The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-06-12

4
terday was a bad day for the finance
committee, not from the standpoint of
votes-for those always are ready
but from effective criticism. No soon.
er was Senator Cummins through with
his accusation that the committee was
sure to destroy the republican party
than Senator LaFollette made bitter
attack on the leadership of Senator
Aldrich.
Aldrich had waited until certain
amendments offered by LaFollette to
the wooden schedule had been voted
down. Then he had explained to the
lsenate how ignorant the senator from
Wisconsin was of the wooden business
and how he had led his followers to a
vote for indefensible proposals They
would have difficulty in explaining to
the constituents, Aldrich asserted.
THE senator will have more diff
Guilty in explaining his votes Clapp
suggested.
Il shall have no explanations to
make to the people of Rhode Island
for my votes on this BILL" Aldrich re-
piled. This gave LaFollette his OPP
portunity.
"If what the senator from Rhode Is
land says is true" EaFollette exclaim-
ed his voice still hoarse from his long
speech of last week, quivering with
anger, then his own words are an i'm
peachment of his leadership. For he
has refused to supply the information
necessary for an understanding of this
| bill But with all his craftiness, he
has produced nothing here that will
embarrass us.
81 take him now as he would wish to
be taken-as man of vast informa-
tion which he keeps to himself. come
from a state where people demand a
reason for what their representatives
do. That is not the case with the
senator from Rhode Island. He
comes from a state where II per cent
of the voting population controls the
legislature that elects the senators
and where a senator was able to put
through the legislature franchise for
an electric line for ninety-nine years.
Instead of encouraging men to trust
his leadership he has insulted or re-
buffed the men who sought in legiti-
mate way to get information. The bill
stands alone with no explanation of
the changes made by the finance COM
mittee. There must be a reason. Con-
ditions have changed since the days
when competition stood ready to beat
down excessive prices that might find
shelter behind the tariff wall That
is not so in these days of monopoly
There is a special and particular
reason in the minds of some senators
and the people for the recent treat
ment of the tariff bill 1t brings up a
question with respect to the leadership
on the republican side If duties are
I to be maintained at the present nlgh
standard with combinations prevent
ing the people from having competi-
tion, it is just as well that the senator
from Rhode Island should put through
this tariff bill without discussion. But
the senator cannot, with a legislative
trick, injure us with an argument ad-
vanced after the amendment is dis
posed Of"
The angry Wisconsin senator was
leaning forward shaking his finger in
the direction of Senator Aldrich. who
sat smiling through most of the
speech Finally Senator Gallinger of
New Hampshire went over to the
Rhode Island senator. 1t was impos-
sible to tell whether he was beckoned
to or went on his own initiative. When
he returned to his seat he arose to a
point of order, demanding the rule to
be read which forbids senators from
impugning the motives of any senator