The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-02-16
PRESIDENT AsToNlsHEO THAT
CLARK SHOULD DISCUSS AN.
NExATioN FEATURE.
NO UNION CONTEMPLATED
Nations Executive Says the Negotia-
tors Of the Reciprocity Agreement
Had No Thought in Mind as Re-
CARDS Some Time Adding Canada to
the United States.

Washington, Feb. l5.--The semi
jocuar remarks which Champ Clark.
the house yesterday IN the debate on
the Canadian reciprocity agreement.
| that he believed the stars and stripes
would one day float over the entire
western hemisphere, stirred up most
unexpected trouble ,oday. President
| Taft took occasion % write to Repre-
sentative Mccall. introduccr of the
reciprocity bill. disclaiming and depre-
eating the annexation talk. and to fol-
low 1t IN with personaf talk even more
| emphatic To his visitors.
The news that Mr. Clarks illusions
had created excitement in Canada and
IN England occasoncd great surprise
and considerable amusement mt the
capitol The man most surprised of all
was Mr.. clark himself.
Mr.. clarl'a entire speech on reel
procity yesterday was delivered In half
humorous. half-tauntng vein. The
house was In n gale of laughter most
OF the time. In return for the laughs
he was creating Mt their expense, some
of the republicans tried to turn the
tables on Mr.. Clark by chiding him
with the fact that he might have Pres
ident Taft as an opponent for the dem
ocratic nomination for president.
Humorous Exchange.
This humorous exchange reflected
the spirit Of the debate during the time
AIR Clark was on his feet and no one
gave serious consideration to his re-
marks regarding the possible annexa-
tion Of canada. They regarded his
statements In the nature Of compli-
ment to the Canadian people. In that
he would be glad to see the friendship
| that exists at present between the Ca
nadians and the people of the United
| States SO ripen In the future that all
might some day be under one flag.
There was further touch of face
iiousness to the debate when one of the
republicans asked Nh. Clark If he would
like to be the first president of the
magnificent union he was creating. and
he replied. amid burst Of laughter.
that he certainly would.
| The excitement abroad was attrlb-
uted at the capitol today In part 10
the fact that several English and Ca
madam newspaper correspondents were
| IN the press gallery following the de-
bate when Mr. Clark spoke. His re-
marks may have appealed to them as
the most important feature Of the story
and have cabled accordingly. IN "skel-
etoniZing' his remarks for cable pur-
poses. the semi humorous character Of
the debate probably was entirely lost
sight Of.
Friends of the reciprocity measure
were inclined to take the view that
opponents of the agreement had sim
ply seized upon what was regarded here
as an entirely personal and unless
statement to make capital against the
ratification of the agreement,
A declaration similar to that made
by Mr.. Clark was contained In the
opening speech last Monday In favor
of the reciprocity bill in the house de-
liyered by Representative Hill of Con-
necticut, member of the ways and
means committee and member of the
administration party. This speech,
widely reported in the American pa :
pers. caused not ripple so far as its
| annexation senlli1sHlS were tDHtsFiieh
Mr.. Hill also quoted from a speech
made a few years ago by Speaker Can
non, In which he not only took Canada
In under the American flag but pro-
posed to make the entire western hem
isphere into one country.
Democratic leaders particularly were
pleased today over the passage of the
Mccall bill Representative Under
wood of Alabama, minority leader
Clarls's chief lieutenant, said the action
of the house foreshadoWed democratic
i victory I'm the national elections In 1912
He said the republicans, by theil
vote. showed that they were as badly
split up as the democrats were in thu
last session of congress during thu
Cleveland administration. Speaker
Cannon, Republican Whip Dwight
Chairman DalZell Of the rules commit.
tee and other leaders of the republican
party In the house We're among those
who stood out against the administra,
ton program, and the democratic lead
ers figured that this split In the ranks
augmented well for democratic success
Ranking tho Liberals.
Toronto Ont, Feb. 15.-Champ Clark,
remarks in the house of representa-
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