Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-09
STRUGGlE0N|N COP.
Cummins Declares War in
Name of Progressives.
WILL SEEK ASCENDENCY
Control Of Republican Party for
Men Faithful to Pledges.
ISSUE rs EXACTLY LAID DOWN
Iowa Senator Proposes No OPPOSE
ton to Taft, Who, he Says,
Has Done His Best.

CHICAGO, H.. August 9.-War to the
finish. with no quarter asked or given,
and with the control of the repub lfcan
national organization the one great prize
al 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 campaign al
ready initiated. The tariff and how to
revise it furnishes the line of demarca-
ton between the opposing forces.
Senator Albert &. Cummns of Iowa,
homeward bound from Washington, at
the Congress Hotel, flung down tire
gauntlet. For all practical purposes, he
officially and formally delivered the po-
ltica utimatum which opens hostiitics
between the progressive and the old or
der. which has aligned itself behind the
banner carried in Washington by Sen
ator Nelson W. Aldrich.
Democrats Not in It.
The democratic party has demonstrate
ed thoroughly its innocuous inability to
be trusted with the formulation of u
tariff law for the United States said
Senator Cumnins. Il do not foresee
any serious possibility of democratic
congressional or national victory because
of the passage Of the new tariff law
Any republican law based upon the
underlying principle of protection is pref
cradle to any democratic law based upon
the principle of tariff for revenue. All
republicans will fight together when dan
ger of a democratic Congress heaves In
sight.
will be an issue between the republican
and democratic parties. 1t is the decisive
issue between the two well defined ele-
ments within the republican party. 1t IS
An issue which must and. I believe, will.
be settled definitely at the next national
convention"
The Iowa senator talked candidly and
freely of the campaign plans of the pro-
pressive wing Of republicanism. He held
nothing in reserve and evidently spoke
as one in authority within the ranks OF
the senator's and representatives who be-
lieve the Payne tariff bill does not keep
the pledge made in the Chicago platform
of 1903.
What Is to Be Fought For.
The big items emphasized by Senator
Cummins as critical points to be pushed
to the fore by the progressives are these:
First-Placing in control at the head of
organized republicanism men who will
stand absolutely by platform pledges.
Second-Struggle for this policy at every
convention--local, congressional or state
between now and 1912. where there are
enough progressive republicans to make
1t worth while.
Third-No general revision Of the tariff
for perhaps a decade. but revision from
time TO time In particular schedules, as
expert investigation demonstrates to be
necessary. and at the same time conform
ing with the broad principle of protection.
Fourth-Appointment Of an expert tariff
commission at the earliest practicable
moment to furnish this information to
Congress.
Fifth-And. particularly no opposition
to President Taft. whom the progressves
believe to have thoroughly progressive
program in hand for his administration
at least, until the presidential policy DEM
onstrates the contrary.
Battle On, Says Cummins.
Senator cummins followed this outline
of policy with the statement that the
campaign had begun; that the battle 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 strategical
moves on the part of the progressives,
and that he. for one, Is prepared to i'm
mediately enter upon a speaking tour in
behalf of the general policy Of the pro-
gressives.
AS for other progressives-known in
Washington as the insurEents-they can
speak for themselves, he declared.
What immediate step will be taken by
the progressiveso he was asked.
I'VE shall present the issue fatty to
every republican convention between the
present and the national convention OF
1912 where 1t is possible for the issue to
be presented. That issue is: Shall the
men now in control of party destinies be
permitted further to disregard plain party
declarations?
Senator Cummns was emphatic in de-
claring that President Taft had exhaust
ed every resource at his command in at
tempting to obtain honest tariff revision
such as had been offered in the Chicago
platform. and that no blame justly at
taches to the President because Of the
failure of Congress to enact law differ
ent from the Payne law.