Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-20
OPPONENTS ON DEFENSIVE
Republican Split he Declares to Be
His Party's Opportunity.
STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION
Reciprocity Bill Passed, Not to
Please Taft, But to Lower
the Tariff.

2o.-"Triumphant democracy is now
the reeounding theme Of every tongue.
After seventeen years OF wandering in
the wilderness we this day stand upon
Mount Victory and look into the prom-
Used land which we will enter and pos-
sess in 1912" So declared Champ
Clark, Speaker Of the national House
OF Representatives, in an address here
today. Mr.. Clark was born near Law
renceburg. March Z. 1850. and until
today had not been there since he
taught q country school.
Continuing his message TO democracy,
the Speaker said:
Democrats everywhere are cheerful
hopeful. confident. united and aggressive
while our republican friends are sad.
hopeless. Respondent. on the defensive
and split into bitter factions constantly
at each others throats. From ocean
to ocean they are fighting each other
like the cats OF Kilkenny. President
wn. saas Robert ns Msran La
lette-'Ffghting Bob as his followers
love to call him--heads tho insurgents.
With them II Is war to the knife and
the knife to the hilt
No Standing Still.
They are SO thoroughly destroying
each other that sometimes II seems
that all we have to do is to stand still
and see the salvation of the Lord, but
wise democrats are not In favor OF
standing still or OF depending on re-
publican factionalism to give US the
victory next year. On the contrary, we
should continue as we have begun.
press forward. advance our banners.
keep everlastingly pounding them, pass
more good bills until we have car
ried out our entire program and force
the President to sign or veto meritori-
GUS democratic measures. which are de-
signed to promote the prosperity, nap
piness and safety of the American
people. That is a policy which VIII
win and which deserves to win.
1.-THE greatest statesman that ever
lived. bar none. Thomas Jefferson said:
Eternal vigilance Is the price or
liberty. 1t is also the price OF sue
cess at the polls. I commend IL most
cheerfully and earnestly to democrats
all over the land"
Mr.. Clark reviewed conditions in both
parties. referred to the democratic vic
tory OF 1910 and the various congress
sional fights. and said that had the re-
estly redeemed the promises made In the
campaign OF 1908 to revise the tariff
downward they would have made their
party invincibIe and would have secured
Of the people without regard to party
Affiliations are honest. and they demand
honesty and candor in public men.
zone Of the chief reasons why we won
IN 1910 was that the democrats and
insurgent republicans in Congress kept
constantly hammer1ng on the broken
promises OF the republican standpatters,
on their .sross perfidy to their pledges
and on their scorn Of the righteous de-
mands of the people. We appealed to tha
country on that record, and won An ass
tonishing victory. which. let US hope. 10
only the beginning Of long series OF
victories for lower taxes. for greater
economies and for better government.
Splendid House Record.
"The new democratic House has made
a record so splendid as to surprise our
friends and dumbfound our enemies. No
House has In a generation achieved so
much constructive legislation Of such a
beneficial character in SO short a time.
notwithstanding the fact that we had
been sneered at for years as being a
party OF mere negation and utterly desti-
tute OF constructive craftsmanship. That
sneer Is now frozen on the faces of the
sneers. That gibe disturbs nobody any
more.
"The great battle of 1912 must he
fought on the splendid record of the
democrats in this Congress. and upon that
record we can win not only next year.
out IOT years 10 COIHS
DUTY is the sublimest word in our
vocabulary. To do ones duty honestly.
faithfully. courageously and periodically
is the greatest achievement in states
manship or in any other field of human
endeavor. To their eternal credit be ic
said that the democrats of the Sixty-sec-
ond Congress at the extraordinary ses-
sion discharged their duty to the utmost
and deserve well OF the country"
Mr.. Clark reviewed some of the party
accomplishments, and said: What We
did at the extraordinary session is only
an earnest Of what we will accomplish
at the next two regular sessions.
I'VE did not pass the reciprocity bill n
please President Taft but because II
will help to lower the tariff. But de
fective as II is, the reciprocity bill Is
step in the right direction-that is. in
the direction of reducing the high pro-
tective tariff TO a revenue basis That's
one reason why democrats supported II.
Another reason ia that we believe II will
benefit the American people, and at the
same time benefit our Canadian neigh
ruthlessly q power which King George v
could not exercise without being driven
out Of the three kingdoms, vetoed NOT
only our farmers free list bill and ouf
tariff bills. but also the joint resolutioQ
admitting Arizona and New Mexico"
Referring to President Taft's veto OF
the various tariff bills. Mr.. Clark said
His action makes II clear as the SUM
shining at midday in q cioudless sky
that the people can hope for no RELIEF
from tariff extortions at the hands OF
the republican party. but must look to
US for relief from the monstrous load