Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-06-29
CHAMP CLARK ) LETTER
Prominence of Western
Men In Politics.
HENDBRsoN's ELEVATION.
Well Received on Both Sides Of
the House.
HENDBRSoN'S ELEVATION.
LAWLEssEBSs III NEW ENGLAND.

Brutal Outrages Perpetrated by Ku-
kIux In Maine and Mobs In Con-
necticut-Satnn Breaks Loose In the
Land OF the Puritam-Beriah VIII
kins' Indictment of "Righteous''
Law Breakers.
Especial Washington letter.
westward the star of empire takes
its way" is a poetic prediction which
appears to be in process of being full
filed in the speakersbip fight.
Hopkins and the rest are out of the
contest, which leaves General David B.
Henderson of Iowa, as the sole survivor
of all those haleyon spirits who aspired
to be custodian of the gavel, and Hen
derson is the most western of them all
from the Louisiana Purchase, from
the sunset side Of the great river. 1t
may not be settled yet, but to mere
locker on in Vienna it appears to be so.
With Henderson of Iowa for speaker in
the Fifty sixth congress and Bryan of
Nebraska in the White House in March,
1901, the west is showing up first rate,
thank you
General Henderson 8 elevation will
probably leave less ranking of the heart
among Republicans than the selection
of any other man would have done, for
be is persona grata TO most of the
members on both sides, and Democrats
will be as nearly satisfied with him as
they could be with any Republican
speaker.
In former letter, at time when ]
had no idea that General Henderson
would be candidate for the speaker
ship. said some kind things about him
among others that he went into de-
bate as into cavalry charge. and that
is the manner in which he proceeded in
this speakership contest. His early and
complete success demonstrates the won
drous effect Of the right sort of dash
made upon ones opponents before they
have time to organize. Henderson S
personal popularity. his excellent mill
tary record, his bonhomme and his
geographical location were the causes
of his victory. While others were pull
ing wires, consulting with the bosses
and doing other things usually approved
by practical politicians, General Hem
derson. metaphorically speaking, took
his claymore in his hands, rallied the
western congressional rough riders to
his standard, rode down upon his op
ponents and scattered them to the
winds.
Henderson as Speaker.
Henderson will have one excellent
qualification for the speakership which
none of his predecessors ever had and
that is that he is ineligible to the pres
idency by reason of his foreign birth.
This may be source of great regret to
General Henderson, but it is a matter
of congratulation to the republic, not
that Henderson would not make a fair
ly good president if he could be elected
that is, as good as Republicans are
liable to be-what l mean to say is that
because he is ineligible to the presi
dency he will put in all his time trying
to make great speaker and thereby
securing great fame instead of wasting
his days and lying awake at night in
ducing insomnia. pestering his head in
devising means of getting to the White
House. It is a strange fact of history
that only one ex-speaker, james K.
Polk of Tennessee, ever rose TO the
presidency Nevertheless the chances
are a thousand to one that no man ever
l. n 4
not put in good deal of his time
studying as to how well he would fit
the chair of Washington and as to
what sort of figure he would cut
wearing the mantle of jefferson.
Henderson is one of the most distin-
guished looking men that ever presided
over the house. With him in the chair
that tumultuous assembly can well
afford to have its picture taken to per
petuate its physical appearance 10 pos
terity.
"The omnivorous west. as Mr.. Reed
was once pleased to describe the vast
country between the Mississippi and
the Pacific will chuckle over Hender-
son triumph without regard to politics
Or religion, and everybody that knows
him well will wish for him successful
career.
The Course of Empire.
Under Henderson speakership net
only that great office passes to the west.
but also the leadership upon the floor Of
the house, for it is an acknowledged
fact that the Iowa delegation all Re-
publican-is one of the three strongest,
Missouri and Texas having the other
two. 1t will be only natural, indeed it
viii be inevitable, that Henderson will
most of all lean upon Hepburn, Dolli-
yer, Hull, Cousins, Lacy and other
Iowans When this census is taken, the
west will make big gain on the east
in both representatives and electoral
sotes. So, while Henderson will be the
pioneer transmississippi speaker, he
will either succeed himself, in case the
house is again Republican, or. what is
far more probable, be succeeded by a
western Democrat.
Just here problem of both great in
terest and extreme difficulty presents
itself namely. under the new order of
things, with his Iowa colleague and per-
sonal friend in the chair, will Colonel
W P. Hepburn, the stalwart states
man from Clarinda. be as vociferous
and recalcitrant as to the Reed rules as
he was under ssthe man from Maine,
or will he not switch around and valor-
ously uphold those rules which gave
him so much worry in past congresses
and which may now give him so much
powerg AS the French would say,
s'Nous yerrons Yes. we shall see.
II Colonel Pete still fights the Reed
rules. he will be hailed as hero. If he
does not, be will lose his aureole.
General Henderson personally is q
kind, generous and loTahle man. The
fact that Mrs. Bland made personal
request that he be invited to act as one
Of the congressional escort to attend
her illustrious husbands funeral was
abundant testimony Of the high esteem
in which fhs great silver leader held ths
next speaker, aud the further fact that
General Henderson Cancelled important
engagements to accept the invitation
| il proof conclusive that his heart is II
the right place.
AT B1andts Funeral.
One Ut The pathetic features Of that