Evening star., 1914-02-01
Speaker Clark Reviews Work
of Administration in Speech
at Muscatine, Iowa.
REDEEMING THE PLEDGES
MADE BEFORE ELECTION
Low Tariff and Income Tax Praised.
Expresses Confidence in Presi-
dent Wilson.

MCsCATINE. Iowa. January 81
Pride in what the democratic marty
has accomplished since it came into
control of the government less than
year ago and confidence in the ability
OF the administration to complete the
work or carrying out the promises OF
the party's platform were voiced here
tonight by Speaker Champ Clark in a
campaign speech for Henry Nolmer.
democratic nominee for Congress to
succeed the late Representative Irvine
S. Pepper.
For sixteen long and wcarisome
years" said the Speaker, ALI the demo
Gratis could do was to promise wha,
they would accomplish il they were
given power. It took us all that time
to convince the American people that
We were earnest in our professions
Now all that is changed. We can, with
pride and pleasure, talk about what
we have done and also about what we
intend to do.
'At the election in 1912 every in
telligent man within the confines OF
the republic knew that il We carried
the election there would be an extra
session of Congress, and that the first
great promise we undertook TO carry
out would he that To revise the tariff.
We proceeded as promptly as possible
to the work of revising the tariff
downward. In my judgment il is the
best tariff bill ever put on the statute
books. IL there were no other good
features in il the income tax section
would make 1t rank among the very
best tariff bills
Defends the Caucus Method.
The Speaker defended the caucus
method of putting the bill through the
House, declaring that republicans pro-
gressives and democrats were given eV-
cry opportunity to speak and offer
,endments. and that the bill was de-
bated until everybody in the House was
worn to a frazzle.''
Referring to the currency bill, the sec
ond great problem disposed of. the
Speaker said the new law furnished "A
substitute for 'one OF the worst currency
systems In the world
1t provides a working scheme he
continued, for increasing the currency
when the increase is needed and for con-
tracing II when the public good demands
it. In addition to this IL prevents, as far
as human wisdom extends the gambling
In stocks and bonds; II prevents the as
sembling of all the money in the country
in one big city and leaves il at home
where it properly belongs: IL authorizes
the national banks TO loan money on
good farm lands. and it is believed and
hoped that 1t will, to very large extent,
prevent panics.
Talks of Power Conferred.
1t is claimed that IL lodges too much
power in the hands of the President, and
that it will not bear the light of day.
Power has to be lodged somewhere
The only question in that regard 10
whether it is better to lodge the i'm
mense power conferred in your currency
bill in the President of the United States
chosen by the people and who has their
interests at heart or in the hands o.
some private citizen. So far as I am
concerned. l choose the former We
nave had great variety of men In the
White House, but the honesty of all OF
them has been above question.
We intend now to proceed 10 redeem
certain other promises in the democratic
platform by enacting laws on the subjects
OF the trusts. the farmers banks and.
perhaps. on the Philippines. When we
have done that we will have put more
constructive legislation on the statute
books than nearly any other Congress
that ever sat.
Reference to Mexico.
Mr.. Clark referred briefly to the Mexi-
can situation. saying that it was being
handled by the President. who was in
constant touch with things in Mexico
and who knows more about the situa-
ton, probably, than any other man in
America
1T seems to me-. he concluded. that
the people of the United States ought 10
support him and his policies and TO re-
member that silence is golden when We
refer to these matters. I think that he
deserves credit for trying to keep the
country out of trouble with Mexico.
have no sort OF doubt that the President
and the democrats in Congress will work
along in harmony for the glory and pros
perity of the republic.