The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-03-31
ASSAILS THE RULE
LIMITING DEBATE
Speaker Champ Clark Issues a
Short Statement
SEES NO REASON FOR MAD RUSH

man Henry Of the Rules Committee
Opens the Tolls Debate In the
| House.
Washington, March 27--That the
administration is facing crisis over
its program for repeal Of the tolls
exemption clause in the Panama
canal act is the belief expressed in
congressional circles.
Speaker Champ Clark has Joined
the other leaders in congress who are
opposing the presidents wishes. In
q statement issued the speaker
throws a new issue into the contro-
versy He attacks the rule submitted
| to the house by Chairman Henry lin.
iting debate on the tolls question 10
20 hours. Mr. Clark says:
I'VE have a rule reported on a bin
on the greatest question presented in
my 20 years in the house, beside
which tariff bills sink into pitiable in
significance--a bill which II passed,
will change our foreign policy which
we have maintained for 125 years,
and only 20 hours for debate are per
mitted under this proposed rule On
( such an important and far-reac hing
measure there should have been at
| least a week for debate with the un-
| limited right of amendment. Surely
there is nothing sacred about the
! Cirnc hill &c fn
this mad rush. I will not be party
to ramming such a rule down the
| thfoats Of members"
Speaker Clark is expected to take
the floor not only in opposition to the
rule, but in opposition to the repeal
bill itself. He will base his opposi.
| tion to the bill among other things,
on the ground that it is in violation
of the platform pledges.
The Rule Limiting Debate.
The rule with called forth Mr..
| Clark's statement was presented to
the house by Chairman Henry of the
rules committee 1t provides that
there shall not be exceeding 20 hours
general debate on the bill, to be
equally divided between those sup
! porting and those opposing the bill.
The rule also shuts out amendments.
! Mr.. Henry, In presenting the rule,
opened the debate on the tolls Ques,
| ton for the administration. He con-
! tended there was a reason unexpress-
| ed back of the demand for free tolls
repeal, and remarked that the United
States was today not only violating
faith in this matter but furthermore
was facing crisis. His strongest
argument was that the free tolls were
not OF necessity Democratic prin-
ciple.
Mr.. Campbell of Kansas, who fol-
lowed Mr.. Henry, characterized the
| projected repeal as humiliating sur
render to Great Britain for which the
administration could offer no apology.
Mr.. Pou of North Carolina told his
colleagues that Democrats should
find no excuse for participating in an
/ act of international dishonesty "be-
cause in the hurry of Democratic
convention we had put something
into the platform that said something
else"
Minority Leader Mann of Illinois
sneered at the protestations on the
pari of the Democrats, charging that
| the only honor now at stake was the
| proverbial British honor which was
always at stake when Great Britain
found herself confronted with the
possibility of being unable to drive a
hard bargain.
President Wilson's Statement.
President Wilson made a statement
in favor of the repeal of free tolls.
He made it clear he bases his plea
for the repeal solely upon the exigen-
cies of the administrations foreign
relations and without consideration
OF any economic policy or treaty
rights.
The president considers that the
issue ought to be decided by congress
without considering in any way its
previous stand, because new elements
have been injected into the situation
which surpass in Importance and
| gravity those upon which the contest
hinged before congress two years
ago.
As clearly as he deemed II proper
the president indicated what is the
bearing Of the tolls issue on our inter.
national relations. Now that the
viewpoint Of the South American re-
/ publics has been expressed by their
newspapers, the president regards the
civilized world as unanimously of the
opinion that the exemption involves
the ignoring of a treaty by the Unit
cd States. With this view held by al
important governments, Mr.. Wilson
anticipates that they will not be en-
thusiastic about negotiating new
treaties and trade agreements with
the United States unless the situa
ton is relieved.
Shoots Self In Head.
Fremont, o., March 27. u Despon
| dant over prolopged III health and