The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-04-08
MANNING, c., WEDNESDAY. APRlLS g. 1914
MAKES NO ATTACK
SPEAKER CLARK DISAPPO1NTS
PRESIDENTS ENEMIES.
Finley, Aiken and Ragsdale Oppose
Wilson-Lever, Byrnes, Whaley,
and johnson Favor Repeal.

Although Speaker Clark made a
tremendously interesting and ehec-
tive speech Tuesday afternoon
against the repeal of the law exempt
ing our coastwise trade from Panama
canal tolls, the presidents majority
was nearly twice as great as was last
week on the rule limiting debate.
After the first decisive test some OF
those who had been wavering came
over to the administration side. So
far as can be ascertained, the speak
er's great heart-to-heart talk to his
colleagues in the House Tuesday did
not change vote.
But there are many who do not
follow the speaker on this subject
! who think that it was mistaken and
unjust policy to attack him personally
and as a Democrat for his stand.
President Wilson has been careful
not to say anything personally disa-
greeable about Mr.. Clark, and Mr..
Clark has been likewise careful about
the president.
Speaker Clark, in closing the de-
bate against the repeal, disappointed
those who expected him to attack
President Wilson. He disclaimed any
personal issue with the. president, de-
clared he believed Mr.. Wilson was
actuated by the highest patriotic mo-
tives and that there was no breach In
the Democratic party. He argued at
length against the presidents con-
tention and declared that 1.-The amaz-
ing request of the president for a re-
peal, like the peace of God, passeth
all understandings
He disclaimed any personal issue
/ between the president and himself
and added that if the president had
reasons (which are not utterly un-
tenable and which compel him to
make this request" he had not given
them to the House. He differed from
the presidents statement that toll
exemption was "a mistaken economic
policy" but admitting dispute on that
point, proposed that the exemption
be suspended two years. He con-
tended that the president was mis-
taken in his view that the exemption
was repugnant to the Hay-Paunce-
fote treaty.
He attacked the attitude Of House
Democrats who have led the presl-
dents fight for the toll exemption re-
peal. Referring to published declara-
tions that his opposition to the presl-
dent was the Opening gun Of his
fight for the nomination in 1916, the
speaker declared ne had told all to
whom he had spoken about the 1916
situation that if the presidents ad-
ministration was a success, Mr.. Will
son would be reelected, and If it
was a failure "the nomination would
not he worth having" AS to his own
i future the speaker insisted he could
be happy without the presidency or
the speakershlp.
The South Carolina delegation
stood as it stood last week-four
with the president and three against
him. This time Representative Jas.
F.. Byrnes was on the floor to cast his
ballot for repeal He left his sick
roo INTO do so. With him on the ad-
ministration side were Messrs. John
son, Lever and Whaley. AS before,
Messrs. Finley, Aiken and Ragsdale
voted against repeal. Representative
Joseph F. Johnson, who was the only
member of the South Carolina dele
cation to speak on the tolls repeal,
strongly supported Mr.. Wilson.