Evening star., 1909-05-06
JOINS IN THE ATTACK
Senator Cummins Den0unces
the Tariff Bill.
SAYS HE'LL VOTE FOR 1T
Does Not Believe That It Fulflls
Platform Pledges.
NOT REAL REVISION, HE HOLDS
Declares Aldrich's Retort to Dolliver
to Be Most Intolerant State
ment Of Conditions.
SAYS HE'LL VOTE FOR 1T
NOT REAL REVISION, HE HOLDS

ment Of Conditions.
Another insurgent assault on the tariff
labors of Senator Aldrich. chairman OF
the finance committee. was made in the
Senate this morning. This time 1t was
by Senator Cummins of Iowa, colleague
of Senator Dolliver who completed a
similar attack yesterday Mr.. Cummins
said he was In the Senate because for
seven years he had fought for lower
tariff duties. and he proposed to defend
his position in that body.
After praising the great speech" of his
colleague. he called attention to Mr.. AL
drich's retort that Mr.. Delivers assault
on the woolen schedule was directed
against the 'very citadel of protection"
THAT" said Mr.. Cummins. "is the
most intolerant statement I have ever
hearl in. any legislative body"
He wanted to know whether the coun-
try had arrived at that 'slavish state of
public opinion when it becomes i'm
proper to question the benefit to the
country of certain schedules in the
tariff. He had respect for the commit
tee. aand believed the bill represented it's
honest views.
But" he asked, 'is 1t to be tolerated
that republican who has risen from the
ranks and for years borne part of the
burdens Of campaigns cannot differ from
the finance committee without having his
republicanism questioned?"
Mr.. Cummins then said very emphat-
ically:
II am here to assert that these sched-
ules do not represent the only republican
doctrine on the face of the earth.
No Substantial Reduction.
so 1t is to be wondered that the finance
committee no one of which was in favor
of revising this law, driven to it by the
republican platform, that its report in
trying to keep the promise OF that plat
form to the ear has broken it to the hope
for there has been no substantial reduc-
ton of the duties of the law of 1897 in
this report. With the exception of the
duties on lumber and hides, no reductions
known to commerce that will affect its
price to the consumer.
II expect to vote for this bill, unless
something unforeseen happens. because
it is some slight Improvement; but shall
not vote for 1t because I believe 1t Is q
substantial revision of the tariff or be-
cause 1t carries out the promise OF the
republican platform of 1905
Increased Oilcloth Duty.
"A
manded to know why the tariff on a piece
of common oiIcloth. which he held up to
view, had been Increased nearly 100 per
cent
Senator's Flint and Smoot of the finance
committee replied that they would have
to have time to look into the subject.
Senator Beveridge insisted that an an
Swer be given now. He said it was due
the Senate. But it was not forthcoming.
Here Senator Nelson of Minnesota In
terrupted to point out that the duty on
chloroform had been reduced so per cent.
as If to show that something had been
done by the committee.
There was q loud laugh everywhere at
this, and then Mr. Flint said the proposed
reduction in duty had not apparently In
creased Mr.. Nelson's use of that drug.
AS for Mr.. Nelson, he looked as il the
remark was well-founded. but he didn't
seem to care a straw
Smoot Attempts to Explain.
When Mr. Smoot started to explain that
the oilcloth duty had been Increased to
prevent scheming by importers, Mr.. Cum
minis refused to yield to him further. say
ing he had heard that sort of argument
before, but what he wanted was an ex-
PLANTATION that would consider the con-
sumer.
MIR. Smoot grew angry and said he
would never try to explain anything to
Mr.. Cummins again.
Little Tilt With Scott.
Taking up the iron and steel schedule,
Mr.. Cummins declared that the United
1907 about $57,OOOOOO more than a legiti-
mate profit, and he asserted that the du-
ties on steel could be cut in half and still
n,n;A Io1,
sole possession Of the domestic market.
He was in a position, he said, to know
what he was talking about. He declared
that he knew as much as any other man
in the world about how. the American
Steel and Wire Company came into exist
ence. and if he were pressed he would tell.
Senator Owen of Oklahoma said he
would like to know.
Thereupon Mr. Cummins stated that in
1898 he was one of the attorneys that
helped to launch that company.
Senator Scott of West Virginia asked
him whether he had been paid for his
services in cash or in the stock of the
company.
IF l had lived in the dishonest atmos-
phere of West Virginia. retorted Mr..
Cummins, that might have been the
case, but 1 lived in honest Iowa. and !
will say got my pay in cashs
This retort delivered with great empha-
sis, brought from the galleries a tre-
mendouS storm Oh applause, "hiCn Tic
chair had great difficulty in suppressing.
Mr. Scott wanted to know why Mr..
Cummins referred to West Virginia as
q dishonest state. The reply was that he
had meant to indicate merely difference
in environment. A few minutes later Mr.:
Cummins referred to dishonest profits"
of the United States Steel Corporation.
DISHONEST" asked Mr.. Scott
''Well. morally dishonest" said Mr..
Cummins. II want to be perfectly fair,
and / will say that they are. Of course,
not legally dishonest"
Not Accepted by Revisionists.
1.-THE bill now before us. which. it may
be assumed. presents the views of the
finance committee respecting the revision
cf the tariff" said Mr.. Cummins, will
not be accepted by those who have favor
ed revision of the tariff as either a full
fillment of the party pledge or as set
A. - -