The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-03-16

During the consideration of the Loud
OIL in the house of representatives, Mr..
Champ Clark, of Missouri, made the fol-
lowing speech:
The main objection to this bill is that
it is detrimental to newspapers and di
minishes the diffusion of information,
and | repeat now what | said before
widest possible diffusion of knowledge.
! have implicit faith in the proposition
that truth is mighty and will prevail,
and if l was as rich as John D. Rookie
feller l would publish popular edition
of Thomas Jefferson's works and put a
copy into the hands of every voter in
the United States, absolutely certain
that it would make this country Demo-
cratic for all time to come. applause
On the Democratic side.)
One of the very greatest OF American
preachers says, I'VE must educate, we
must educate, we must educate or we
must perish Thomas Jefferson, the
modern Solomon, declared that he would
rather live in a country with newspapers
but without a government than in a
country with government without
newspapers. Henry w, as the high
water mark Of the prosperity of his
people. expressed the hope that every
family in France might become suffi-
ciently well to do to have meat for it's
Christmas dinner
If had one wish, and only one that
could be granted, for the happiness of
the American people and the perpetuity
of the republic, it would be that every
American voter should be so we'll edu-
Gated that ne could read his ballot on
election day. (Applause)
Newspapers are great disseminators
of information. The mammoth metro
politan papers with their vast circula-
tions are splendid educators but after
all ten persons lead the little country
weekly where one reads metropolitan
paper.
Having once been country editor
myself, l entertain most kindly feeling
for my old confreres. l am willing to
make affidavit that the eleven months I
spent editing rural journal were the
most beneficial of my life to myself,
perhaps to others. I am proud to have
belonged to the editorial guild 1 am
unalterably opposed to anything that
will injure the country editor, curtail
his profits, circumscribe his usefulness,
or place an additional thorn in his
pathway.
The rural ed. God bless him!-is
the most persistent of teachers. Like
charity, as prescribed by St. Haul in the
thirteenth chapter of the First Corin-
thians, he "suffereth long and is kind"
which can not be said of the men that
got up this bill. "He envieth not" in
which he does not resemble some peo-
pie over on this side of the house. He
vaunteth not himself" in which he is
unlike the leaders on the other side of
the big aisle. He is not puffed up" in
which he does not resemble a good
many of us. "He does not behave him
self unseemly; seeketh not his own; is
not easily provoked"
In this last respect he does not at all
resemble my friend from California (Mr
Loud. Uaughter) "He thinketh no
evil" in which he is vastly superior to
a great many of us; "rejoiceth not in
iniquity," in which he is totally unlike
the Republicans; Oaughter); "but re-
joiceth in the TRUTH" which proves that
he is cousin-german to the Democrats.
Applause on the Democratic side.)
He beareth all things, hopeth all
things, endureth all things" and in that
respect he is very much in the predica-
ment of the minority on this side of the
house under the Reed rules. Maughter.)
He is the pack horse of every COM
munity, the promoter of every laudable
enterprise, the worst underpaid laborer
In the vineyard. Counting his space as
his capital, he gives more to charity,
his means considered, than any other
member of society. He is power in