as far as legis-
lation is concerned, to say what shall
be enacted But I do not believe we
have come to the point where mem
Der of this body loses his right to
express. or loses his standing in his
party if he expresses his judgment
and follows his conscience in voting
upon question of such vast moment
and Importance as that embodied in
this bill I shall not cast my vote
here tonight because of what the ma
jority has said shall be the legisla'
ton; but I shall cast my vote in ac
cordance with my judgment and my
conscience and my sense of duty and
obligation to the county at large and
to the constituency that sent me here.
A bill came to the senate from the
house of representatives, in which It
originated That bill fixed rates for
every one of the various items. AS
it was being considered in the SEN
ate, time and again I voted against
increases that were recommended by
the finance committee and voted for
by the majority, because 1 did not be-
leve in those increases, and I do
not believe in them now. The bill
is not finished. The house passed
practically another bill; and the leg
islation is not ended. The expression
of the senate and the expression of
the house must be reconciled and
compromised And here tonight what
do we do? We simply vote as to
whether or not We approve the diff
ferences that have been presented
here by the senate as against the
first proposition sent here .sby the
house, and the conferees will have to
settle the matter. shall vote against
the bill tonight, but not because I
consider it enormously wicked and
bad. 1t has some excellent things
in it. l shall vote against it, but not
because think if it goes through just
as it has been presented it is going to
ruin the country. / do not for mo-
ment think so. There are many things
about it wish were not there; but l
believe IL it became law as 1t stands
now we would enter upOn an area of