New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-01-02
CUMMINS FOR FIGHT
ATTACKS CANNON AND
ALDRICH.
Declares Progressipes WiW
Continue Contest for Lolcer
Tariff Duties.

Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 1.=-Senator Al
bert b Cummins in speech tonight
st dollar dinner" giver: by the So
called Progressive Republicans of Iowa
gave notice that the fight for progressive
principles is not at an end. He said he
did not attempt TO obscure or minimize
the extent of their defeat at the recent
special session of Congress. but that if
any one harbors the delusion that the
passage of the recent tariff law ended the
fight for fair and reasonable protective
duties. il would be wise for him at once
10 change his conclusion.
He criticised the course of Representa-
tive ]. A T. Hull. of the 7th Iowa Dis
trict. and pledged his support to Judge
s F. Prouty, who recently announced
his candidacy for the office at the next
election
Many Republicans from all parts of
the state were present and at a confer
ence earlier in the day the advisability
of bringing out Progressive candidate
for Governor was discussed
SENATOR CUMMINS'S SPEECH.
Senator Cummins said, in part:
With respect TO the tariff. the stand
patters feel that il makes little if any.
dlHerence how high the duties are. if
they be high enough to exclude importa-
lions When they approach the subject
their first and. l have sometimes
thought. their only, concern is for the
producer They are so much afraid of
hurting him that they close their ears TO
every voice save his, assuming that.
knowing what he wants he will not ask
for more than he deserves
The echoes of the platform of 1908
which contains the pledges of the Re
publican party. have become so faint i'm
their councils that they are drowned in
The cries of impoverished manufact-
urers. On the other hand: the Progress
ives remember that we promised the
American people that the duties on i'm
ported competitive commodities should
be measured by the difference between
the cost Of production in this and riva
lands and that we made the promise in
order TO give at once protection TO the
producer from unequal competition and
protection to the consumer from avari-
ciouS eXtortion.
We know that in many fields of indus
try nome competition had been substan-
TALLY destroyed, and we intended to sub
1ect our home production to the fear Of
foreign competition. if prices We're raised
above fair and reasonable profit
The ProgreSsives, after wears of strug-
gle. brought the convention to a full ac-
acknowledgement Of the justice of their po-
tions of interstate commerce the stand
patter" occupies just the same position
that he has always occupied. 1t is suf-
hcient TO say that the agitation for the
Strengthening of the law regulating COM
mon barriers became acute about 1889
II finally resulted in the amendment of
1906 1t was long, weary campaign
The 'stand-patters" were either silent or
III opposition.
ATTACKS STAND -PATTERS."
Joseph G. Cannon was then. now,
the most conspicuous member of the
National House of Representatives. In
all these years l never heard of a single
utterance from him that could by any
possibility be construed into friendliness
toward the cause that was struggling on
through all these difficulties.
Aldrich WAS then, as low, one of the
leaders of the Senate of the United
States. and if any stand-patter" can
part thai helped the movement to its
final fruition l would be glad to have it
pointed out
Hale, Payne. Dalzel were then. as
now. prominent in the Congress of the
United States. but ] challenge the MEM
CRY of all who hear me to recall one
single sympathetic word in the interest
OF the people in their struggle with the
railways.
Captain ]. A. T. Hull was then. as
pal committees of the House and a man
Of wide influence throughout the coun-
try and yet l never saw him lift an
ounce TO raise from OR shoulders the
burden we were then carrying. The
fight was made here and everywhere by
the ProgressiVes.
Congress, in 1890 adopted what is
known as the anti trust Jaw. 1t is clear
iy seen, however, that it needs amend
ment. The spirit of the statute is to pre-
serve the force of competition in busi-
less.
have referred TO these things in order
10 call your attention to the fact that the
st2udpatterS are not helping to solve the
problem. They content themselves with
the constant reiteration of the fear that
II we touch any OF these things we may
oyerturn the fabric of commerce and
may destroy the prosperity for which all
lovers OF the human kind are seeking.
When it is proposed to further regulate
railway rebates they shudder lest we
may hurt the railways. The Progress
sives shudder lest they may not be able
10 help those who are suffering the in
Justice of rate systems that are admit
tedly indefensible.
am quite ready TO admit that Pro-
gressives sometimes try to do things that
are unwise but without them nothing
would be DONE wise OF unwise. If the
standpatter can justify his existence by
the consciousness that he sometimes pre-
vents the accomplishment Of an unjust
thing by standing pat against every on
ward movement he may demonstrate his
,-igbt to ruIe the affairs of great coun-
try.