The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-08-29
Speaker Of House Emphatically
Answers Address of ExeCu-
tive at H a milton,
Mass, Meeting
SAYS TAFT IS UNCRATfFUL
Declares Head Of Nation Played Poli-
tics on Reciprocity and DEM
Gratis obeyed Wishes of
People on Tariff.

Quincy, ILL.,. Aug. 29-Champ Clark
today replied emphatically to Presi-
dent Taft's speech of defiance 10 the
insurgent Republicans and Democrats.
delivered at Hamilton, Mass, last Sat-
urday.
In a signed interview the speaker
accused the president of not stating
the facts. He said he did not reply
for the insurgent Republicans. who
mo doubt will take up cudgels in their
own behalf" He declared that If the
tariff board is not used as pretext for
delaying tariff revision downward, the
Democrats will cut off its supplies.
president Taft's speech" said
Clark, "can only be described as re-
markable when the history of the re-
cent past is taken into consideration.
The president and l are personal
friends. / would say nothing unkind
about him, but l cannx and will not
permit his personal structures and his
bald mis-statement of historical facts
to go unchalenged.
Says Taft is Ungrateful.
MY observation and experience
prove to my mind that Senator La
Toilette and the insurgents are able
to take care of themselves. The presi-
dents criticism of Mr.. Underwood and
myself. which was essentially criticism
of all Democrats, is absolutely uncall-
ed for and is as ungrateful perform
ance as / can remember; for If il had
not been for the action of the Demo-
Gratis in the House lining up almost
unanimously in favor OF reciprocity he
would have been the most thoroughly
discredited and Inundated president
since the days Of Andrew Johnson.
The president says we did not play
politics about reciprocity but that we
did play politics about the tariff.
Taft Played Politics.
"The only politics we played was to
keep the faith of the people. If any
politics was played on reciprocity, the
president himself played il, and per-
sonal at that He seems to think we
ought to have adjourned as soon as re-
ciprocity was disposed of, that is he
seems to think Congress is composed of
a lot of school boys to be ordered about
by him as head teacher; but he was
forewarned by Underwood and myself
that If he called the extraordinary ses-
sion we would pass tariff bills and such
other bills as the Democrats deemed
advisable. He will nor deny that state
ment We cheerfulN meet him on the
wool issue.
Didn't Advocate Board.
1--WE stand for the best interests of
the Masses he stands for the hand
ful Of protected tariff barons and by
his veto enables them to continue to
levy unjust and e Aurhitant tribute up
on the consumers OF the land. He ap-
pears to hope that consumers win kiss
his hand. which is the hand that smote
them sorely.
"The president endeavors to convey
the impression that Mr. Underwood
and / advocated his tariff commission.
We did no such thing What Under
wood and / did advocate. and vote for.
was a board of tariff experts. to be
governed by and made responsive to
the House i'm general. We were never
III idNbi VI a. Adill nOtIu OF tOnllllS-
sion under the control of the president
alone. and responsive to him only The
presidents tariff board is composed of
able and well informed men i'm a gen.
eral way. but as far as / have been
able TO learn are not experts
Members Well Posted.
"On the other hand several members
Of the House have spent half of their
lifetime studying and debating the tar
iff The service Of some OF the House
and Senate members even goes back to
the Mckinley bill, the Springer bill.
the Mills bill and the Morrison hill.
Then why should we wait for the YER
dict OF the presidents board of tariff
experts? He signed the outrage
Gus Payne Aldrich tarfff bill without
the counsel, advice or tuition of any
tariff board whatever"