The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-19
REPLY TO CANNON
Senator BristOw Says Kansans
Don't Take Speaker Seriously.
Has Said Nothing Which Will
Influence Voters.
PEOPLE ARE CURIOUS
Arguments in Favor of Tariff
Are All Admitted.
Murdoch Defends Insurgent
Movement at Eureka.


taking Mr.. Cannon seriously" said JOS
eph L. Bristow in a speech at the Aud
itorium hall in Kansas City, Kan, last
night THE speaker is a picturesque
character, and Kansas people are curl
Gus. 1t is generally understood he is
out here to support congressional can
didates who will in turn aid him IN
keeping his chair So far 1 have heard
of nothing he has said that will inf1u-
ence Kansas thought on public ques-
tions The speech he is making is
composed of the same generalization
in regard 20 the protective tariff he has
always made. The arguments he is
making in favor of protection are those
we all admit
I'VE object to the Republican party
being used by the Cannon-Aldrich COM
bination to promote the fortune Of
concerns, lot from the standpoint OF
protectionists, but from that of mon
opolists.
He has made the contention that
we are fighting party regularity ana
las cried out for cooperation. We are
not fighting party regularity. we are
fighting for party integrity. If this is
maintained, none need worry as to
rarity regularity. We contend FOR the
fulfillment of the declarations of our
party platform. We are fighting be-
trayers."
Senator Bristow at some length ad-
vocated a tariff commission. "A genu-
inc tariff commission" he said-to as
certain the difference between the cost
Of production here and abroad.
AS fast as uniform schedules were
secured by this body, he said duties
should be fixed upon that basis with
cut waiting for the completion of the
whole plan.
The maintenance of high tariff on
some commodities, he said threatened
an Industrial panic. In this connection
he mentioned the wooden schedules,
which lie said. no man in public life
had had the hardihood to defend. 1t,
and the advances in the cotton schedule
had led the manufacturers to overcapl-
tSlize enormously he said, the owners
seeking to float more stock because
they believed tine increased duties on
fabrics would enable them to reap
larger profits from their mills.
But the enormous burden placed
upon these enterprises he said, now
would seem to be more than they can
bear. Many New England mills today
are staggering under the load of exces-
sive capitalization and it is only a
question of time until the collapse will
come. Wien it does come an Industrial
panic will be precipitated that many
shake the industrial stability of the ma
ton" res
Senator Bristow spoke Of the rail-
road bill and the interest taken in it
by Attorney General Wickersham.
1.-The most important legislation of
the last session of congress " said SEN
ator Bristow, was the passage of the
railroad bill. 1t is with pride that 1
say the progressive Republicans who
fought for an honest tariff were more
successful in the railroad fight than
they were in the tariff fight. The
original railroad bill was prepared by
Mr. Wickersham. 1t contained sixteen
sections.
-Four were intended to increase the
powers of the interstate commerce
commission in a way to benefit the
American people. The other twelve
were drawn in the interests of the rail-
roads.
These desirable features of the bill
seem to have been offered as a bait to
the people to induce them to accept
the measure. If the bill had passed
as sent to the senate. 1t would have
been an executive crime"
The bad provisions of the railroad
bill then came up for extended review.
Some of them, he said, were stricken
out; others were amended
ut was in the amendment of this
proposed bill that the progressive sem
ators won their first victory" said
Bristow.
Murdoch at Eureka.
Eureka, Kan, July 19.-Congress-
man Victor Murdoch in reality fired
the first gun of his campaign of
speeches in answer to Speaker Joseph
G. Cannon at an enthusiastic meeting
here last night. Mr.. Murdoch spoke
in keeping with an engagement made
some time ago, but did not launch into
the heat of his responses to Cannon as
he expects to do later.
Mr. Murdoch spoke for about two
hours, going into the merits of the So
called "insurgent" movement in the
Republican party in detail. His re-
marks were straightforward and point
ed, though not particularly bitter
against the stand pat element Mr.,
Murdoch announced some time age
that he would make his first real polit-
lcal utterances at Emporia tonight and
refrained from going into his subject
as strenuously as he otherwise would
have done for this reason. considering
1t better to open his real campaign al
that place, as he had planned.