Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-21
|ASSA|LS THE PRESS
La Toilette DepIores Its Atti.
tude on Reciprocity.
SCORES THE DEMOCRATS
Speech in Opposition to Proposed
Treaty With Canada.
REGARDED AS A DECEPTION
Measure Not Consistent With Re-
publican Creed or Platform
Pledges, Senator Declares.
SCORES THE DEMOCRATS
REGARDED AS A DECEPTION

Assaling the press Of the United States
for its support OF the Canadian reciprocity
bill, Senator La Toilette OF Wisconsin
made his closing speech against the bill
in the Senate today. The senator ex-
pressed the belief that newspapers would
suffer in loss of influence To- the sup
port they have given to legislation in
which. he said. they have a direct money
interest"
The press has failed in its duty TO
the public in regard to this legislation"
he said.
Mr.. La Toilette referred to testimony
given before the finance committee OF
the Senate that a newspaper organiza-
ton had sent out a communication to
treat the reciprocity agreement. He de-
plored this attitude of the newspapers.
Conditions Contrasted.
We have senators on this floor who
are bankers" said Senator La Toilette
senators who are wooden manufacture
ers and cotton manufa cturers; senators
who are interested in lumber and mines.
Let no newspaper hereafter assail any
senator because he supports legislation in
his own peculiar interest,"
Senator La Toilette referred to Senator
Hitchcock of Nebraska, who had inter
rupted him, as newspaper owner" who
had a direct interest at stake.
is it not just as fair for me to criu-
else the senator from Wisconsin, retorte6
Hitchcock, for advocating a duty on
paper in the interest of the great paper
mills of Wisconsin to which the whole
country pays tribute?"
Senator La Toilette replied that he did
not favor duty on paper; that he was In
favor of free print paper. and would pro-
pose a measure in that interest as a
reciprocity bill. he said, because the news
papers would get free paper at the ex-
pense of the farmers, whose duties on
their products will be removed.
Defense Of "Progressives.'
Mr.. La Toilette defended the progress
sive republicans from the charge that
they have changed front on the .tariff
and are now opposing a partial tariff re-
vision as embodied in the reciprocity bill.
He said the progressives stand just where
they stood in the tariff fight of 1909, but
that the reciprocity bill is not a true re-
publican measure.
u oppose this bill because II bellies its
reciprocity. 1t violates every principle of
reciprocity as defined by republican presi-
dents and republican platforms"
Democrats Not Consistent.
Senator La Toilette declared the demo-
cratic party had violated its own prin-
ciples in every vote it has cast in the
Senate on the reciprocity bill. by voting
with the republican high tariff forces.
The democrats will have to answer for
their Inconsistencies, said Mr.. La Fol-
lette
The senator denounced the reciprocity
bill as fraud and deception on the vot-
ers. He said he had always been taught
to believe that one of the most reprehen-
sve things in the category was to cheat
the voter. who had the opportunity to
vote but few times for presidential can
didates. He arraigned the party for not
living up to its creed, as laid down in
the republican campaign text book.