Gilpin observer., 1919-09-04
STOP WASTING TINE,
CLARK WARNS G. o. P.

ncanS Solve COuntry'S Prob
lens by Action and Cut Out
Useless Talk.
Every profiteer in America
ought to be put in the peniten-
tiary," former Speaker Champ
Clark declared on the floor of the
House of Representatives in the
course of a debate. At the same
time, the Democratic floor leader
warned the Republicans that un-
less they quit wasting so much
time speechmaking, get down to
business and do something to cut
down the high cost of living and
give the people some relief from
profiteers, there wouldn't be
enough of them left in the next
congress to demand the ayes and
noes"
Former Speaker Clark's repri-
mand of the Republican majority
for frittering away so much time
came during debate on a bill
brought in by the Ways and
Means committee to raise the tar
iff on tungsten ore far in excess
of that fixed by the old Payne-Ald-
rich law. Mr.. Clark said that
there should be some protection
given such articles as tungsten
and other commodities developed
during the war, but that the
pending bill is protection run
mad" /,
After hours had been consumed
in debate and the House had got
ten nowhere, Mr.. Clark obtained
the floor to express his opinion of
the way the House was proceed
ing.
This is in some features very
little debate" he declared. II feel
that l really ought to apologize to
the House for having taken any
time on it myself. We have GER
tain things that should be done
in this congress. We ought to do
what we can to cut down the high
cost of living"
Representative Knutson, of
Minnesota, Republican whip, in
terrupted to remark that this is
all poppycock."
Maybe it is" retorted Mr..
Clark, "but I will tell you what
kind of poppycock it is. 1t will
put all of you fellows out if you
do not attend to it. That is true,
just as certain as you are alive"
"The gentleman is speaking
from experienced" asked Mr..
Knutson.
"No. l am showing you what
will happen to you," replied the
Democratic leader. There will
not be enough of you in the next
congress to demand the ayes and
noes unless you cut down the high
cost of living and relieve the mill
ions of men, women and children
from starvation. / think we ought
to go to work and leave out the
speechmaking and do what we can
to relieve the distresses of the
people of the United States.
Everybody knows that there is
more than one element entering
into the high cost of living. One
of these elements is the expansion
of the currency. There is no sense
in anybody lying about it. An
other element is these trusts that
have fixed the prices of every
thing. Still another is the profit
eers, and l have stated it over
again several times that every
profiteer in America ought to be
put in the penitentiary."
The Democratic leader also
found occasion to reply to the old
campaign charge repeated by
Representative Fordney, Republi-
can, of Michigan, chairman of the
Ways and Means committee,
which, in substance, was that
whenever the Republicans are in
power there is prosperity and
whenever the Democrats are in
control of the government, the re-
verse is true.
as that not true?" Representa-
tive Knutson, the Republican
whip, asked.
"No sir, it is not; not syllable
of it is true" former Speaker
Clark answered. "If you can re-
member 1878; General Grant was
president. There were hardly en-
ough Democrats in the House to