Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-02-23
CLARK'S BLUNDER,

OSOSraIiC party ana press have
been very urgent and insistent adyo-
Gates of the doctrine of reciprocity in
connection with the tariff. This doc
trine they have construed to mean the
same thing as free trade or tariff for
revenue only-the pet theories of their
party. When President Taft ne0otiat-
cd the reciprocity treaty with Canada a
general shout of approval was sent forth
by the Democratic leadership and press.
The disposition of some Republicans to
Withhold their approval of the measure
was severely criticised by its Democrat
&c advocates. When the treaty came
up in the House of Representatives for
ratification by that body the Hon.
Champ Clark, the selected Speaker of
the next House and the chosen leader
OF the Democracy in that body, made an
exhibition of himself that very seriously
called in question his capacity for lead
ership or the sincerity of his followers
who claimed to be for the treaty. In
his speech advocating the adoption of
the treaty he went out of his way to
announce himself an advocate CT annex
ing Canada to the United States. He
boldly declared:
81 look forward to the time when
the American flag will fly over
every square foot of British North
America, up to the North Pole.
THE people of Canada are of our
own blood and our language. If
the treaty of 1854 had never been
aorogated our countries would be
much further advanced than now
toward this end"
These remarks of Mr.. Clark may DOS
sibly result in Canada withdrawing its
approval of the treaty. The annexa-
ton suggested by the Democratic
statesman gave the British and Cana
dian politicians who are opposed to the
treaty strong weapon to use in secur-
ing its defeat. This became apparent
to the President, and he found it neces-
sary to Immediately make known to the
world that the idea of annexation never
was thought of by this government
when the treaty was being negotiated.
When Mr.. Clark found himself a sub
ject for severe criticism, not only in
Canada and England but as well in the
United States by those who were friend
ly to the treaty, he endeavored to es-
cape from the undesirable position in
which he had placed himself by assert
ing that his remarks were only intended
to be taken as humorous.
This is very unreasonable and alb
surd explanation of the language he
used There is nothing in the words or
thoughts he employed that even squints
at humor. The first paragraph might
be explained as a sample of the florid
rhetoric which is so frequently used by
Democratic orators when they seek to
sway the public mind with sentiment
rather than logic. But the second par
agraph, which we quote above, shows
that Mr.. Clark was not even travelling
In the field of fancy when he announced
his belief and desires, but was striving
to impress his hearers with what he
thought to be logical facts.
Mr.. Clark has not previously beld a
record for being entirely sincere and
truthful in his tariff utterances. We
recall the fact that when he he was
temporary chairman of the National
Democratic Convention at Kansas City
ne declared that it was untrue that he
or other Democrats had ever been in
favor of free trade. This statement
was crontroverted by Mr.. Clark's
speech when he was urging the enact
ment of the Wilson tariff bill. Then he
declared that if he could have his wav
he would tear down every customs
house in the United States.
Mr.. Clark's explanation of his re-
marks on the reciprocity treaty is not
very plausible and does not speak very
veil of his capacity for supreme leader
hip.