Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-02-24
ANNEXATION Plan
SECUTED BY TAFT;
CLARK FAvORS II
Minority Leaders Remarks
Taft Declares, Are Likely
to Prove Vexing.

FlcIAh NaA.-,l
that Representative Champ Clark
should have injected into the reciproc-
ity discussion of the House yesterday
any thought about the annexation or
Canada.
The White House is said to regard
the remarks of Mr.. Clark as most un-
fortunate, and the president has made
1t known that he would like to have
1t understood throughout the world
that his administration had no thought
whatever of annexation when the reci~
procity agreement was arranged.
The president, it is said, is hopefuf
that the people of this country, Can.
d n Great Britain, will look upon
the speech of Mr.. Clark merely as the
expression of an individual who, in the
sentiment, does not represent the dem
ocratic party or any party in this
country.
Taft Writes a Letter.
In reply to Representative Clark's
statements, President Taft sent a let
ter today to Representative Mccall, or
Massachusetts, whose name the reci>
procity bill bears, declaring that Can
d is now and will remain a politicai
unit" The letter in full follows:
II write to congratulate you sim
rerely on the passage through the
House of the Mccall bill, cnacting ntO
legislation the reciprocity agreement
with Canada. l sincerely hope it will
pass the Senate and become a part OF
Our statutes.
This agreement, if it becomes a
law. has no political significance. No
thought of future political annexation
Or union was in the mind of the nego-
tiaturs on either side. Canada is now
and viii remain a political unit.
II am very sure that If this agree,
men becomes a law, it viii inure to
the great social and economic benefit
If both countries"
Ciark's Own Mere Opinion.
The annexation doctrine was
preached by Representative Clark,
gpeaker-apparent of the next House,
IN the course of his speech in the
House yesterday in favor Of the agree
ment. He said:
II I'M for it because l hope to see
the day when the American flag will
float over every square foot of the
BritiSh-North American possessions
clear to the north pole. They are peo.
pie of our blood. They speak our Ian
guage; their institutions are much like
ours; they are trained in the difficult
art of self-government. My judgment
Is that if the treaty of 1854 had never
been ~abrogated the chances of a con-
solidation of these two countries would
have been much greater than they are
now"
John Bull Might Consent.
Asked whether that would have a
tendency to preserve peace with Great
Britain, Mr.. Clark said:
Why, certainly it will. / have no
doubt whatever that the day is not
far distant when Great Britain will
3oyfully see all her North American
possessions become a part of this re-
public. That is the way things are
tending now"
Reciprocity with Canada, which to-
day became the principal question be.
fore the Senate, is believed to depend
on whether the opposition will resort
to flibuster to defeat It.
x Is the best Judgment OF Senata
leaders that If the Mccall bill to carry
out the provisions of the Canadian.
agreement is permitted to reach a vote
at this session the Senate will pass ii
by as decisive a vote as was recorded
for it in the House last night.
The Mccall bill was sent to Senate
today and, after lying on the clerks
desk for q short time, was sent to the
nan committee. This gives to that
committee control of the whole subject
There was no demonstration of any
character over the receipt of the bill or
It's reference to committee. 1t is be.
lieved to have been determined beyond
any doubt that the bill will not be hung
In the nan committee. Although a
majority of the republican members, as
we'll as at least two of the democratic
members. are known to be opposed to
IT, it is said the committee feels hat
courtesy to he president demands
that 1t be reported to the Senate.
1t was said today that a specia,
meeting of the committee probably
would be called for Friday to consider
h agreement. BY reason of the
absence of Senator Aldrich the session
will be presided owed by Senator Bur-
rows. 1t Is known that the Michigan
xnnrohar 10 pnnnGa6 RI tho opraapoant
and that he will be joined by Senator's
Hale, McCumber and Bailey, and prob.
ably by Senators Smoot, Flint and
Simmons.
Adverse Report Possible.
If all indicated should vote in com
mittee against the Mccall bill. it would
be reported to the Senate adversely.
"A report on the bill, however. is all
that would be needed to get it before
the Senate. The current prediction to-
day was that the bill would be sent
TO the Senate about the middle Of next
week, and that it would make little
difference whether it was by favorable
or adverse report of the committee.
Feeling that there are enough votes
In the Senate to pass the bill, by reason
of the almost solid democratic support
that is certain to be given it. the re-
publicans who oppose the measure may
decide that the objections are sufficient
W JuSkliy d ltIibNiSlCis wei ~ III lSCC
of a probable extra session of congress,
if a vote is denied.
There is much difference of opinion
In the Senate as to whether the pres
tdent would call an extra session
should the Senate fail to act on the
commercial agreement. Many senators
are asking their colleagues whether
President Taft has said positively
whether he would call the Senate in
extra session, but apparently there is
no one who feels competent to answer
the question.
An extra session is regarded by
s~tandpatters as a thing to be avoided
If possible and especially as there will
be a democratic Hous after March 4,
which might want to revise the tariff
along the line. III such should be the
attitude of a democratic House, ii
would meas a session lasting all sum
mer and perhaps running over into
the next regular session
-
RECIPROCITY BoBs UP
IN HOUSE OF COMMONS
London, Feb. 16.--The American
Canadian reciprocity agreement came
LrA