Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-09-19
WEB DAVIS AND CHAMP CLARK.
A Prediction That These Two Orators
VIII Yet BE Great Leaders
in COucreas.

Washington, Sept. 1S.-The Post says: 81
predict that before the world is much older
the two leaders in the American congress
will hail from the same state"
Thus spoke Lew Chase, Of Kirksville, Mo-,
at Johnsons.
While parliamentary leadership in our
country does not go to the extent it does
in England, he continued. I'VE have lead
ership after fashion, and it is gauged by
the caliber of the leader, and there have
been grades in leadership all the way from
Thad Stevens to Bill Springer, Blaine was
brilliant, magnetic; Randall was aggress-
i've. savage. But the list is long one.
Webster Davis, at present assistant sec
retary of the interior, will some day be
leader of the Republicans in congress. He
Is the finest orator in the Union. Champ
Clark will some day lead the Democrats.
He is the most formidable debater of them
all. Both are from Missouri. Like the state,
both are big, stalwart, commanding. Clark
is the better student; but Davis is genius
Clark is a Kitchen knife whetted on
brickbat,' but Davis is the Damascus blade.
as keen and as cunning as the .cimetar of
Davis the meadow brook. Clark jams an
argument through an audience, Davis per:
suades his way.
Il recall the first time I ever heard of
Champ Clark. He had made stump
speech in one of the northern tier of coun-
ties, and friend of mine a Republican,
like myself, heard him. Clark WAS then a
very young man. and never a sprinstime
gave promise of a more EounteouS autumn.
He fairly carried my friend off his feet
Hon. Harvey Watterson was one day tell
ing Felix Grundy of Il great speech he had
heard Jo Holt deliver. Did he make the
dobbing stick. that is. do you remember a
point he made?' asked the veteran lawyer.
rival CT Henry Clay. That is the test of
speech, and L determined to ascertain If
Clark could make the 'dobbipg stick and
the first chance had went to hear Clark
speak. He made the 'dobbinS stick for he
made me as mad as a wet hen and as mis-
cradle as a wet rat. And that was what he
did for every Republican in the crowd. He
did not convince me, but / shall always re-
member his points.
Well. some years ago a friend told me
of a marvellous speech he had heard Web
enthusiastic. eXtravagant. in his praise
asservating that Davis was the greatest
orator then living. / am always suspicious
of your orator: your sky-scraper your
word-munger, your declaimer He is ant
10 shoot over your head. When I was a
boy. Ole Bull made, n tour of this country,
giving concerts. One day plain Missouri
farmer paid Il dollar to hear him. and when
the show was nearly over and, Bull was in
the middle of a solo that would have en-
Ghanted all Germany. from the bridge that
IroJan built 10 the town that Spinola de-
stroyed. our old granger. in a TT of pet
ulence. blurted out: L guess the Dutchman
is good fiddler. but why the hell don't
he quit his tuning and give us some mu-
sic? j feared Web Davis was too much
given to tuning ] determined 10 hear
him; did hear him. and ] found that
he could give us music with the best of
them. ''' N
Both Clark and Davis are fine looking
men. Davis is the handsomest man | ever
saw. Clark is as blonde as any Saxon
that ever robbed Britain, and Davis as
swart as any Norman that ever robbed a
Saxon Davis is the genius and Clark the
student, and Clark is the man of moods.
and Davis is uniformly debonair. Clark is
A ana Davis is IS: only hope Davis will
read as many books the iiext twelve years
| as Clark has the past twelve years He
cannot digest them better.
Yes, Stree, Missouri is going to fur
| nish both sides with a leader before the
! end of the century. That is something no
other state ever did Evans was from
Maine. McDufiie from South Carolina.
Thad Stevens was from Pennsylvania and
Eallandigham from Ohio. Blaine was
! from Maine and Ben Hill from Georgia.
Garfield was from Ohio and John G. Car
/ Isle from Kentucky. Randall was from
| Pennsylvania and Tom Reed from Maine
and Dinsley is from Maine and Bailey is
! from Texas. Missouri is the first state
| that will furnish both the majority and
the minority with leaders-Champ Clark.
| Republican" >H'