The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-29
Flood, Glass and Mon
tague Ask for Time
During Debate.
CLARK'S ATTITUDE
WIDELY DISCUSSED
Speaker Reported as Having
Agreed, Four Days Ago, That
Ten Hours Was Sufficient for
Debate, and Sudden Change
Leads to Belief He Is
Following Hearst.
Especial to The Times -Dispatch.l

Washington, March est would he
an extremely difficult matter to analyze
the sentiment Of the Virginia dele
cation to-day, twenty-four hours af
ter the passage OF the rule TO limit
debate on the Panama repeal.
congressman Jones and Slemp are
opposed to the repeal. as indicated by
their votes But the other eight arc
probably equally divided. four being
in favor Of the repeal and four hold
inE convictions that it is entirely
wrong. but voting for the repeal for
the sake OF party harmony and to up
hold the administration.
Congressman Glass returned TO
Washington to-day, after making u
speech in North Carolina. He was
paired yesterday with Congressman
Claude kitchin, who voted against the
rule. Glass declared that if he had
been present he would have voted for
the repeal. and. II possible. have made
speech in favor of it
Three members OF the delegation,
Congressman Flood, Glass and Monta-
quo, have asked Chairman Adamson.
who controls tho time OF debate. for
time in which to make speeches. IN
favor of the repeal. and they expect to
deliver them on Monday.
End Justffcs Menns.
Several Of the members who are
strongly in favor OF the repeal went
AGAINST their personal convictions In
voting for the passage of the rule to
limit debate. because the end seemed
TO Justify the means
The attitude of Speaker Champ Clark
In issuing his card dcnouncing the
gag rule" at tho eleventh hour. vot-
ing against the rule to limit debate.
and his announced determination TO
Speak against the repeal on Monday.
was inc subject Of general discussion
about the tIouse lobby to-day.
Some OF Clark's friends declarc.,
that he could not reverse the posttion
ne mas taken for the past ten years I'm
MS attacks upon the floor of tho
uonsc against "Cannonism," and the
throttlinC Of debate and amendment nv
now voting to limit debate The cam
paisn made against "Cannonism' and
'he gag rule" in the House. they
state, was ore of the principal factors
In placing the Democratic marty in
power, and for Clark now 70 yotn ror
INC rule would appear ridiculous.
IN The other hand, the closest
friends or The administration and those
IN favor OF repeal, or the ground thar
me position OF the United States on
toiis is "ntenable, declare that Speaker
~ in'N mas made himself an impossi-
piiity as candidate for the Dresi
oency or any other high Office for nil
time by his actions of the past two
days. p"'' wv
Ten Hours Sufficient.
rour days ago the members of tho
kules Committee held a conference
with The Speaker on the proposed rule
ana, asked him if he thought that ten
or Hiteen hours debate on the repeal
was sufficient The Speaker rcnIiod
That fifteen hours was too much nnd
mat ten hours was sufficient The
committee thereupon counted Clark az
one OF Its friends as far as limiting
debate was concerned, yet two DAYS
later, at the eleventh hour. he issued
statement. without again comforting
with the committee. declaring himself
opposed to twenty hours debate. which
he termed gag rule" when he had
agreed Two days before that ten hours
was sufficient
Many level-hcaded Congressman to-
day freely expressed the belief that
Clark was following the dictates Of
william Randolph Hearst. the man
who stanchly backed him in his cam
paigr for thc presidential nomination.
and who is known In Washington 10
be against the repeal. but more par
administration crumble. That Clark
should lend himself to such cause
has created considerable criticism
among Concressmen who herct
have counted themselves his stanch-
est friends. What the Speaker will
have to say in his speech scheduled
for Monday or Tuesday Is being looked
forward TO with great Interest by mem
bers of Congress.
IIitch,n Made BAD Move.
Congressman Claude Kitchin. OF
North Carolina, by his vote against the
rule to limit debate on tho amendment
to repeal the clause in the Panama
Canal act eXempting American coast
wise vessels from payment of tolls
has considerably jcopardized his pros,
poets OF becoming Democratic floor
leader to succeed Oscar Undcrwoor.
and has created n situation which may
in the future cause him no end Of en-
barra ssment. IL he does become floor
leader
While there will be no great amount
of criticism because OF his determine
ton to vote according to his convic-
tons to let tho law stay as ii is. viz
tually allowing n subsidy to American
vessels. and carrying out the declara-
tons Of the Baltimore convention. even
his closest friends declare that in vot-
ing against the rule to limit debate
on the amendment to twenty hours he
has placed himself In position which
no will have great difficulty In defend
ing In years to come. and which may
deduct considerably from his efficiency
as the floor leader.
Rules allowing the majority TO put
measures through the House are alb
necessary I'm order to pass any
legislation at all. yet Kitchin Joined
with those who voted to prevent the
majority from ruling. and in opposition
to a rule to give twenty hours debate
TO the amendment, where less than half
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