The Van Buren press., 1900-02-17
Champ Clark's 6olleitude.
Prom the Washington Timea

bill last week Mr.. Clark Of Missouri
; took occasion to make one Of hi
, characteristic speeches. He devoted hi
somewhat lengthy remarks almost en-
tirely to the Philippine question. II
, order, he said, that there might be M
Misunderstanding he would read state
ment Of principles regarding the sub
ject.
Among the principles set forth wer'
the following:
"A man does not have to be an lido
In order to be patriot.
"a man Is not 4 traitor because he l!
opposed to those things which jeopardiz'
the life Of the Republic.
IAN American is not pessimist be
cause he is unwilling to see his country
adopt as q settled policy the politica
principals of Alexander, Cesar. anc
Napoleon. -
''In the hands of political jobbers tht
American flag like the mantle of charity
will be made to cover multitude ol
sins.
II don 7 care baubee about Aguin
aldo and the Filipinos. My sympathy
my heart, my solicitude goes out te
Americans.
II think more-far more-of the liber'
ties of my children than Of all the trade
of all the earth would like to have
them both rich and free; but of the two
| would rather leave them free--free tc
labor free to work out their own career
free to sympathize with and to help all
people everywhere struggling for lib
erty
II would not give the life of one
healthy, moral, patriotic, ambitious
American white boy in exchange for all
the Filipinos who now live or will live
in the archipelago this side of the great
resurrection day.
1t had been said that we got the
Philippines, Mr.. Clark continued, and
the question was what are we going to
do with them. The answer, he said f,
WAS for Congress 10 determine, but ii
had been abdicating its functions, ap'
parently waiting for the evolution OF q
policy by the President. In the days OF
reconstruction Congress usurped ex
ecutive powers until the Presidency was
reduced to q nullity now the President
had usurped legislative functions until
the Congress had become merely a cash
register for the executive department.
A member Do you like it2
Mr.. Clark do not like it. am in
favor Of each department attending to
its own business, the Judiciary with the
rest, not trying to run the politics of the
country by issuing injunctions with
every change of the moon.
The charge had been made, Mr. Clark
said, that no party had ever accom-
plished anything by mere negation, by
being only an 'anti party. The facts
were that no party ever had successful
history that did not start as an anti
party. In confirmation of which he re-
cited the history Of the Democratic aud
Republican parties, which started out,
he said, one as the anti Federalist party
and the other as the anti slavery party,
The question before the Congress, the
speaker went on, WAS, what shall we do
with the Philippines' Answering this,
Mr.. Clark quoted from decision by
Chief Justice Marshall, In which 1t WAS
stated that the powers Of Congress- over
territories was limited to the exercise of
those functions which would be served
by fitting them for entrance into the
| Union as States. He deied anyone to
state that 1t WAS the intention to admit
the Philippines as States. And yet, be
continued, If the Philippines were held
by the United States and the time ever
came that the legislative and executive
| 40, ~, ~ in n au ma
political party, and that party thought
II would be for its advantage to have
the electoral votes Of few rotten
boroughs they would come trooping in
And II did not make any difference which
party was in power.
| Mr.. Clark said that he hoped the time
would never come M 1t had not yet, that
President Mckinley WAS the State, He
was wrong in this matter OF the Philip
pines; he sinned against light and
knowledge, and tho people would over.
come him under the Constitution and
the laws. Two reasons had been given,
he said, why the United States should
engage in this Philippine crusade 'One
was that II WAS the duty Of the United
States to carry the blessings Of liberty
to the uttermost parts Of the earth. II
deny II. he said, utterly deny It,
What position are we In to carry out the
part Of missionaries
The other reason given for holding the
Philippines WAS profit, This aroused
Mr., Clark keenest satire and invec
tive, The attitude Of the United States
under that policy justified the European
powers In saying that since this country
had given up the preposterous doctrines
of ono James Monroe, 1t would invite II
into the ancient, II not honorable, order
Of land grabbers, and because II had u
lusty appetite 1t should have the largest
juiciest richest piece when they divided
up the Old World,
Fruits Of what Mr. Clark called i'm.
peralism were seen IN the vast ex
penditures for the military service, Civ.
ing the figures Of appropriations for the
past two years.
Mr., Lacy Of Iowa enquired II he had
not claimed that his party had dragged
the Republican party and Administra
ton into this troubleY
Mr., Clark-No, sir; not this trouble
IL said that the Democrats took the
Republicans by the neck and the scrun
OF the breeches and dragged them into
the Spanish war, But this Is diferen,
from the Philippine war, Congress
carried the Spanish war to n glorious
conclusion, and II It resulted In nothing
! more than the glory II gave George
Dewey, and Winfield Scott Schley, 1
was worth every dollar II cost Blu
Congress never authorized the Philip
pine war, and 1t ought to stop II. -
Another fruit, he said, "was tn,
payment Of tribute to petty despot II
u spasm Of virtue this Honse tool
Brigham II, Roberts and set him out II
tho cold, cold world because he hat
three wives. The real argument sgains
Roberts, Mr., Clark said, had neve
been stated on the floor, II was tn
Democratic principle u equal rights b
all and special privileges to none
| Laughter by an arrangement wit