New Britain herald., 1922-09-21
CUMMINGS FLATS RULE OF G. ]. P.
Administration a Failure, His
 Keynote Speech Argues

oeratic state convention in Hartford l by Homer Cummings, Is as follows.- | The elaborate apologia delivered b, Senator Brandegee al the recent re-
 publican convention affords but little hope of relief from the distressing
 condition into which public affairs
 have fallen, for 1t clearly indicates that the American people have noth- ing better to look forward to than a continuance of aimless drifting and hopeless founderine. If the speech in question is fairly reflective of the republican attitude toward public questions, it must be confessed that we have government without a pro- gram, an administration without a leader and country without a policy.
 There seems to be no recognition of the profound economic changes which in recent years, have taken place both at homo ana abroad, nor any renllza . tion of the fact that new conditions call for new remedies and that the craftsmanship of 90 years ago is help less in the face of the problems of 1922.
 The outstanding note of Senator Brandegee's speech seems to consist in naive rejoicing that the inde- pendence of America has been pre- served" and that a new Tariff Act is about to be passed. That the inde- pendence of America was threatened by treaty which fifty other nations la to u,jt1 aT pendence, is too childish a suggestion to be made at the present stage of public thought: and the simple faith that relief will come with the passa ge of Tariff Act which is practically a relica of the infamous Payne Aldrich Bill is merely renewed evil dence that there is a certain type of Republican leadership which is so bourbon in chara acter that it learns nothing and forgets nothing.
 The Tariff
 Senator Brandegee in support of the pending tariff bill quotes from cer- tain of the campaign speeches of the late President, William Mckinley. He neglects, however to recall one of the most significant of the utterances of Mir. Mckinley. At Buffalo, just prior to his assassination, when visioning the greater America that was to he, President Mckinley declared that "the day of exclusiveness is past" I com mend this sentiment to the makers of the pending tariff bill.
 Senator Rrandegee chatises 'hnse Connecticut manufacturers and i'm pprters who oppose the policy of lso- lation and who are concerned with the maintenance of the markets which America has won in the world. He ignores the storm of disapproval that has been aroused all over the coun- try and which is reflected in the ut terances of many of the most respon- sible of Republican newspapers. The Boston Transcript. sturdy Republi- can newspaper, on March 3, 1922. said: ITO date, the record of the House of Representative in the first year of the inew administration stamps it unmistakably as the worst House in 20 years. It has broken more pied ges, it has succumbed to more pernicious propaganda. it has tres passed in more directions on the executive authority than has any one of it's predecessors in twenty years. Taken as whole, Houre of Repre- sentatives as controlled by the Repub lican Party. If judged by its record to date, is unworthy another lease of life" The attitude of such papers as The New York Herald, the New York Tribune, the Philadelphia Inquirer and many others is indicative of the low estate to which the legislative branch of our government has fallen under republican leadership.
 It is literally a Congress without friend, even amongst it's own mem bership. Secretary Weeks, himself former member of Congress and now Secretary of War in the Cabinet of President Harding, speaking at Cleve- land, Ohio on June 18th, 1922, said: "The legisla tive branch of our nation al government probably never has been at a lower ebb than it is today"
 Everywhere and from all sources there arises the insistent call for leadership and there Is no answer to that call Whatever else may be said of the administrations of President Roosevelt and President Wilson, they taught the people the value and the necessity of intelligent leadership. To- day we are absolutely without lead ership, Amidst all the problems that clamor for settlement, there is not one strong national voice today in- dicating the way out of the turmoil. Under these bewildering conditions. leadership reverts to type and seeks to reapply the processes of At a time when business industry and agricultural prosperity are largely dependent upon foreign markets, the administration Is delib- erately adopting policy which will make international trade well-night 
 It is useless for Senator Brandegee or anyone else to enumerate as great achievements the routine legislation of he last congress. It is useless to .efer to the paper reduction of the public debt when the taxes are not and when most intelligent people are aware of the fact that the 'eduction in question was made pos ,ible through a shifting of balances rom 1921 to 1929 and by the use of he receipts from the sales of the i'm nense surplus of supplies which re- nained on hand after the war It Is lseess to attempt to raise again the cry of free trade. Only L. ief that there Is any free trade issue involved in this election Adequate ariffs are necessary as part of the