Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-07-21
Senator Cummins Declares
Republicans Are No More.
Democratic Party Will Soon Be
Overtaken by Same Fate.
Progressiye.RspubIican Are the
Way to Safety, He Declares.

Washington, July Ex-senator Cum
minis. opening the tariff debate, Sat
trday. for the Progressive Republi-
cans, declared the Republican party
lost the confidence of the people and
was driven from power largely be-
cause it had insisted upon mainten-
anee of import duties. many of which
were unnecessary and oppressively
high"
The Democratic party" he assert
"d will soon BE overtaken With like
disaster because it is about 10 inflict
upon the country tariff law which
with respect to many things, invites
the perils eff free trade and which, with
respect to many others, imposes du-
ties that are dangerously and destrue-
lively low, and which, from end to
end, srievonsly discriminate against
the West in favor of the East-that is
ITO say, in favor of the manufacturer
against the farmer.
The Republican craft went down
in the whirlpool of Scyila in 1912 ana
its Democratic successor is steering
straight for the rocks of Gharybdis.
where it will 50 TO pieces in the stress
Of 1915.
lHtIt II BdSSdStNdS III safety
and prosperity. The Progressive Re
pubiicans charted 1t in 1919 and they
will Chart il again in 1913. Some time
the American people will make the
"trip under these pilots but in the
meantime We must suffer another
shipwreck bearing its hardships as
hope we will. with patriotism and for
titude."
Besides pointing out many things
that he considered destructive and en-
tirely unwarranted in the bill. Sena-
tor Cummings criticized the President
for his Influence exerted upon mem
bers IF Congress concerning the tar
iT bin. an influence. he said, 80 per-
sistent and determined that it be-
comes coercive.
~ don't charge. nor do | believe said
Senator Cummins, shat the President In
terms barriers this power for legislative
subordination but | do say without bar
ter, the knowledge of the consequences
that may follow legislative independence
will bring about all the evils of actual
wrongdoing unless the most serupulous
care is exercised in communications be-
tween the President and members of
Congress. 1t lies with the President him
self to mark out the path of propriety
and to pursue such a course as Will en-
able every member of the Legislative
branch of our public affairs to feel free
and unrestrained in every vote that ne
casts.
$50 long as the President is permitted
to set up a standard of loyalty to the
party to which he may belong, and con-
denim every man who does not accept
it. and so long as members of Congress
vote under the apprehension thar they
may suffer from the Presidential power
controlled 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 govern
ment."
The senator declared the Democrats
had treated the farmer as an outlaw in
making up the bill, that many of the
products of the farm were entitled to
protection, and said;
81 am not one of those who believe that
general disaster will necessarily follow
Unuuestionably 1t will increase the inn
portation and diminish the home produc-
ton of great many things and will
force into idleness many working n
but I hope that its effect in that respect
will not reach the proportions of an IN
dustrial revolution. 1T Is easy to see
however, that the depression which must
inevitably follow might be aggravated
by other causes into general disaster