The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-06
STATEMENT
By Champ Clark, Democratic. Minority
Leader.

The old saying that habit Is second
nature was never more strikingly illus
trated than by the fact that many news
papers-generaIly Republican or near
Republicsn-and more individuals keep
mounting about the dissensions among
House Democrats, and the perfect unity
among House Republicans, nOtwith-
standing the truth known of all men
who care TO know it that the House
Democrats came out OF the tariff fight
more thoroughly united on that ques-
ton than they have been in a genera
ton, and the Republicans came out Of
il worse shattered than ever before.
Some papers, either through careless
ness or malice. have gone so far as to
say that had the Democrats not been
absent in large numbers impaired VIC
would have defeated the conference re
port on the tariff bill. There isn't a
syllable of truth in it. and to so charge
is either unadulterated malice or erimi-
nal negligence
Vote Confirms Statement.
Now mark how plain tale win put
them down: Upon nv motion last spring
TO recommIt the Payne bill with instruc-
tion-which instructions constitute a
comprehensive Democratic platform, so
far as the tariff Is Commonwealth Demo
Gratis voted for it except four. On the
Payne bill itself, voted on Immediately
after my motion TO recommit was de-
feated,. the Republicans lost one vote.
and the Democrats last four. a net loss
TO the Democrats Of three-a more
nearly unanimous Democratic vote than
has bean cast on a tariff bill In a gen
Grafton.
True. that on SINE Of the items a few
Democrats few the track. but so did
more Republicans.
Let's examine into the comparative
unity among Democrats and Republic
ans On Mr.. Payne's motion TO recon-
nit the conference report ali the Demo-
Gratis except one voted for II and twenty
Republicans voted with US. so that the
Republican machine was victorious by
only nVe aJOrity, although they had a
majority OF fOrty-flVe in the House. On
that vote there were absent six Demo-
Gratis and five Republicans Among the
absentees four Democrats were paired
with four Republicans, leaving two
Democrats and one Republican absent
without pairs. If the two Democrats
absent without pairs had been present
and had voted with us, we would have
been deieated by three votes. Had the
one Democrat who voted with the Re
publlcans also voted with US. we would
SIM nave ANrEli uElEdLEl DN one NULf-
On that vote TO recOmmlt the conference
report the Democrats voted more solidly
than they ever voted on any Ntariff
question since the close OF the civil war.
while the Republicans were worse
split up.
On the vote on the adoption Of the
conference report the House machine
won. by twelve majority only. There
we're absent six Democrats and four
Republicans. As on the motion 10 re-
commit, four Democrats were paired
with four Republicans, and two Demo
Gratis were absent without pairs and
Two Democrats voted with the Repub-
hcans.
Close Call For Machine.
II the two impaired Democrats had
been present and voted with us. the
machine majority would have been re-
duced 10 ten; and If the two Democrats
who voted with the Republicans had
also voted with Us, the machine ma
jority would have been reduced to six
That was a close call for the machine.
but nothing could have been done to