Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-27
CIark's Break With Wilson
and Bryan Precipitates a
Great Political Controversy

| Speaker Clark's statement that he
would oppose the rule on the tolls ques-
ton. coming after the House had adj
Journed last evening in the midst of
| dramatic scene, with the leaders on both
sides arguing in their most earnest man
ner, turned the fight into the greatest po-
litical controversy since the famous up
| heaval against Cannonism and the rules
battle. All day long the House galleries
had been crowded. and the nervous ex-
citement of the prolonged flibuster broke
in earnest when Representative Lenroot
of Wisconsin demanded to know what
Champ Clark intended to do about gag
rule which would absolutely prevent any
amendment to the Sims bill for the re-
peal of the tolls. He read from the
| opposing the gag rule in the Payne
Aldrich tariff vote. AS he paused the
democrats looked at him:
And then there was applause on the
democratic SIDE" said Lenroot why
do you not applaud now?'
The answer was a burst of loud cheers
from those democrats who have op-
posed gags from the time they were first
introduced.
Now, if you will practice what you
have preached under that applause, we
will have a right to amend this BILL
4uCeuQeO TO EOfCG vote.
1t had been the intention OF the rules
committee, with Chairman Henry in the
lead, to force a vote on the rule which
provided for limited debate and no
amendment
We'll shove it through tonight said
one member of the committee. However,
far from being a cut and dried affair with
the elements of a steam roller attach
fv7l dar tS in ho
| anxious for full. fair and free discus
| sion. Administration leaders knew. how
/ ever. that there were enough members
| opposed to the gag rule and also enough
| opposed to the repeal to unite against
| the rule and thus throw the Sims repeal
| bill open to- debate and possible defeat
anyhow. to change it entirely.
For days members had been wondering
what side Of the issue the Speaker would
espouse, and it is a further proof that
| he is the idol Of the House to know that
scores of members have now taken sides
with him. With an hour more of time
| on the question of the gag rule. Repre-
sentative Underwood sent word to Chair
man Henry that the House should ad-
journ- At 6:25 the gavel fell.
Speaker Clark's Statement.
A few minutes later, with the issue en-
tirely up in the air. the Speaker gave
| out this statement:
IT am dead against the rule on the
tolls question and intend to vote against
| it. 1 will not stultify myself by voting
| for any such rule. I led the fight to
| liberalize the rules and practices of the
| House. thereby imperiling my political
| future. We won that long and bitter
| fight and it was the first democratic
victory in eighteen years. Time and time
again l declared that l would not advo-
| cate thing when in the minority that
would not advocate in the majority.
The democrats won the House in 1910.
| the first time in sixteen years. 1 was
| unanimously nominated for Speaker and
| duly elected by every democratic vote in
| the House, with the hearty goodwill Of
every republican, because they believed
| that l am a truthful man. In order to
| liberalize the rules and practices Of the
| House. l voluntarily relinquished large
| portion of the powers of the Speaker,
which 1 could have retained by making
| a fight. but 1 honestly believed that the
Speaker had too much power under the
| old system for the good Of the House and
| of our institutions.
Among other things, I declared that I
was in favor of throwing bills open to
| ample discussion and amendment. and 1
am going to keep the faith, come what
| may. If I were to vote for the pending
rule. 1 could not look the House in the
| face. When I made that statement l
| was speaking particularly Of tariff bills,
I
to all great bills. Here Is the situation.
No Reason for "Mad Rush"
I'VE have a rule reported on a bill on
| the greatest question presented in my
twenty years in the House. beside which
tariff bills sink into pitiful insignihcance:
a bill which. II passed. will change our
foreign policy, which We have maintained
for 125 years. and only twenty-four hours
for debate are permitted under this pro-
posed rule and the right to amend 1t alb
solutely prohibited and no intervening
| motion permitted except one motion to
recommit. On such an important and
been at least a week for debate. with the
| there Is nothing sacred about the Sims
bill. and there is no reason for this mad
| rush 1 will not be q party to ramming
such rule down the threats Of members.
| (Signed CHAMP CLARK"
Democrats who heard of the state
ment last night read and reread 1t.
| clearest Of all is the ring of the fight
| ing gauntlet an it clashed in the arena
| The break had come, long expected in
| some quarters. clearly lining the
Speaker against Woodrow Wilson and
| William Jennings Bryan, and the OBJ
| vious inference drew mems thoughts
back to the titanic struggle at Balti-
| more, where the present Secretary of
State threw all his weight against
i Clark. and, in the opinion of every
Clark follower. took the nomination