The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-26
GREAT UPHEAVAL IN
 REALM OF POLITICS Judge Richardson Speaks at
 Huntsville G. o. P. IS DISRUPTED Congressman Richardson Reviews Re- cent Republican History and shows Why Dissensions Will Give
 Victory to Democrats
G. O. P. IS DISRUPTED

Congressman William Richardson, in a speech here yesterday. said that the Uni ted States is in one of the greatest polti- cal revolutions that has ever occurred in our government. He spoke to a large crowd of Morgan county citizens and re- ceived close attention. He said he was glad to know that the democracy of Alabama is united in such manner that no vicious troublemaker can disturb it. Alabama Is entitled to and needs politi- cal resi- he said He said the tariff is speech was, devoted to a discussion of the woolen and cotton schedules. He mentioned the embarrassing positions President Taft had placed himself in and especially what the President said in his Winona speech in indorsng the Payne tariff law and his condemnation of the woolen schedule and the refusal of his party to change that schedule in the interests of the many. This Winona speech, Judge Richardson said, was real ly made to save James A. Tawney, the only republican standpatter from Min- nesota, and it turned out that Mir. Taw- ney was buried in defeat a day or two since by a republican insurgent. Political Revolution
 "Whether we realize it or not con- tinued the speaker, we are in the midst of a political revolution. It was the alien and sedition laws that caused the dis bandment of the federal party in the early days of our republic It was the Wilmot proviso and the fugitive slave law that disrupted the old whig party and it was the Kansas and Nebraska bills that brought into existence the republi- can party. During this long and event ful history the democratic party was the contending and surviving party It is here today, calmly witnessing the hope less efforts of the captains to keep the republican vessel from being wrecked on the rocks and shoals just ahead. They have shifted their sails more than once since the storm. struck them, but still the boat has its head turned to the rocks and the shoals. Roosevelt put in at an in- opportune time and gave orders that pis- | placed Taft and confusion followed Uncle Joe Cannon has been thrown overheard as dead weight, but it looks as if Uncle Joe will turn up in the virility of spirit and flesh after the whale gets through with him and when Congress meets next fall Uncle Joe is not the man to be eliminated by Nick Long, worth.
 l Taft's Position
 But what position does President Taft hold in these rapidly developing political events? Of course, the country knows that the trouble in the republican party finds its origin in the tariff. All or any of the great sins of the republican party were forgiven by the public, but the Payne tariff law with its broken pledges was just too much,' and the revolution came. Mir Taft attempted to allay the rising storm of indignation by seriously and solemnly in his Winona speech telling the country I think the Payne tariff bill is the best tariff bill that the repubi- can party ever passed There was a quiet, earnest, wholesome public opinion prevailing throughout the country that MT. Taft had not measured up to the standard of honesty and sincerity that the people of the United States had greet ed his advent to the Presidency when he made that statement about the Payne tar | if law. It was a bill that he did not approve of, so the country believed. Mr. Taft by his indorsement of the Payne law kindled the fires of insurrection. In the same Winona speech MT. Taft said: Now I think it is utterly useless as I think it would be greatly distressing to business to talk about another revision of the tariff during the present Con- gress This was aimed as a blow by 1 the chief executive who was in full har- mony with Uncle Joe and the regulars, at the despised and reviled insurgents. This too, gave additional strength to the revolution that was certainly on hand. | Letter From Taft
 '"The next appearance of MT. Taft in the political comedy put on by the re- publicans is as follows, in his letter of August 20. to the republican congressional committee:
 Further revision of the tariff must be undertaken, limited to only one sched- ule at time, and that cannot be &C., compished except through rule for bidding any amendments.
 And he invites Congress to adopt such | rule.
 "Mr~Taft did not seem to be cognizant | of the fact that the republican party in its national convention that assembled few years since in Minneapolis, adopt ed a plank that is the party law today because it has never been revoked, as fol- I lows:
 "'We denounce the efforts of the demo- cratic majority of tho House of Repre- sentatives to destroy our tariff laws piece-meal, as is manifested by their at- tacks upon wool, lead and lead ores the chief products of a number of states
 "The last confounding, startling, hu- initiating, contradictory position the country finds Mr Taft in as the political revolution grows and spreads, Is the let ter of the President. Beverly, Mass, Sep tember 15. It is the wall of man in despair A man intuitively honest and desiring to do right, harpooned by se- fish, designing politicians from all sides and goaded with criminations of wreck ing his party, he admitted in his letter to some unnamed republican from Iowa:
 "'While republican legislation pending | in Congress was opposed by certain re- publicans, the President felt it to be his duty to the party and the country to withhold federal patronage from cer- tain senators and congressman who seem- ed to be in opposition to the administra- tions efforts to carry the promises of the party platform out. That attitude has 1 now ended
 Tt will strike the people of the United States, regardless of political parties, that 1t Is unbecoming, unworthy and incon- patible with the high dignity of the office of President of the United States for the President to undertake to coerce congress- men to sustain his views by withdraw ing from them the patronage inherent to his office, such as the appointment of postmasters, and other public officials.
 Duty to His Party
 "The President unfortunately said in