Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-22
LA TOILETTE ROASTS PRESS
Reformer Says Papers Support Reel
procity for Selfish Ends.
DEPLOREs ATTITUDE OF EDITORS
Thinks Newspaper VIII Lose Influ-
ence Because OF Attitude Toward
RiIl. tn which They Have
Money Interest.

WASHINGTON, July 1.--Assailing 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
He expressed the belief that newspapers
would suffer in loss in influence for the
support 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.
DepIOres Attitude of Papers.
Mr.. La Toilette referred 10 testimony
given before the finance committee of the
senate that q newspaper organization had
sent out a communication to many papers
urging them to favorably treat the re-
ciprocity agreement. He deplored this atti-
tude OF the newspapers.
We have senators on this floor who are
bankers" said Senator La Toilette; sen
ators who are wooden manufacturers and
cotton manufacturers; senators who are
interested In lumber and mines. Let no
newspaper hereafter assaiI any senator be-
cause he supports legislation in his own
peculiar interest"
Hitchcock of Nebraska Mentioned.
Senator la Follettee referred to SEN
ator Hitchcock of Nebraska, who had in
terrupted him. as a newspaper owner
who had a direct interest at stake.
rs II not Just as fair for me to criticise
the senator from Wisconsin" retorted
Hitchcock. "for advocating a duty on paper
in the interests OF the great paper mills of
Wisconsin. to which the whole country
pays tributer'
Senator La Toilette said that he did not
favor q duty on paper; that he was in
favor Of free print paper and would pro-
pose = measure in that interest as . direct
tariff measure. He objected to the reci-
proeity bin. he said. because the news
papers would get free paper at the ex-
pense Of the farmers, whose duties on their
products would be removed.
Bill Bellies Its Title.
Mr.. La Foliette defended progressive re-
publicans from the charge that they havs
changed front on the tariff and are now
opposing 4 partial .anff revision as en-
bodied in the reciprocity bill He said the
progressives stood Just where they did IN
the tariff fight OF 1903. but that the reel
prociy bill was not true republican
measure.
Il oppose this bill because II bellies its
N-NANs eN SNAoNOF Ia EOileNlc. - not
reciprocity. 1t violates every principle OF
reciprocity as defined by republican prin-
eiples and republican platforms.
Senator la Toilette declared the demo
cratic party had violated its own princi-
pies in the vote IL had cast In the senate
on the reciprocity bill by aligning with
the republican high tariff forces
The democrats viii have 10 answer for
their inconsistencies," said Mr.. La Toilette.
Fraud and Deception.
Senator la Toilette further denuncaA
the reciprocity bill as a fraud ana deem
Ton OF the voters He said he always had
been taught to believe that one OF the mosi
reprehensible things in the category n,
politics was to cheat the voter, who had
seen the opportunity TO vote but a fsu
times for presidential candidates He a.
raignsd the party for not living up 10 ~,
creed as laid down IN the republican cam
pAign text book Holding up that doo,,.
ment he said II had been eonspicuousIv
ignored in the senate. He cited declA-a.
tons of the party ON reciprocity principIes
and excoriAted the supporters OF the pac,
FOR not adhering 10 the party's expressed
declarations on reciprocity.
He called the whole proposition n ..eon.
ndenee game" and cited what he said
would result In a loss OF St00DoOOo alone
70 the farmers in the states OF Minnesota
gc0ntinasd on second PAgel