New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-05
ONLY ST4GE THENDER.

ONLY STAGE THUNDER.
President Taft can wen afford to view
with equanimity the attempt of that
great thunderer in the index. Senator
Albert Il. Cummins. of Iowa. TO puff
himself at the expense of the national
administration. Mr.. Cummins and his
followers controlled the Republican State
Convention in Iowa and dictated a plat
form which sought TO draw distinctions
between the Republicanism eXemplitied
by Mr.. Taft and the Republicanism
practised by the Iowa Senator-much to
the latter siatesman's comfort and glori-
tication Yet when the platform is an
alyzed il is difficult to find in it any
real dissent from the policies which the
President has advocated and to which
the party is committed by the last Re
publican national platform. The Sena-
tor labors to create the impression, adj
vanta geOus 70 himself, that he is more
progressive than Mr. Taft. But he is
4 shrewd enough politician to define his
''progresSive III terms which raise
no real issue with the Presidents pro
eramme and invite 10 serious collision
with the views held by the great ma
lority of Republican voters.
A few months ago Mr.. Cummins was
talking about an ''irrepressible conflict
within the Republican party. He saw
nothing ahead but civil war Yet be
fore the session Of Congress ended he
and his insurgent associates were peace
fully cooperating with the regulars at
WASHINGTON 10 pass laws redeeming the
chief PROMISES of the Republican ma
tionaI platform Of 1908. He still talks
about the inability of the party ito en-
"dure permanently half progressive and
"half 'stand-pat'" Yet he adds that he
does not expect to see it either de-
feated or dissolved" and, though anxious
10 build up his own power in Iowa by
eva gcerating his differences with the
'Stand-pa tiers and with the admins
tratiOn, he draws up Il programme con-
taining not a trace Of secession and civil
war.
Mr.. Cummins voted against the Payne
tariff law. yet his attitude toward it
does not differ materially from that Of
the administration and the great ma
ioritv Of the party. Mr.. Taft said when
he signed the PAYNE act that 1t was I'M
satisfactory in many details. He signed
ii because it was on the whole a material
Improvement upon the Dingley law He
believes that a much better law can be
framed when information now lacking
has been obtained exhibiting the real
differential in cost of production here
and abroad He has put the Tariff Board
at work to collect such information. Mr..
Cummins wants to follow the same
route. He advocates the creation by
Congress of q permanent tariff commits
sion. Just as MI Taft does, and says
that he does hot favor another general
tariff revision until Congress has the
proper data to act upon. He also pre-
fers piecemeal revision for the future,
but that opinion does not align him
against the administration Finally, he
asserts "a well settled faith In the Re
publican doctrine Of protection" What
becomes. then. of the differences on the
tariff issue which only few months
ago were TO piunge the party into an
'.irrepressible conflict as bitter and
widespread as that which once threat
eneC TO dissolve the Union?
It is the same with all the other cur
rent political issues. The Iowa plat
form indorses the interstate commerce
law of 1910 President Taft worked
zealously for that law, which received
united Republican support In both
branches Of Congress. At the last mo-
ment he secured the insertion in the
conference report of a provision for an
Investigation Of the bond and stock is
sues Of railroads. Mr. CumminS com
mends that provision, but at the same
time he is unwilling to give either the
President or the House of Representa-
tiveS any credit for the good features of
the law. insisting that he and the other
Senate insurgents were alone respon-
s;hIe for them Both Iowa Senators OPP
posed the savings bank bill. Mr.. Cum
Minis voted against it on final passage
Snd Mr. Dolliver was paired against it.
Yet the Iowa platform approved the
new law. although suggesting a slight
amendment to it TO keep the savings on
deposit in local banks.
IT will he seen, then. that when it
came to formulating their programme
the Iowa insurgents fell in line at all
points behind the administration. But
to keen up for local advantage the pre-
tence Of ''insurrecti0n' they tried to
deny the President credit for accom-
plishments which they praised and ideas
which they appropriated The country
recognizes the insincerity Of that de-
NAL and will only smile at the stage
thunder Of the Des Moines prophets of
Republican schism who cry war when
there is no war simply to keep them
selves to the front in local politics.
REPELLTEG AfRSHIPS.
w. q rr-hASa