The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-12-06
CHAMP CLARK TALKS
ON PUBLIC QUESTIONS
The Next Speaker of the Lower House Gives Reasons
for Republican Defeat and Tells What Democrats
Expect to Do in the Way of Legislation During the
Present Session of Congress-

Washington, D. c., Dec. Champ
Clark. who probably will be the next
speaker of the house, was today ask
ed to answer several questions and
his replies follow:
Question What cause or causes
chiefly brought about the republican
defeat? Was the cause of high liv-
ing the most pertinent cause?
Answer-On July 5, 1910, | wrote
an elaborate interview in which / pre-
dicted a democratic victory in Nov
ember | then stated the cause OF
the democratic victory, in which |
predicted these things:
First, the enormous AMI abnormal
majority of the popular vote which
the president received, which bred
Generalization among republicans as
certainly as the rivers seek the sea.
Second, the fight in the house over
the rules, which split the republicans
into two bitterly warning factions.
Third, the widespread dissatisfac-
ton with President Taft's administra-
ton.
Fourth, the almost universal dis
satisfaction and disgust with the
Payne-Aldrich-S moot tariff bill.
Prediction Came True.
MY predictions of July 9Th was
fulfilled literally on November Sth,
and | believe was fulfilled for the rea-
sons set forth in the July interview.
OF course, minor causes operated here
and there. Local disturbances, feuds
among republicans about postofices
and other items of patronage, helped
us somewhat. The high cost of living
aided us largely, and the voters at
tributed it partly, at least, to the
tariff.
Question 2.-What should the de-
mocrats now do to retain their sue
cess?
Answer-In order to retain their
success democrats should religiously,
so far as in them lies, carry out the
promises made in order to win the
election. No other rules of conduct
" III 10 W i've ny, anu lIo man VI
party can long hold power that does
not live by it, The people are entitl-
ed to that square deal of which we
hear SO much and see so little.
Question 3.-If the democratic
party should be conservative rather
than progressive, what would be the
result TO that party?
Answer-The words conservative
and progressive" as used in the pub
LEGATIONS, speeches and conversation
OF our day are rather hazy in mean
ing and need a diagram to explain
them. Surely conservative, as APP
piled to anybody except standpat re-
publicans, does not mean that man
or a party shall occupy forever the
same position on all questions as I'M
changeable in their opinions as the
Medes and the Persians were in their
laws. Should the democrats perform
such idiotic caper as that? This is
incredible-they would not only be
relegated to their wanderings in the
wilderness, but would richly deserve
TO be so relegated. But | do not be-
lieve they will be so RELOCATED for the
all-sufficient reason that ] don5t be-
lieve that they will play the fool in
any such manner as their enemies de-
sire.
Uses of AdverSity.
Shakespeare says: Sweet are
the uses of adversely" That may or
may not be true; but surely demo-
Gratis have had enough experience in
the hard school of adversely to learn
omething-indeed, to learn a good
deal.
On the other hand, surely to be
a progressive" does not import that
g man or party shall be continually
changing solely for the sake of the
change and making what Benjamin
Disraeli once described as "a leap in
the dark" Certainly for man or
q party to be progressive" does not
mean that he or it shall advocate
every fad in legislation that is sug-
gested.
What Should Control
4 desire to promote the honor and
welfare of the country and not a
mere desire for change because it is
a change, should animate and con-
troll us i'll all We do, as we'll as in
all we refuse to do. / have no sort
of doubt that we will progress grad
ually, cautiously. wisely and trium-
phantly. So far as / have been able
to ascertain there is no earthly rea-