The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-22
TRIP THROUGH TIE NORTH Speech on Tariff Delivered
 in Lexington OUTLINES HIS VIEWS Tells How the Democrats Have Kept Their Pledge to Work
 for the Revision of Tariff
 Downward

Tor the ReN1S1On Ol IdIlil
 Downward
 The trip recently made by Congress- man Oscar ". Underwood through Ken lucky, Illinois and Missouri attracted un- usual attention because the chairman or the ways and means committee confined himself principally to discussions of the tariff. He was given an especially warm welcome in Lexington, Ky. MT. under- wood made no set speeches, but the Lexington Herald had the speech which vas delivered in that city taken in short hand and reproduced it in full. The Herald's report is as follows:
 "Mr Chairman, Ladies and My Fellow Counuymen:-lt is indeed a pleasure for me to have the opportunity of returning to the home of my boyhood and face the militant democracy in the Great Com monwealth of Kentucky. But it is with hesitation that I address an audience in Inc home of Henry Clay whose fame will go resounding down through the path of time, keeping the memory of Ashland District forever before the American people.
 "I came here to discuss some of the issues of the day. But it is with hesta- on that 1 face an audience that has been represented as this district has been represented in the House of Repre- sentatiVes and Senate of the United States It is with hesitation that I face an audience that gave the silver-tongIed orator of Kentucky, Breckinridge to the House of Representatives But if l cannot live up 10 the high standard of the men who have represented this great district in the national councils, l ask you to bear with me for the cause I represent.
 Campaign of National Importance
 ''You are facing a state campaign. a local campaign, but, my fellow citizens, it is of national importance Kentucky is no longer on the border line between the north and south: our country has grown go great that it no longer knows a lcrth and a south or an east and a west. But Kentucky today stands on the bor- der line of political supremacy in the United States
 You are no longer a certain democratic state, as you were when I was a boy and lived in Kentucky. The battle field has swaYed to one side of the political line and then to the other other in recent years. The nation. not the people of Kentucky, but the people of the United States, are looking to the results of the fight that will take place in this old Commonwealth on the 7th day of next November. They are watching to see wFat position the people of this Common wealth will take in reference to the great national issues that will confront the republic year from now.
 Republicans IndOrsed Taft
 T am not here to discuss local ques tions. l am not sufficiently informed tc discuss them if I would, but I under stand that the republican party of this state has indorsed the administration of President Taft, and made it a part of their platform. and part of the issues before the people of Kentucky. The peo- 7le from Alabama. from Maine to Cali fcrnia. are watching you today to see what position you intend to take in tho great national issues that will confront Us in a year from now.
 Great principles are involved. Priiwi- pies of momentous importance to the peo- pic of the whole United States. You today carry the standard that may point tho way in either direction. If you in- dorse the administration of President Taft, then you repudiate the position O. the democratic party. If you repudiate the position of President Taft, then you endorse the position of the democratic party.
 Have Republicans Kept Pledges
 "I ask you why should you indorse tte administration of President Taft year before. the national election? I have no criticism to make of the President of the United States so far as his personal character is concerned but I ask you if there is a man in this audience who can stand on his feet and truthfully say that the present republi- can administration of public affairs has heen to the advantage of the American people? Is there a man in this audience Nho can rise today and say the present republican administration has kept tho pledges that it made to the people of the United States when William Howard Taft was elected President.
 "A year ago a disappointed people, Q people who saw the gloom of business disruption staring them in the face, re- pudiated a republican administration and elected democratic majority of the House of Representatives that has kept every pledge it has made to the people of the United States.
 Cried Out Against Cannonism
 "The people of the United States cried out against the one-man power in the House of Representatives. They called for a repudiation of the power of the speaker of the House to veto legislation that a majority of the repre- sC natives of American people desired to enact into law. We pledged ourselves to- the American people that if we were ro turned into power, that the representa- tives of the American people should have the right to select their own leaders cn the floor of the House of Congress; that they would tear down a rules com mttee appointed by one man that con- | trolled the legislation of this govern | nent, and elect rules committee by | q majority of the membership of the House that would guide the ship of state, rot as dictated by one man, but in ac- cordance with the wishes of majority of the men who represented the entire people of the United States. We kept our promises.
 "rhey said that if we abolished the | cid system that was inaugulated by Reed | and perfected by Cannon, that the ship Of state could not move on, that we | could not do business; that we would destroy a machine that was necessary t1 perfect the legislation of the United States.
 What Actually. Happened My friends, mark the difference. We were called into extra session on the
 tth day of April. Within three days after the democratic Congress met, we had organized the House, elected our committees, and within less than 90 days we had sent to the Senate of the United States, the bill the President of the