Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-07-27
DEFEAT Of THE
REPUBLICANS IN
1872 EXPLAINED
Senator M'Cumber Attrib-
utes 1t to Failure to Place
News Print on the Free
List in Tariff Act.
lny The Associated Press,


the republican party in 1912 was
attributed today in the senate by
Chairman McCumber of the fl
nance committee, to the refusal of
that committee three years pre-
ylously to heed the demands of
newspaper publishers that news
print paper be placed on the free
list In the Payne-Aldrich tariff act.
His declaration brought demands
from the democratic side for full
details and was followed by recitals
by Senators Watson of Indiana,
Smoot Of Utah and McCumber of
incidents which, they said, had
taken place behind the scenes in
congress a decade ago.
Senator Robinson, democrat,
Arkansas, declared that If Senator
McCumber's statement that the
newspapers of the country. be-
cause they could not "intimidate"
the finance committee into giving
free news print had turned against
the republican party and defeated
it, were true, it was "a terrible in
dictment against the press of the
United States the men who own it,,
and the men who control its poll
cies." Asserting that he could not
accept it without first having "def-
mite and complete" information,
the Arkansas senator and later
Senator Stanley OF Kentucky. de-
manded that Senator McCumber
give the names of representatives
of the publishers who had made
threats to the committee.
Wants to Give Facts.
Stating that he wanted to give
: senate facts" Senator Smoot said
the late John /. Norris, represent
ing the Newspaper Publishers as
ISOLATION, had appeared before a
finance subcommittee of which
Mr.. Smoot was a member; had re-
fused to compromise on the mat
ter Of duty on news print and had
stated that il a duty were imposed
"the republican party Will be
driven from power" The Titan
senator said he supposed this was
the statement from which Senator
McCumber had drawn his "conclu-
sions' and added that he did not
think Mr.. Norris had been author
lied by the publishers to make
such a statement.
Later reiterating his original
statement that spokesman for the
publishers had told the commi; =
tee "give us free print paper ana
we will support the republican
party and the administration; re-
fuse to give it, and we will de-
stroy YOU, if we can" Senator
McCumber said he had been pres
ent at conferences between the
publishers representatives ana
members of the committee and
remembered details of them. Ha
added that on one occasion when
there was a discussion of a COM
promise as between the duty OF
Sc a ton and $40 a ton on the
paper, publishers representa-
tive had stated that he woNld
not yield zone damn cent ana
that If the committee failed to
make the desired recommended
ton for news print, the publish
ers would drive the party from
power If they could.
Watson's Experience.
Senator Watson of Indiana,
told the senate of what he said
had been his personal expert
ence with these same gentle
men" in 1908 when he was q
member of the house. He related
that Mr.. Norris and the late Her
man Ridder, another representa-
tive of the publishers, had
sought to force through a
bill by the then Representative
John Sharp Williams of Missis-
sippi, placing news print and
wood pulp on the tariff free list.
He declared Mr.. Norris had Wis
tied the then Speaker Cannon in
the speakers office and told him
in the presence of Mr.. Watson
and others that if Mr.. Cannon
would permit the Williams bill to
20 through the publishers would
start a campaign that would
make him president and that Il
he refused to let the bill go
through they would drive him
!. from power.
Ordered Norris Thrown Out
The Indiana senator related
that Mr.. Cannon sent for his ne
gro messenger and instructed
him to throw Mr.. Norris out of
the house if he saw him there
again. Mr.. Cannon then ordered
Mr.. Norris from his office, Sena-
tor Watson continued, adding
that later chose same men with
the same proposition" appeared
before the finance committee
when the Payne-Aldrich bill WAS
being considered and their threats
had to be heard again.
Senator Robinson said after the
recitals that the republicans had
been holding IAN experience
meeting-not a revival but con-
fession," and. he added, had fat
ed to make out their case.
IL taEns the hast mart Of a 1,nnr