The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-19
Complains Because Duties Both
Too High and Too Low.
CHANGE BILL If THEY DARED
Says Democrats Fear "COercive
Influence of President"
Secret Caucus, "Invisible and
Inaudible Government"

minis, opening the tariff debate today
for the progressive Republicans, de-
clared that the Republican party lost
the confidence of the people and was
driven from power largely because it
insisted upon the maintenance of i'm
port duties. manv of which were un-
necessarily and oppressively high,
THE Democratic party he asserted,
will soon be overtaken with like dis
aster because. it is about to fnflict upon
the country a tariff law which with re-
spect to many things invites the perils
of free trade and which, with respect
to many others, imposes duties that
are dangerously and destructively low
and which. from end to end griev-
ously discriminates against the West
in favor of the East-that is to say in
favor of the manufacturer against the
farmer.
The Republican craft ent don in
the whirl pool of Scylla in 1912, and it's
Democratic successor is steering
straight for the rocks of Charybdis,
where it will go to pieces in the stress
of 1916.
There is a passage way to safety
and prosperity The progressive Re-
pubncans charted it in 1909 and they
will chart 1t again in 1913. Some time
the American people will make the trip
under these pilots, but in the meantime
bearing its hardships as ] hope we will
with patriotism and fortitude-"
Coerciye Influence of Wilson.
Besides pointing out many things
that he considered destructive and en-
tirely unwarranted in the bill Senator
Cummins criticised the president for
his influence exerted upon members of
congress concerning the tariff bill, an
influence he said, so persistent and
determined that it became coercive.' -
Il do not charge. nor do believe.
said Senator Cummins, that the
president in terms, barters this power
for legislative subordination; but Il
do say that, without barter, the
knowledge of the consequences that
may follow legislative independence
will bring about all the evils of ac-
tual wrong doing unless the most
scrupulous care is exercised in COM
munications between the president
and members of congress 1t liesl
with the president himself, to mark
out the path of propriety and to pur-
sue such a course as will enable every
member Of the legislative branch of
our public affairs to feel free and un-
restrained in every vote that he casts
$50 long as the president is per-
mitted to set up a standard of loyal
ty to the party to which he may be-
long, and condemn every man who
does not accept it; and so long as
members of congress vote under the
apprehension
fer from the presidential power con-
trolled by his judgment instead of
their own, so long congress will incur,
and will deserve, the contempt Of all
true lovers of free and representative
government"
Change Bill If They Dared.
Senator Cummins declared he be-
lieved the bill would be modified, if
members of congress voted their con-
victions, but that 1t would not be mod
flied largely because the president
of the United States, assuming to in
terpret and apply the economic doc
trine of his party, has laid the heavy
hand of his power upon branch of
the government that ought to be CO.
ordinate but which, in fact has be-
come Su bOrdinate."
Attacking as ''tyrannicaI' the Dem
ocratic secret caucus on the bill, the
Iowa senator declared it was more in
defensible than the tactics resorted to
by the Republican leaders in prelimi |
nary consideration of the Payne-Al- |
drich bill.
so long as the real legislation |
takes place in a caucus it cannot be !
man votes" he charged. TT is not
only invisible. but inaudible govern |
ment-'' Tariff for revenue, Senator |
Cummins said, he regarded as "obso- |
moment protection becomes unneces-
sary, free trade is demanded by every !
consideration of justice and equality /
Condemns Tariff for Revenue.
81 would hold myself enemy of
mankind" the senator continued, ''if
through import duties 1 were to raise /
the price of any commodity which the /
people generally used, and ought to /
use, simply to put money into the |
treasury of the United States.
I'VE produced in the United States
comm ODDITIES competitive in their char
acter. and upon which duties are
levied in this bill of the value of not /
less than $1S,s0o 100000. If the aver
age rate of duty upon these things is /
% per cent and that 1 believe is the
of the most distinguished pro-
motors of this bill, the duties will in
in the aggregate $4.700, 900, 900. If I
those who consume, as well as those
who produce these commodities. share
the benefit of the increased price, the
general good will be promoted: but if
our Democrat friends are right in as
serting that those who produce the
dutiabIe articles are the only bene-
they ought to Shudder when
they contemp plate what they are doing,
for they are not only taxing the peo-
pie, upon their consumption, the
$3.50, 900, 900 which are collectable at
the custom houses on imports, but they
are taxing them the $4,700, 600, 900 for
the sole benefit of the domestic pro-
ducerS of these commodities This is
an appalling conclusion and it will
shock the country when it is fairly
appreciated"
The senator submitted figures de-
signed to show that according TO the
Democratic view prices are raised by
the pending bin upon so per cent of
the enormous production east of the
river. while it raises the