Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-03-10
is that the vote IL csucux tux -snessa

o Sou1c OtuSI -OSLuOcFaI CHOSEN.
This | think wholly Improbable. al
though there is very serious, senti.
menC back Of the rumor 1t would be
absolutely impossible il there should
De an extra session called to follow
Iast upon the heels of the present
congress, for in that event the dis
contented faction in the Democratic
party would have no time to get to-
gether and plan to overthrow the eau.
Gus nomination of Clark It is to be
Kept IN mind that the caucus was pure.
~ unofficial, made up in large part of
men who We're not at the time mem.
oers OF congress, though they will be
AFTER March 4. This fact affords the
maicontents plausible excuse to de-
mand hearing.
The Hon. Champ has not siren CITIZEN
ed his position with his own party
since his party honored him with the
unanimous choice for the speaker
snip. He seems to have been tact
turn when he should have been frank;
garrulous when he should have been
silent Representative tell me that
an outspoken expression of opinion
from Mr.. Clark is the hardest thing in
Washington to get. Disavowing all re-
sponslbility for the selection of heads
OF committeeman honor to which all
veteran congressman aspire-he never
tnelesS is the most influential force,
perhaps, the controlling force in the
distribution Of these coveted prizes.
To i'm of
the disgruntled ones, ''to 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 If 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 whisper
this; See Champ Clark"
Clark'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
q
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 to the
treaty. Champ Clark himself could
have done it 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, 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
adam and British, or, for that matter,
all European papers express wonder
that so 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 l can
| say something 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
1dency by just one ill-adyi5ed utter
ance. When he said, l 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
Seeks American Registry for Ships.
Congressional procedure and par
tlcularly what Gov. Woodrow Wilson
calls government by committee, occa-
s1onally brings up curious complics-
tons. There is pending before the
committee on merchant marine and
fisheries 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-
pies of the Caribbean and Spanish
main, the owners wish them trails
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