Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-31

Speaker Clark spoke in the House to-
day against repeal of the exemption
clause of the canal tolls as follows:
There is no personal issue between the
President of the United States and my
self. There has not been at any time.
/ trust there never will be. I have at
no time uttered one word of criticism of
the President. At no time, SO far as l
am informed or believe, has the President
said one single word of criticism of me.
In the nature of things, man who is
worthy to hold a high public post in the
service of his country must believe that
other public servants are actuated by the
same high, coura geous and patriotic mo-
tives by which he believes himself to be
moved.
1 have never for one moment enter
tanned the opinion that President Wilson
is actuated by other than the highest
patriotic motives. 1 do not believe that
President Wilson has ever entertained
any other opinion as to the conduct of
| those of US who find it necessary to diff
fer with him on this measure. President
Wilson does not desire breach in the
democratic party. l do not desire a
breach in the democratic party, and there
is no breach in the democratic party. 1
would scorn to believe that President Will
forts of some of the jackal press to rep
| resent that We are seeking to disrupt the
democratic party. The President is too
big man not to desire that this great
question should be fought out on its
merits, free from personalities, which can
do no good and may do much harm.
The President has too high an idea Of
the duties of public servant to desire
| members to do other than vote their
conscientious convictions With most of
Tod hot aalr
ing to disrupt the party the wish is
father to the thought
Resents Disruption Charge.
In the Ne-~york World of Tuesday,
March 2. sSpeared scurrilous and
slandero yarticie with these headlines:
Leaders work to split democracy
over canal tolls. AS filibuster against
exemption repeal goes on in the House
it is said that both Speaker Clark and
| Mr.. Underwood will oppose the Presi-
dents measure"
That is one of the most preposterous
statements made in any newspaper
since Gutenberg invented movable
| types.
| You gentlemen into whose faces I am
| now looking know the democratic lead
| men on earth know us. Does any man
| in this House believe that the demo-
cratic House leaders are working to
| split the democracy? If so, let him
| courageously stand up here and now.
The democratic leaders of this House
| led in the long, bitter and successful
| fight in the Sixty first Congress which
elected a democratic House in 1910 and
set in motion the forces which put u
democratic President in the White
House, gave us a democratic Senate
| and democratic majority of 144 in
! this House. 1t is a proud record. and
| yet the New York World has the gall
| to charge that those same leaders are
trying to split the democracy. 1 can
stand here now and point out so or 60
men who would never have sat within
| these historic walls had not the demo-
Gratis and insurgents made that fight in
| the SiXty-tirst Congress.
Denounced as Slander.
Farther along in the aforesaid World
article occurs this passage:
the ship subsidyists are seeking to
spring a great surprise when the vote is
| taken. When debate upon the repeal is
| finally opened on the floor they hope to
uncover one trump card that will turn
| the tide of defeat.