The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1911-03-09

sponsIbIlity for the selection Of heads
OF committees-an honor TO which all
veteran congressman aspire-he never
theless is the most influential force,
perhaps, the controlling force In the
distribution of these coveted prizes
But II you go to him." said ono Of
the disgruntled ones, ito urge the ap
pointment of a friend to a chairman
ship, he declares with a certain stolid
dignity that he has nothing to say
about it. Yet II you go TO one Of the
members Of the ways and means com
mittee which is supposed to be choos-
ing these committees, you get behind
closed door and hear in a whisper
this: See Champ Clark"
cIark's Annexation BIunder.
OF course the first trouble sprung
from his announcement for the annex
alton of Canada. Well, the United
States and Canada are getting along
pretty we'll as matters now stand. An
almost united Democracy in the house
stood for the treaty negotiated by a
Republican administration. All went
merry as a wedding bell until in a mo-
ment of humor or possible perfervid
oratory the Hon. Champ Clark inter
jected his proposition that the treaty
was one step toward annexation. Now,
anybody else could have done that
without awakening hostility 10 the
treaty. Champ Clark himself could
have done 1t year ago without arous-
ing more than a casual laugh, and re-
newing the old joke about twisting
the British lions tail. But today Mr..
Clark is the probable speaker of the
house, a position rightfully described
| as second in power only to that Of
president of the United States. And
furthermore he is an avowed aspirant
for the one position in our government
which Is superior to that of speaker of
the house. Is it any wonder that Can.
adian and British, or, for that matter,
all European papers express wonder
that 30 great an American statesman
should voice the views of the jingoes?
1t is not for me to collate these ex-
pressions of foreign journalistic opin.
Ion. They are being printed daily in
this and other newspapers. But can
say Lomething concerning the concen-
sus OF opinion among representatives
and senators here in Washington.
That opinion is that Mr. Clark has put
himself out of the running for the pres
idency by just one ill-advised utter.
ance. When he said, think humor
ously that the treaty was the first
step toward annexation, people won
dered what he might say In the presi.
dency If he were elected to that high
Office.
Congressional procedure and par
t1cularly what Gov. Woodrow Wilson
calls government by committee, occa-
sionally brings up curious complica-
tions. There is pending before the
committee on merchant marine and
fisheries a bill providing for the ad-
mission to American registry of seven
teen steamships, owned by the United
Fruit company and all built abroad.
They ply between United States and
| Central and South American ports,
| and are owned, just as the corporation
they serve is owned, by citizens of
this nation. Probably for reasons of
protection in the constantly arising
complications with the turbulent peo-
Piles of the caribbean and Spanish
main, the owners wish them trans
! ferred to American registry. AS the
situation now stands Great Britain
lodges responsibility for any inter-
| ference with the business of the COM
| pany or the operation Of the ships on
the plea that the company is Amer
lean: the United States avoids any re.
sponsibility by pleading that the ships
are British. And there you are. Civ
en- the right to fly the American flag,
having been bought with American
capital, managed by Americans who
| are willing to conduct them under the
somewhat burdensome navigation
laws, they would be entitled to Amer
| ican-or rather United States-protec-
ton.
Thus far this desire has been block
ed, not voted down in the house, not
even defeated by vote in the COM
mittee to which the measure was re-
| ferred That committee is overwhelD-
ingly in favor of the bill, but a minor
ity has prevented its consideration.
Some weeks ago four members, all
Republicans and spokesmen Of the
shipbuilding interests, seeing there
were enough members present to pass
the bill, slipped swiftly out of the door
to the committee room and broke a
quorum, thereby preventing any pos
slble action.
ICnnvright. 1911. by Joseph b RoMles.l