Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-08-24
Speaker Clark and Minority
Leader Mann Talk.
FORMER LAUDS ACHIEVEMENTS
Tells OF Constructive Legislation
Passed, While Chicago Man Says
Much More Could and Should
Have Been Done.

Washington, Aug. 23 - Statements
by the leaders of the two political
parties, making claims of things &C
complished or decrying the work of
the other side, are usual at the END
of each session of congress.
The closing Of the extra session was
not an exception to the rule Speak
er Clark told of the great things the
Democrats have done, or think they
have done and Representative Mann,
minority leader, gave out an interview
pouring the hot criticism upon the ma
jority. 1t sounded as if a good old
fashioned political campaign was I'm.
der way.
Here is part of what Mr.. Clark said:
''At this session, the Democrats
have made a record which has sur
prised our friends and dumfounded
our enemies, 1t has put heart and
hope into Democrats everywhere,
"Sneered at for years as a party of
mere negation, and as being utterly
lacking in ability for constructive
house more constructive legislation
ahG better, than has passed through
any house in the same length of time
in twenty years.
I'VE redeemed every promise made
in order to carry the elections in
1910. We have economical, we passed.
the reciprocity bill, the wool tariff
bill, the free list bill, the cotton bill,
with the senate amendments, which
Included the iron and steel schedules,
and the chemical schedule. We sub
mitted for ratification a constitution
al amendment providing for popular
election of senators Of the United
States; we passed a bill for the pub
licatiOn of campaign expenses before
the election; we liberalized the rules
making the committees elective by the
house; we passed a resolution to ad-
nit New Mexico and Arizona and We
passed a large number of other bills
of more or less importance. 1t is
record of which we may we'll be proud,
and on which We will sweep the coun-
try in 1912"
Here is what Representative Mann
said in part:
THE Democrats in the house would
have been wise if they had confined
the special session to the considera-
ton of the reciprocity bill only. In
stead of that they set about to show
how they could bungle legislation
They fought against publicity Of
primary election expenses until we
strangled them into yielding. They
nearly defeated statehood for Arizona
by insisting that congress give prac-
teal approval to recall of the judges
They prepared tariff bills without
knowledge either of form or sub
stance. They brought tariff bills in
grotesque form with plain avowal
that they neither knew nor cared what
the effect might be on the industries
of the country, and planted themselves
squarely upon a platform against pro-
lection and in favor of a tariff for rev
enue, only without even knowing what
the effect on the revenue would be.
"While entering upon the domain Of
tariff legislation they have refused to
consider other needed legislation
They refused to take up pension laws
They declined to consider a bill fixing
the tolls on the Panama canal, mat
ter of urgent importance We were
unable to force them TO take up con
servatiOn LEGISLATION End especially
bills to protect and utilize the re.
sources of Alaska"