Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1914-03-27

/ PRESIDENT WINNER.
Clark Refuses to Endorse Special
Rule and Spirited Contest is On
today.

Washington, March 27.-By a vote
of 207 to 176, the administration for
ces advocating the repeal of the toll
exemption clause of the Panama canal
act won an initial victory in the
House this afternoon.On this vote the
previous question Of the so-called gag
rule to make privileged the repeal bin,
was ordere'i
The carrying of the previous ques-
ton in this test vote on the repeal
bill proper presages safe admins
tration majority.
Speaker Clark asked the clerk to
cali his name at the end of the Toll
call, an3 when ne voted in the neg
tive he was accorded a demonstration
by the opponents OF the repeal
Washington, March 2I.-Whcn
the House met today it faced a stir
ring contest over the tolls issue, in
tensifed by a statement issued last
night by Speaker Clark in which he
denounced the special rule under
which it is proposed to put through
the lower body the Administrations
tolls repeal bill.
The Speakers ringing declara-
ton that 81 will not be party to
ramming such rule down the
throats Of MEMBERS" has turned
the House situation topsy-turvy
and exciting times are expected i-
that body this afternoon. There is
to be another hour Of debate on the
rule and then vote.
The Speakers opposition in con-
junction with that Of Majority Lead
er Underwood, Minority Leader
Mann, Progressive Leader Murdock
and other strong members of th'
House jeopardizes the rule, if no
the tolls exemption repeal bill.
I If the previous question on tn'
rule is not ordered, it will throw i
open to amendment and will alsr
pave the way for the amendment o
the Administration repeal bill.
| The rule reported by The Rule
Committee provides that the repea
! bill shall be put on passage afte
twenty hours debate and wlthou
amendment.
New elements injected into th
tolls fight indicate that the outcom
will involve the settlement of ques
tons of far greater importanc
than the exemption of America
coastwise vessels from the paymen
Of :tons for passage through the ca
nal. -.
It is believed that the fight WI
demonstrate more clearly than ha
been done before just VINO Is III
leader Of the Democratic party.
!, Speaker Clark issued a statemer
last night, attacking the rule sane
toned by the Administration 1e
limiting debate on the repeol DA
as "eag' measure completely II
consistent with the Democratic a
titude laid down in the fight Tor r
y, form of the House rules His den
is viewed as applying to the Adma'
! istration's repeal program as We
as to the parliamentary step q
signed to open the way for ITS a
complishment, in short as a del
of President Wilson himself.
. The lining up of Speaker Ola,
= with the opposition to the Admin
:. tration completes the inclusion
Il this list of practically all of t
- Democratic House leaders who Q
posed W Woodrow Wilson'S candida
for the Presidential nomination.
President Wilson made a stro
statement. setting the issue
- which the fight will be made by !
n adherents. He made it clear tn
W the alignment ought to be made {
cording to the attitude of each me-
d. be.4 Of Congress toward the Adm
IN istration ard on that alone.
le emphatically took the position tt
G. kopinions as to whether the exen
ii. ton constitutes a breach of the H:
It, Pauncefote treaty have no vital p
is in the present controversy, since
plea for the repeal is based sol