The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-03-16

! MAI lO. Hit il6
would oppose the administration rail
road bill, even though it might result
in an effort to read him out of party,
Senator Cummins of Iowa, in effect
declared in the senate Tuesday. He
lis making the initial speech on the
railroad bill, which after occupying
La place on the senate calendar for
lis days, was taken up today The
hill is regarded by some senators as
1.-THE most important legislation before
congress.
| The Iowa senator had proceeded
for only about two hours when he
asked leave to suspend until to-
day. The leave was granted but SEN
ator Hale, chairman of the Republi.
can caucus should have notice here
latter that the bill be kept constant
ly before the senate.
In language just as positive, Sena-
tor Bailey, declared the bill could not
be rushed and declared congress is
liable to still be considering it when
"dog days" arrive.
Cummins criticised the course of
the president and declared his inten-
tion of opposing the bill in it's present
shape, even at the expense of the Sc
we're displeasure of the chief execu-
tive. IF uncontradicted and report
ed, and apparently authorized, state
ments of the newspapers be not in
error, every republican at least win
be expected to vote for it just as it
is, unless he dares incur not only
executive displeasure but be banished
from the republican ranks" said
Cummins.
Il do not speak of this phase of
the subject in the spirit of anger. I
am conscious of no other sentiment
than the profound regret. recog-
nize it is not only the privilege, but
the duty of the president of the
United States to make such recon-
mendations to congress as in his
Judgment will best promote the gen.
eral welfare. Whether he is within
his privilege or his duty when he un-
dertakes to prescribe this form which
Legislation shall assume, may all be
doubted His great predecessor per
sistently thought that executive pro-
priety did not promote it, 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 within my province TO
indicate the exact terms of the law
which should be enacted, but l call
the attention of congress to certain
existing conditions with which it is
desirable to deal.
Although the senator may be in
full sympathy with the broad pur-
pose which the executive proposes to
accomplish in a moment, he asserts
his independent view of the best way
to accomplish the purpose. He finds
himself in direct conflict with the
president and he must choose between
losing presidential favor and doing
a thing as his conscience tells him it
ought to be done.
Declaring these to be extraordi-
nary circumstances in connection
with the origin of the bill, the Iowa
senator detailed meeting last Aug
ust of Attorney General Wickersham
in New York, with others, whom he
said, had undertaken to put into
shape the enactment of various rec
concentrations, and the presidents
bearing upon railroad legislation. The
report, as made to the chief execu-
tive, was supposedly confidential, he
said, but as a matter Of fact long be-
fore it reached the president it had
fallen into the hands of railroad men.
Discussing the progress of the bill
after it reached the president Cum
minis declared it had been vastly
changed, indeed, he declared.
But for the birth mark of the COM
merce court no one would recognize
the measure but those born in dog
days"
up there in New York these
are attributed to the influence
/