Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-16
CUMMINS HURLS
Def AT TAFT ON
RAILROAD BILL
Will Fight Measute Even
Though He Be Read
Out of Party
CRITICISE PRESIDENT
Says Proposed Law Was
Born Under Unusual
Conditions
Associated Pressl

Nv he would oppose tne duHhihiS
w tratlon railroad bill. even
though ii might result in an eHort W
read him out of the party, Senator
Cummins of Iowa in effect declared in
the senate today in the initial speech
on the railroad bill. He commented
especially upon the history or the
measure, which he said had originated
in the executive branch of the gov
ernment rather than in congress.
After occupying it's place on the sen,
ate calendar for eighteen days the Dill
was taken up at o'clock and thus
was launched the discussion OF what
the members of the senate regard as
the most important legislation before
congress.
The Iowa senator had spoken about
two hours when he asked leave to sus-
pend until tomorrow.
The leave was granted, but Senator
Hale, chairman of the Republican eau
Gus, gave notice that hereafter the blll
would be kept constantly before the
senate.
In language Just as positive Mr..
Bailey declared the bill could not be
rushed. and declared that congress
was liable still to be considering IL
when the dog days" arrived.
Critlcises President
In the main Mr.. Cummins speech
was devoted to general review OF the
railroad measure, but 1t was preceded
by recital of the proposed leglsia-
tion, In which he criticised the course
of the president and declared his IN
tention of opposing the bill in its pres
ent shape. even at the cost of the dis
pleasure of the chief executive.
IF the uncontradicted and apparent
ly authorized statements of. the news
papers be not In error, every Republi-
can at least is expected to vote for IT
Just as 1t is, unless he dares to incur
not only the executive displeasure, but
to be banished from the Republican
ranks" said Mr.. Cummins.
81 do not speak of this phase of the
subject in a spirit of anger, l am con-
scious of no other sentiment than pro-
found regret. / recognize that IL Is not
only the privilege but the duty of the
president of the United States to make
such recommendations to congress as
in his Judgment will promote the gem
eral welfare. He is quite within his
privileges and duties In expressing his
views upon such subjects as often as
he likes, and as emphatically as he
pleases.
whether he is within his privilege
or his duty when he undertakes to
prescribe the precise form that legis-
lation shall assume may well be
doubted. His great predecessor evil
IDENTIFY thought that executive propriety
did not permit 1t, for when he was
dealing with the same subject in his
message at the beginning of the first
session of the 59th congress. in 1905,
he said: 1T is not my province to
indicate the exact terms of the law
which should be enacted, but l call the
attention of congress to certain exist
ing conditions with which 1t Is desir-
able to DEAL
Course Is Disastrous
81 would not, however be inclined to
attach much importance to the prac-
tice. which now seems to be very gen.
eral were it not that its cures, in the
very nature of things, must be disas-
trous. Although a senator may be in
full sympathy with the broad purposes
which the executive proposes to ac-
complish. the moment he asserts his In
dependent view of the best way to ac-
compIsh the purpose, he finds himself
in direct conflict with the president,
and he must choose between losing the
presidential favor and doing thing in
q way his conscience tells him II ought
not to be done.
81 do not fear that in a slight in
stance, or during one administration.
the independent will of the members
of congress can be overcome; but II
upon subjects like the one before us,
the practice of having a bill prepared
in the executive offices and presented
to congress for passage, accompanied
with an implied message that punish
ment follows disobedience, is contin-
ued from year to year, In the end con-
gress will become mere form in or
ganized society.
with the utmost respect for the
exalted office of president of the United
States and for him who occupies it at
the present time, record my protest
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