The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-06
Mr.. CLARK'S SOLICI4UDE
The Missouri Congressman's SYM
pathy for America.
He Dcprccntcs the Tendency Of the
President to tsurp Legislative
Eunctions-Congrcss ~ Mere Cash
Rcgistcr-Thc Judiciary Trying 10
Run the Politics of the Country.

While the House was considering the
Diplomatic and Consular Appropriation bill
yesterday Mr. Clark of Missouri took oc-
casion to make one of his characteristic
speeches. He devoted his somewhat
lengthy remarks almost entirely to the
Philippine question. In order. he said.
that there might be no misunderstanding
he would read statement of principles
regarding the subject.
Among the principles set forth were the
following:
"A man does not have to be an idiot in
order to be patriot.
"A man is not a traitor because he Is
opposed to those things which ieoPardize
the life of the Republic.
AN American is not a pessimist be-
cause he is unwilling to see his country
adopt as settled policy the political
principles OF Alexander, Caesar, and Ma
poieon.
in the hands of political jobbers the
American flag. like the mantle OF charity.
will be made to cover multitude of sins.
Il don't care a baubee about Aguinaldo
and the Filipinos. My sympathy, my
heart, my solicitude goes out to Ameii-
cans.
II think more-far more-of the lber-
ties of my children than of all the trade
of all the earth. would like TO have
them bo;h rich and free; but of the two
/ would rather leave them free-free to
labor, free to work out their own career,
free to sympathize with and TO help all
people everywhere struggling for, liberty.
Il would not give the life of one
healthy, moral, patriotic. ambitious Amer
ican white boy in exchange for all the
Filipinos who now live or will live in the
archipelago this side of the great resur-
rection day"
1t had been said that we got the Philip
pines. Mr.. Clark continued and the ques-
tion was what are We going to do with
them. The answer. he said. was for Con-
gress TO determine, but it had beer abdi-
eating its functions, apparently waiting for
the evolution of policy by the President.
In the days of reconstruction Congress
usurped executive powers until the presi
dency was reduced to a nullity; now the
President had usurped legislative functions
until the Congress had become merely
cash register for the executive department.
Member-Do you like it?
Mr.. Clarll-I do not like 1t. ] 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 Id been made. Mr.. Clark
said, that no party had ever accomplished
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 con-
firmation of which he recited the history
of the Democratic and 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 a decision by Chief JUS
tice Marshall. in which il was stated that
the powers of Congress over territories
was limited 20 the exercise OF those tunc-
tions which would be served by fitting them
for entrance into the Union as States. He
defied anyone TO state that it was the in
tention to admit the Philippines as States.
And yet, he continued. II the Philippines
were held by the United States and the
time ever came that the legislative and
executive departments were in control of
the same 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 1t did not make any difference which
party was in power.
Mr.. Clark said that he hoped the time
would never come, as II had not yet, that
President Mckinley was the State. He
was wrong in this matter of the Philip
ufupc. ba SinDed against light and kunxl-
edge. and the people would overcome him
under the Constitution and the laws. Two
reasons had been given, he said, why the
United States should engage in this Phil
ippine crusade. One was that 1t was the
duty of the United States to carry the
blessings OF liberty to the uttermost parts
of the earth. Il deny it," he said, ''ut-
terly deny il. 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's keenest satire and inyective. 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 one James
Monroe, it would Invite II into the ancient
il not honorable. order of land grabbers,
and because il had a lusty appetite, il
should have the largest. juieiest, richest
piece when they divided up the Old World
Fruits of what Mr.. Clark called imperial
ism were seen in the vast expenditures for
the military service. giving the figures of
appropriations for the past two years.
Mr. Lacey OF Iowa enquired il he had not
claimed that his party had dragged the
Republican party and Administration into
this trouble?
Mr.. Clark-No, sir: not this trouble. I
said that the Democrats took the Republic
cans by the neck and scruff OF the breeches
and dragged them into the Spanish war
But that is different from the Philippine
war. Congress carried the Spanish war TO
a glorious conclusion, and il it resulted
in nothing more than the glory it gave
George Dewey, and Winfield Scott SchIey.
1t was worth every dollar il cost. But
Congress never authorized the Philippine
war. and 1t ought to stop it,"
Another fruit, he said, was the payment
of tribute to a petty despot. In spasm
of virtue this House took Brigham H.
Roberts and set him out in the cold cold
world. because he had three wives. : he
real Argument against Roberts, Mr. Clark
said. had never been stated on the floor
II was the Democratic principle of equal
rights to all and special privileges to none
tLaughter.l [ By an arrangement with the
Sultan Of Sulu. who has 900 wives. this
Administration Is committed TO his sup
mort and to that of the keeper of his
iiarem. I'VE virtuous Democrats Joined
you virtuous Republicans to throw out a
Democratic Representative: we now ask
you virtuous Republicans TO join us vir-
tuous Democrats and keep out a Republi-
can official" [Applause.l
Mr.. Clark said he was not an antl-eX-
pansionist per Sc. for he believed in taking
every foot OF British North American ter
ritory. In conclusion, he reviewed the his
tory of nations from Greece TO the present
day. TO show that their downfall dated
from their expansion into unnecessary and
unhealthful territory.