Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-07-19


an honest compliance with the pledges
Of the democratic party"
Washington, d. C., July 19.-Sena.
tor Cummins in opening Z tariff de-
bate for the progressive republicans
declared the republican party had los:
the confidence Of the people and was
driven from power largely because it
insisted upon the maintainance Of i'm
port duties many Of which were un-
necessarily high. The democratic
party" he asserted will soon be over
taken with like disaster because it is
about TO infiict upon the country a
tariff law which. with respect to many
things, invites the perils Of free trade,
which are very dangerous AMI destruc-
lively low and which from end 20 end
grievously discriminate against the
west in favor of the east, that is, in
favor of the manufacturer against the
farmer
STEERING FOR ROCKS.
The republican craf- went down in
the whirlpool of Syll2 in 1912, and its
democratic successor Is steering
straight for the rocks Of Charybdis,
where II viii 90 to pieces in the stress
Of 1916. There is a passs geway TO
safety and prosperity. The progress
siye republicans charted 1t in 1909
and they charted II again in 1913.
Sometime the American people will
make a trip under these pilots. but
meantime we mus. suffer another ship
wreck. bearing it's hardships as | hope
We will, with patriotism and forth
tude.'
Cummins declared he believed e
bill would be modified II members OF
congress voted their convictions. but
tha. IL would not be modified largely
because the president assuming TO in
terpret and apply the economic doc
trine Of his party, has laid the heavy
hand Of his power upon a branch OF
the government tina. ought TO be Co
ordinate, but which IN fact is subordi-
nate"
Caucus ATTACKED.
Attacking as "tyrannical" the demo-
cratic secret caucus on the bill. the
senator declared it more indefensible
than the tactics charged TO republican
leaders in the preliminary consider
alton Of the Payne-Aldrich bill
Il am not one Of those who believe
general disaster viii follow necessar-
fly the enactment of the bill. Unques-
tionably II will increase importation
and diminish home production Of a
great many things. and will force into
idleness many working men. but | ear
nestly hope its effect in that respect
will not reach the proportions Of an
industrial revolution. II is easy to
see. however. that depression which
must inevitably follow might be ag-
Erayated by other causes into a gen
cral disaster" The senator declared
the democrats had treated the farmer
as an outlaw in making up the bill,
and that many OF the products Of the
farm were entitled 10 protection.
SIMMONS IN ANSWER.
Charges that the bill dealt unfairly
with the farmer. Senator Simmons
says is without foundation. He enum-
Grated many things on the free list
especially for the farmers benefit and
said: NO class OF people have reap,
ed as little benefit from the republi
can tariff system or suffered 50. heavily
from its eNactions as the farmer. In
my mind there is no doubt his verdict
viii be one OF approval especially in
view Of the fact that he will be among
the first to feel the beneficial results
Of the transition from a tariff in the
interest OF the classes to.a tariff in the
interest OF the masses"