The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-07-24
Sees The End Of
 Stand Pat 6. 0. P.
Progressive Congressman Tells Why He Voted for
 Underwood Bill
Comments Attitude of Rep resentative Donovan and Decries Futile Efforts of Reactionary Element.
By Our Staff Correspondent.)

By Our Staff Correspondent.) Washington, July 24-Arthur R. Rup-
 ley, Progressive representative at large
 from Pennsylvania, who is a resident
 of Carlisle, Pa, and who was sent to
 Congress with eos, 7O9 votes to 343,16s
 received by his nearest competitor, be-
 1ieves that he can see the end of the
 old Republican party in the attitude
 oe the old line Republicans toward the
 Underwood tariff. bill before the pres
 ent session of Congress. MT. RupIey
 states that if there were ever a class
 typically tory-reactionary in the1r at-
 titude toward the American people ct
 is the representatives in the present Congress who are advancing the same
 old arguments for a high protective
 tariff that they have advanced for
 the past two decades, after going be. fore the people upon a proposition to
 revise the tariff downward. MT. Rup- ley can see little hope of redemption of the old G. o. F., but can forsee the upbuiIding of a big new party upon the foundation laid by the Progress
 ives in the last election.
 MT. Rupley was one of the Pro- gressives who voted for the passage of the Underwood bill. When asked yesterday why he supported the Dem ocratic measure he said;
 ttThe old Republican party, the Pro- RTGSS1VSS ana the OOIQOCEdLS HI W C1A before the people last fall with plat forms promising to revise the tariff downward. The great majority of the people wanted tariff revision down ward and as the Democrats were the recipients of the largest number of votes they were naturally the ones who had the construction of the bill that was to be considered. The ground that [ took was that was not In Congress to throw stones sor to place obstacles in the way of remedial leg isIation, particularly after it was so evident that the people had decreed at the polls that they were sick of the old order of things.
 'I figured that 1t was my duty to aid the controlling party. in getting out a tarin bill Ehaf be the best possible for the couAtry
 There were many things about the bill that I did nots1fke but as a, whole it was a bill for revision downward. If the country waited for a tariff bill to which every member of Congress could cheerfuIiy subscrfbe to every section we would never get a tariff bill enacted. My Repu bIican colleagues seemed to forget that they ever had a. platform and started at once In the debates to take the attitude of he rankest reactionarism possible, and when they did they held the mirror up to what the party has been for many years, the hand maiden of Toryisrn.
 'tIf my Republican friends wanted to criticize any part of the tarin bill as it affected their section of the coun- try 1t was their duty to take a stand for their section, and present their case and it's merits, but to decry the entire bill, as they did and contest 1t schedule to schedule, was far from being in keeping with the platform they had themselves stood upon in the last election.
 Take the case of Representative Donovan, Democrat, of Connecticut He comes from a dsstrict that is not ed for it's intensity and diversity or manufactures MT. Donovan fought for the schedules that affected his dis trict and presented the case of his constituents as each schedule was dis cussed. First he spoke in the Demo cratic caucus and secured a few changes there. Next he was heard in the House and even though he was nor able there to secure such changes as lie desired he voted for the entire bi.l Any man who believes in the rule of the majority would vote for the bill under the conditions. And MT. Donovan did not stop in seeking changes to the bill after it had left the House Like the lawyer carrying his case from lower court to higher court he went to the Senate, and pre- sented his case. The fact that he had dcrnurred in the House gave him standing before the Senate committees and by being persistent he was able to get the Senate to make some of the changes he sought principally in the matter of fur felt hats.
 .sMr. Donovan had to give away a little like the others, but he was consistent, and it was possible for ev- cry member of Congress to make just such a contest for his district If had refused to vote for the bill be- cause I did not like certain parts of it, and all of the other members who would have liked a change here and there had baked the country never would have secured a tariff measure. expression it had given at the polls wanted action, and believe they have secured it in the present tariff 1egisla- ton. After seeing the leftover Re- publican members perform so incon-i with their platform pledges can readily understand why the i has had to wait so long for remedial legislation. With them a platform was something to use at cleo l ton times. and to put away in cold storage when Congress convened so that they could serve the special priv lege class of the nation. The coun- | try is for once on to the curves of | the Republican party as conducted 1 by the standpatters All of the par ties of this country in the future will | have to be progressive for there will far as the old G. o. P. did upon tra- 1itions tEat died when the Tory ele- nsnt captured the reins of control and corporate wealth as its only