The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-04
GOSSIP FROM
NATION CAPITOL |:
Interesting Story Of Representative
Champ Clark.
APPLICANTS FOR CoNsUL |. !
Queer Ideas of tho Necessary oualifi-
cations-Bill to Repair and Replace
the US. Frisate Constitution
in Com IN ssion.
APPLICANTS FOR C0NsULATEs

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-Sps cial.-Rep-
rescntative Champ Clark, of Missouri, Is
the subject OF an Interesting story when
his friends handy about the House W.tn
a good deal of quiet satisfaction. Clark
IS one Of the most characteristic orateri
in the lower branch OF Congress. COM
binins the delivery of western cow
hoy with something of the wit OF Mark
Twain and the philosophy of Emerson
He makes telling speeches on almost
any subject, and though a ready off hand
talker, has won his fame as a public
orator by the delivery of carefully pre-
pared speeches, whose logic is not easily
assalled, and whose finish Of production
would easily serve as model. The big
Missourian, who was at one time a
school teacher, believes in setting the
young q good example and is rarely
seen in the House without his son. a lad
of seven or eight years. who shows symp-
toms of having inherited a considerable
quantity of his fathers genius.
Not long ago after Clark had delivered
one of his characteristic orations. MOTTO
ing that his little son had not been in his
usual place by his fathers side. some one
asked the lad why he had not been pres
ent to hear his fathers great speech.
oh" said the boy, II have heard it
a half a dozen times while mama was
learnin it to him.
Since we began consideration of the
bill providing for the construction of the
Nicara qua Canal" said Representative
Hepburn, of Iowa, the other day, my
mail has been enormous. l have received
letters from all parts of the United
States, from all sorts of persons, making
all sorts Of suggestions, some evidently
written by persons Of superior inteli-
gence and some evidently the product
of feather ned dreamers and idealiSts.
A considerable portion of my mail, how
ever, owes its increase to the fact that
was fortunate enough to secure the APP
pontment of a young man from my
State as consul to MatanZas. AS soon
as it leaked out in my district that |
had this consulate at my disposal, l re-
ce;ved many letters from patriotic young
men and some old ones. telling me OF
their peculiar fitness for the consular SER
vice and applying for the appointment.
While 1 would have been very glad to
find places for all of my constituents,
who ere deserving and really quallhed ior
this duty, it as of course Impossible 10
do so. Now. my district is an exception
ally intelligent one. but as there are ex-
ceptons to every rule, so in this case. AS
illustrating what queer notions people
sometimes have about the qualifications
for a public office, / received an unusual
ly large number of applications for the
appointment of consul to NIatanzas from
little town of about eight hundred
population One of the applicants wrote
me 4 want one Of these here konsullatts.'
and another, after setting forth his pecu-
liar fitness for the service, nalvely en-
quired, Where is Matanzas? AS l had
already filled the place, was sorry that
necessity obliged me to ignore both of