The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1911-09-14
OFFICIAL COUNTY PAPER
CUMMINs n TAFT.

III a8f4 H. HEEEEE
licaEs against President Taft ha.
been stated completely the first time
by Senator Cummins of Iowa. In a
formal declaration of his reasons for
announcing his opposition to the re-
nomination of Taft, the Iowa Sena-
tor goes into detail in support of his
contention that Taft is not entitled
to the leadership of the republican
party.
There are eight counts in the
Cummins indictment, which may be
summarized as follows:
First.-1n the Payne-Aldrich tar
Id law, called by Taft the best tariff
law aver passed, Taft did lot take
the progressive view.
second.-Taft submitted to con-
sgress a bill amending the interstate
Commerce act. which had been pre-
pared by Acknowledgement Wicker
sham, with the warning that it must
be changed In no particular. The
progressive republicans ignored this
command and attacked the measure,
with the result that many parts Of
the bill we're found to be so bad
that they had no defenders. If
the billsshad passed. the country
would have stepped back % years in
railroad regulation.
Third.--Taft opposed the conten-
ton Of the ~progressives that the de-
posits In the postal savings banks
should be placed in the local banks,
the president thereby standing with
the big city banks.
Fourth.-Taft prevented the pass
age Of q general income tax law as
an amendment to the Payne-Aldrich
measure, by proposing as a substi-
tute the corporation tax, not neces-
sarily reaching the great incomes of
the country.
Fifth.-Taft has shown himself
to be out Of harmony with those
recognized as the best exponents of
the conservation Of natural re-
sources.
Sixth.-The reciprocity bill, while
taking a name that is known as a
progressive term, is a false pretense,
because 1t puts print paper and farm
products on the free list without
bringing about a reduction in the
cost Of living. Concerning this,
Cummins says: 1T is hard for me
to think Of the Canadian bill as
progressive. believing as I do that
the passage of it was the result of
an understanding between the pres
ident and those eminent reaction
aries, Penrose of Pennsylvania and
Lodge of Massachusetts,, that II
@sthey would see it through the SEN
ate all other tariff bills reducing du-
tiles would be vetoed" 30,
Seventh-The peace treaties if
construed as the president interprets
them, are practically the anne as
the peace treaty we already have
with Great Britain"
Eighth.-Taft vetoed the wooden
bill and the farmers free list bill,
both prepared in the full light of
abundant information and both amp
~ justified under the standard of
protection Il predict" says Cum
Minis, that these bills gave the pres
ident the only chance he will ever
have to sign acts of congress reduc-
Ing the iniquitous duties of the
Payne-Aldrich law, but preserving
the system of protection
This Is the Taft record. as seen
by Cummins. From it Cummins con-
cludes there is no Isl whatever
why the progressive republicans
should favor the denomination Of
the president: Not a single compen-
sating virtue is found in the Taft
administration. There is no reason
yfo,ssdoubt that this expresses the opin-
Ion Of the progressive republicans
generally. That being the case. it is
tho most remarkable arraignment Of
any president by any consid-
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