Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-09
.CuMMINS out
AGAINST TAFT
SENATOR IN STATEMENT TO CHI.
cAGo PAPER SAYS TAFT is
NOT PROGRESSIVE.
BILL OF PARTICULARS
Gives His Ground for Declaring That
President Should Not Be the 1912
Candidate Of His Party for
denomination.

Candidate Of His Party for
denomination.
Des Moines, Sept. IA few days
ago on his return from Washington,
Senator Cummins in an interview de-
clared his opposition to President
Taft on the grounds that Taft did not
take the progressive view of legisla-
ton affecting the public interest. Elk
ceptions were taken to this statement
by the Chicago Record-Herald, which
insisted that Taft's record proved his
progressive statesmanship. The Rec
ord-Herald asked Senator Cummins to
be more explicit and to state fully on
what grounds he based his assertion
that Taft was not progressive. Senator
Cummins replied at length to the Chi.
cago paper by giving the following bill
of particulars against the president:
A few days ago, In answer to an In
quiry from reporter Of the Register
and Leader of Des Moines, stated
that in my opinion Mr.. Taft ought
not to be renominated as the candidate
for president by the national conven-
ton, and among other things | said
that he did not take ''the progressive
view" of matters which concerned the
public interest.
Commenting upon this statement
the Record Herald in an editorial call
ed upon me for bill Of particulars,
closing it's editorial as follows:
''As an independent and progressive
newspaper The Record-Herald would
like to know from Senator Cummins
precisely on what grounds, by reason
of what vital, fundamental differences,
he feels justified in asserting that the
president does not take the progress
sive view Of matters political and eco
nOmic."
Full Answer Sought.
Upon the editorial alone would not
have thought of filing bill of particu-
lars, for would have assumed that 1t
was argumentative and that was not
expected to enter into a newspaper
controversy upon the subject
find, however, that an answer is
really desired, for representative OF
The Record-Herald has visited me,
making specific request for the rea-
sons which led me to the conclusion
ventured to announce in the Register
and Leader. Under these circum-
stances have no hesitation in COM
plying with the request.
It Is to be understood that my oppo-
sition to the denomination Of Taft Is
based solely upon his attitude toward
public questions, and my conviction
that the convention ought to nominate
q candidate for president who will be
strongest in the election.
hovn M 0thor fhan the mnQf
friendly feeling for the president. With
these preliminary and explanatory
suggestions I. present to The Record
Herald my bill Of particulars.
Eight Hints .considered.
1t will be conceded, suppose, that
President Taft's alignment must be de-
fined chiefly 0
/. BY his position upon the Payne
Aldrich tariff law.
2. BY his position upon the bill for
the further regulation Of Interstate
common carriers, brought. forward
about the first Of the year 1910,
3. BY his position upon the change
made in the postal savings law, just as
1t was being passed in the senate.
4. BY his position upon the pro-
posed ! income tax law, which was
Bought 10 Ue luCOEpOIdISO lulO Iuc
Payne-Aldrich tariff act.
s. BY his attitude toward the con-
troll and disposition of our public
domain.
6. BY his position on the Canadian
tariff bill passed at the extra session
just closed
Z. BY his work for the peace
treaties.
8. BY his vetoes of the wooden
schedule, the free list and the resolu-
ton admitting New Mexico and Ari.
IONA as states.
1t is manifest that The Record-Her-
aid could not give me the space to
analyze each of these important meas
ures, and argue at length their merits
or dement's. shall content myself In
the main, therefore, with merely re.
calling to the minds of the people the
lineup on each Of them.
Tariff Law Taken Up.
First-The Payne ldrich tariff law.
Mr.. Taft's associates in the making OF
this law, which he declared to be the
best ever passed upon the subject,
were Mr.. Aldrich and his followers in
the senate; Mr.. Payne, Mr.. Dalzell, Mr..
Cannon and their followers in the
house. 1t seems to me am justified
in the conclusion that he did not take
"the progressive view" with respect to
this measure.
One of the notable laws passed dur
ing the present administration is the
act amending and enlarging what is
commonly known as the interstate
commerce law.
President Taft made legislation up
on the subject the prominent feature
OF the first regular session after he
was inaugurated. Through his at
torney-general he presented to con-
gress a bill which was introduced in
the senate, referred to the committee
on Interstate commerce and reported
back to the senate precisely as the at.
torney-general wrote 1t, and as Presi.
dent Taft apparently belived 1t ought
to be enacted.
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