The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-16
Cummins Attacks Taft,s Hill.

Washington March 15.-That he would oppose the administration railroad bill, even though it might result in an effort to read him out of the party, Senator Cummins of Iowa in effect declared In the senate today that he was making the ;. initial speech on the railroad bill and ' commenting especially upon the history of the measure. which he said. had origin ated in the executive branch of the gov ernment rather than in congress.
 After occupying it's place on the senate calendar for IS days the bill was taken up at o'clock. The Iowa senator had } proceeded for only about two hours when he asked leave to suspend until tomorrow. The leave was granted but the bill would be kept constantly before the senate. In language just as positive Mir. Bailey declared that the bill could not be rushed and declared congress was liable still to be considering it when the adog days" arrived.
 MT. Cummins' speech was devoted to a general review of the railroad measure, but 1t was preceded by recital of the history of the proposed legislation in which he criticized the course of the president and declared his intention of opposing the bill in it's present shape, even at the expense of the severe dis pleasure of the chief executive.
 "If the uncontradicted and apparently authorized statements of the newspapers be not in error. every Republican at least is expected to vote for it just as it is, unless he dares to incur not only the executive displeasure but to be banished from the Republican ranks said MT. Cumnins.
 s.I don't speak of this phase of the sub feet in a spirit of anger. am conscious of no other sentiment than profound re- Rret. I recognize that it is not only the privilege, but the duty of the president fo make such recommendations to con- eress as in his judgment will best pro- mote the general welfare. He is quite within his privileges and his duties in expressing his views upon such subjects as often as he likes and as emphatically as he pleases." said the speaker. Privileges of President.
 ssWhether he is within his privileges or duty when he undertakes to prescribe the precise form which legislation shall take remains for him to decide" con- tinued the speaker ''but his executive propriety has prerogatives which cannot Be denied in permitting him to do in the dealing of the subjects in his message at Che beginning of the congress. In 1905 a message said from president it is not within my province to cite the exact terms of the law that should be enacted, but I call the attention of congress to certain conditions with which it is de- DiraDle tOf ueal =
 "I would not be at this time inclined Co attach much importance to this mes sage were not that it's consequence in the very nature of things must be destructive Although senator may be in full sym pathy with the broad purposes which the executive proposed to accomplish the mo- nent he asserts his independent view of the best way to accomplish the purpose he finds himself in direct contravention with the President, and he must choose between losing the presidential favor for his constituents and doing thing as his conscience tells him it ought to be done, he said.
 ssI recall slight incident during one ad- uinistration in which the independent viii. of the members of Congress was DarAmount but servile on certain sub |s12cts when put into practice on lines of 
 (CONTINUED ON RAGE A.l