The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-05-16
Presidents Promises Dragged
in Free Sugar WrangIe.
Platform INTERPRETED
in Tariff.
BUILD BOKFIRES FOR TAFT
"VetO of Payne Bill Would
Have Reelected Him."
Senator James Before Congress
Defending Wilson.

Washington, May Ex-senator James.
accredited with speaking for president
Wilson and the administration inter-
preted the Baltimore platform in a
speech in the senate today as COM
mitting the president and the Democrat
party to free sugar. His remarks were
in reply to the declaration by Senator
Ransdell and Senator-elect Broussard.
of Louisiana, that it did not. In the.
gallery, listening closely was Joseph p
Iumulty, secretary to the president
who went to the capitol to hear the
reply to the anti-free sugar Democrats
who for two days have been assailing
the sugar schedule which Mr.. Wilson
has declared will not be compromised
if he can help it.
Senator James declared that the plat
form adopted at the Baltimore conven-
ton approved the course of the Demo-
crat house in the last session of con-
gresS and that it included the appeal
of the Underwood free sugar bill He
read a paragraph from the Democrat
campaign text book approving The
excellent record of the house in plac-
ing sugar on the free list"
Senator Ransdell asked If President
Wilson had not declared in a speech
at Pittsburg that he Cid not stand for
free trade. Senator James returned
that the president was not a free trader
and that the proposed bill calculated
to raise $3O0O00,000 in revenue was not
a free trade bill.
IF you say President Wilson is a
free trader because he favors free su-
gar" demanded Senator James, Did
you call yourself a free trader when
you voted for free bread and free
shoes?''
Senator Ransdell denied he was a
free trader. and asked if the Demo-
crat national committee had not in
structed it's orators in the west not
to discuss free sugar and also If the
party would not have been defeated
if they had discussed it.
Instructions From Chicago.
Il know the Chicago headquarters
so instructed Representative Aswell of
Louisiana" he declared.
Senator James referred to the point
made by the Louisiana leaders that
President Wilson and the platform
had declared against tariff reductions
which would injure any legitimate in
dustry.
by Legitimate industry in the plat
FORM" said the Kentucky senator. rs
meant industrially legitimate and COM
mercially legitimate industry. 1t does
not refer to industry which has
had 125 years of government aid and
protection and is yet unable to take
care of ITSELF
Senator James eloquently praised
President Wilson's stand for free
sugar.
IF William H. Taft had had half
the courage of Woodrow Wilson he
would have vetoed the Payne-Aldrich
bill and bonfires would have burned
in every hillside in his honor and in
my opinion he would have been re-
elected.
president Wilson says he is in IA
YOr of free sugar and free wool and
wants no compromise. At Pittsburg
he merely said he did not want to de-
stroy any legitimate industry. I chal-
lenge you to find anybody to whom
Woodrow Wilson ever said he was not
in favor of free sugar"
Senator Ransden inquired IL he
considered the sugar business of the
south and west legitimate.
Legally, but not economically" re-
piled Senator James.