New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-19
HARD TIMES DUE TO
PLOT, SAYS CLARK
Real Cause, Tariff Revision and
Democratic IncOmpetency, De-
clares Mann in Debate.
rFrom The Tribune Bureau.

From The Tribune Bureau
Washington, Dec. 1S-With Representa-
tive Mann, the minority leader, insisting
that tariff revision and Democratic inca
pacty 10 rule had brought an era OF busi-
ness depression, and Speaker Clark con-
| tending that Republican hard times"
| conspiracy existed. the House heard
stirring debate to-day between these party
| leaders.
The "drouth" in the West. Mr.. Clark
vehemently asserted. was responsible for
whatever poor business there may pe n
| Chicago and other cities OF that region
Mr. Mann had just declared that thou
sands OF men were ont Of work In his city,
ana that while they faced starvation the
President OF the United States is lnvesu-
eating the fun at n Cardiac dinner
The Speaker. who rushed 10 the defence
Of the Democratic tariff bill and the ad-
minlstration. denied that the army Of
the unemployed is greater to-day than II
was a year ago Mr.. Mann, however gave
dramatic account OF distressing condi-
lions In his own city, saying:
II am not a calamity bowler, and have
hesitated 10 talk about the depression
in this country to-day. Twenty years ago
when was a member OF the city Council
OF Chicago. We turned over tho city Han
TO men who were out Of work and VINO
had no place to sleep except upon the
marble floors / had hoped never 10 see
a return Of such conditions. but II re-
ports which come 20 inc are true, return
seems upon us The Chicago papers tell
OF more than one thousand men who re-
Gently stood in the bread line. OF the
hundreds who are being fed by churches.
of the opening 81 municipal hotel Tor
the unemployed OF men with families
who walk the streets seeking TO earn an
honest dollar In order that they may not
| starye.
THE President and the other side OF
this House might do much TO restore con
hdence. but they are doing nothing 10
relieve the situation. Instead. they phr-
sue the fatuous policy they have talked
about on the stump, paying no heed 10
ts effect upon the country.
Il do not believe we are longer jusu-
fed In keeping silent about the conui-
tons prevailing to-day. am not ca
lamity bowler and have preserved silence
hoping the cloud would pass away. NO
one desires to see the country PROSTATE
as II was I'm the early ninetiesi no poliu-
cal advantage Will lie TO the man VINO
contributes TO business disaster But II
is idle not to talk OF things as they to-
dav exist and which ought to be cor
rected."
Speaker Clark received the customary
round OF Democratic cheers when he took
the floor 10 reply. lie asserted that Mr..
Mann. Senator Root, Ex-Governor Had
| lev Uncle Joe" Cannon and Charles ID.
Hilles had recently given uttcrance TO
pcssimistic views concerning the state Of
| business and finance.
THEY have been the greatest calamity
hovlers in America this fall" shouted
Mr.. Clark, 10 the accompaniment OF
rebel yells" from the Democratic side.
1T is strange that nobody else seems TO
have heard OF these falling prices and
hard times, There is not big city on
earth without its unemployed.
The gentleman from Illinois and live
| in the richest portion OF the earth. and
| everybody knows that in that country
| last summer there was an all-devastating
drouth-ln Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas
| Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky and part
| OF Illinois Now, what is the result OF a
short crop anywhere? II reduces the
business OF the merchants in Chicago, St
Louis and Kansas City and the great
centres OF trade which supply that re-
gion. The gentleman says there were no
soup houses in 1901 In that year ! made
a speech here and quoted a whole lot OF
this kind Of stuff which he has been
quoting here to-day. Republican soup
houses was my theme on that occasion
Speaker Clark declared the tariff bill
was not responsible for any depression
in business conditions and that with the
massage OF the currency bill the industrial
| world would rest easy.