Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-08-29
Speaker Holds Democrats
Saved Him From Pub
lie Humiliation
ON RECIPROCITY BILL
President RoundIy Criticised
for Statements on Political
Phase of Congress.

Quincy, Ill, Aug. 29.-Champ
Clark today replied emphaticalIy 70
President TarU-s speech of defiance
70 the insurgent republicans and
democrats, delivered at Hamilton,
Mass. last Saturday. In a signed in
Jery.ew, the speaker accused the
president Of not stating the facts. He
said he did not reply for the insur-
gent republicans. who no doubt Will
take up the cudgels in their own be
half" He declared that if the tar
n board is TO be used as a party for
delaying tariff revision downward,
the democrats viii cut of its sup
plies.
HISTORY IL MISSTATED.
President Taft's speech said
Clark, can only be described as re-
markable, when the history of the
recent past is taken into considera-
ton. The president and l are per
sonal friends. I would say nothing
unkind about him. but l cannot and
will not permit his personal stric-
lures and his bald misstatements Of
historical facts to go unchallenged
My observation and experience prove
10 my liiAilu ina s'tlAttNtl La y 'Al'Lla
and the insurgents are able to take
care of themselves.
AN UNGRATEFTL PERFORMANCE.
The pres dents criticism of Mr..
Underwood and myself. which is es-
sentiaiIy a criticism of all democrats,
is absolutely unCalled for and is as
ungrateful a performance as l can
remem Der. for, II IL had not been for
the action~of the democrats in the
house lining up almost unanimously
in favor OF reciprocity he would have
been the most thoroughly discredited
and humiliated president since the
DAYS OF Andrew Jackson. The pres
ident says we did not play politics
about reciprocity. but that We did
play politics about tariff. The only
politics we played was to keep faith
with the people.
CONGRESS NOT SCHOOL BOYS.
'If any politics was played on reci-
procity the president himself played
il, in person at that. He seemed to
think we ought TO have adjourned as
soon as reciprocity was disposed of,
that is be 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 both
by Underwood and myself that II he
called the extraordinary session, we
would pass tariff bills and such other
bills as the democrats deemed advis-
able. He will not deny that state
ment-
STANDS FOR TARIFF BARONS.
I'VE cheerfuily meet him on the
wool issue. We stand for the best
interests of the masses; he stands for
a handful OF protected tariff barons,
and by his veto enables them TO con-
tinue TO levy an unjust and exorbi-
tant tribute upon the consumers Of
the land. He appears to hope that
the consumers will kiss his hand.
which is the hand that smote them
sorely. The president endeavors 20
convey the impression that Mr.. Tn
derwood and I advocated his tariff
commission. We did no such thing.
What Underwood and I did advocate
and vote for, was a board of tariff
experts to be governed by and made
responsive TO the house in general
NEVER FOR CONTROLLED BOARD.
We were never in favor Of a tar
III board or commission under con-
troll OF the president alone and re-
sponsiye 20 him only. The president
tarin board is composed OF able and
well informed men, n a general way,
but as far as have been able TO
learn they are not experts. On the
other hand several members of the
house have spent half of their life
time studying and debating The tar
III. The service OF some house and