New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-22
SAY DEFEAT WILL
HELP THE PRESIDENT
Certain "OId Guard Republic
cans Take This View OF
Canada'S Election.
NOW AGREE WITH Mr.. TAI
Most Insurgents Believe Their
Position Has Been Strength
ened - Some Blame
Speaker for Result.

OpSdhcI iOi RCouie'
WASHINGTON. Sept. 21.-The question
which is agitatng leaders OF pohucai
parties throughout the United states
tonight is how their fortunes IN
the approaching national campaign VIII
be affected by to-day's defeat OF the
Laurier government and Canadian reel
procity. Ii Is evident that the replies
will be as varied in character as were
the political views OF those who fought
over the question at the special session
Of Congress.
Official Washington closely followed
the returns from Canada tonight, pu'
remained silent as the figures poured III
showing that the Laurier party had oeen
defeated and reciprocity rejected. Ac''
ing Secretary Huntington Wilson OF the
state Department declined to make any
statement. and there was no other hisH
oC.cial here in position to DISCUSS th'
situation. The unofficial view was ula'
as Canada had rejected the agreement
there was nothing for the administration
to do but to make the best OF the mat
ter"
That the rejection Of the CANADIAN
agreement will have a strong bearing OF
the campaign Of President Taft for re-
nomination and reelection is asserted
some of the "old guard Republicans
who supported the agreement "aSaihs
their better Judgment are saying Una
its defeat will strengthen the tart al
miristratlon by removing the only ISSUE
IN which they were in disagreement viii
the President. Most OF The Insurgeh
Republicans opposed the agreement an'
they believe their position has been maze
much stronger by the result OF the eiec'
ton i'm Canada to-day
Some of the friends W the Canadian
agreement do not hesitate to charge the
Canadian defeat Of the Laurier govern
ment to the annexation bogie.' one
of the excuses for this issue was sug'
gcsted by a speech Of Champ Clark. OF
Missouri. now Speaker Of the House
which he delivered In favor OF the
agreement during the last session of the
61st Congress, when the agreement was
passed by the House and held up by the
Senate. Mr.. Clark was making a plea
for wider market and IN giving his
reasons for supporting the Canadian
agreement said:
Il am for IT, because | hope TO see the
day when the American flag will float
over every square foot Of the British
North American possessions clear to the
North Pole. They are people Of our
blood. They speak our language. Their
institutions are much like ours. They
are trained in the difficult art of self
government. My judgment is that if
the treaty of 1854 had never been abrO-
gated the chances Of a consolidation OF
these two countries would have been
much greater than they are now
The Canadian press, or at least nc
small part of il, accepted Mr.. Clark's
statement as a confession that the real
motive Of the United Stass was to pro-
mote annexation. In vain Mr.. Clark eX-
planned that the remark was semi
jocular." although representing his per
sonal desire. He said he spoke for nc
one but himself, and that he merely eX-
pressed Il hope TO which he had given
utterance many times in the past. The
chance remark was one of the chief ar
guments used in the Canadian campaign
by the opponents Of the agreement.
Added importance to Mr.. Clark's re-
mark was given when he was later elect
ed Speaker, and as such became the leader
of his party. Many persons because o
these circumstances, We're tonight at
tributing the political downfall Of tn,
Premier of the Canadian government tC
the Speaker Of the American House o
Representatives.