The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-29
Cummins Arraigns At
tempt to Infuer &c Sen
st4's Action.
CONGRESS MUST
ASSERT IT SELF
Big Stick Suggestions From
White House Are Robbing 1t
of Dignity, Power and Re-
spectability-Bristow Says
Taft Does Not Represent
Majority of Republicans.

Washington d. c. Juno -e-l ms
was a day of bitter arraignment OF
the Canadian reciprocity bill in the
Senate Beginning with Senator Cum
mins's attack on the measure S leg
islation unjust to the agricultural in
terests of the country, and conclud-
Ing with Senator Borah's denunciatioR
of the bill as Republican betrayal of
the farming interests, the debate was
all antaSonistic to the agreement and
critical or the President and his meth
DDS. The Senate gave but partial at
tention to the speeches, although they
were among the most important that
will be made against the bill. Several
times a call of the Senate was de-
manded.
Senator Cummins not only attacked
the construction of the reciprocity
agreement itself. which he said put the
whole burden of free trade upon the
farmer without giving him any bene-
fits in the guise of reduction of du-
ties on manufactured products. but
he criticized also the power eNercized
by the President TO negotiate it, and
to bring il to the point of a definite
agreement between the two countries.
In doing this, said Senator Cummins.
the President had usurped the powers
of Congress, and had exceeded the
eign nations upon revenue matters.
Farmers to BE Excluded.
II know that the day has come for
the farmer" declared Senator Cum
Minis, the day in which he is to be
excluded from the benefits of the pro-
tect!ve tariff. The decree has been
written; II needs only the official sig
nature of the time being to exclude
him from the company OF the manu-
facturers of the United States"
Senator Bacon asked Mr.. Cummins
If he thought legislation in the Senate
ought to be Influenced by the threat
of a veto from the President. 1T is
abhorrent to me-" replied Mr.. Cum
Minis ito hear the suggestion that
any Senator will be influenced by
the probable action of the chief eX
ecut.ve on the completed legislation
We have been assaulted here day
after day with the representation. APP
parently authoritative, that If this bill
is amended in any way 1t Will be
saying that the President OF the
United States is responsible for these
statements | only know that they
are SO uniform and so emphatic that
they have found lodgment in the minds
OF many Senators. who believe they
can make no change in this bill, how
ever meritorius those amendments
may De.
1T is the beginning of the end OF
the dignity the power and the
specta billy of Congress and the Sen
ate to have IL repeated here day after
day that we must not amend this bill
because it will meet with the dis
approval of the executive.
IT wish some one more able than
would stand here and denounce the
attempt to influence legislation in the
Senate through such suggestions.
wish the Senate could reassert its i'm
munity from influence of the character
that has been presented in this fight"
Not Wish of Majority.
II am not willing to concede that
President Taft. in the crusade in which
he is now engaged said Senator
Bristow, represents the Republican
party of this nation. He does not rep
resent the majority of the Republican
members OF the House or Senate. and
believe he does not represent the
sentiments of a majority OF the Re-
publicans OF the country"
Senator Borah declared the esta b.
| lishment of free trade in agricultural
products was either a denial of the
| principles for which the Republican
party had heretofore stood or a coarse
| and brutal betrayal of the most loyal
| constituency the party organization
| has ever had"
NO page in the political history can
equal this betrayal by the Republic
| can party of this great and loyal con-
| stituency" he said