Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-07-01
FROM WASHINGTON
ecial Correspondence of the CovnIrn.
Washington, June 30

JOhn sharp w llilamS, OF Mississ-
ippi, the man who will be the next
floor leader of the democracy i'm the
national House of Representatives.
will now tell them about the man
who will be his chief opponent i'm
the democratic caucus, and who.
though he is still an avowed candi-
date for the honor, practically con-
cedes his defeat, and that is the
Hon. Champ Clark of Missouri.
The most of the people of the
country know Champ Clark, not
alone because of his work i'm the
Congress of the nation, and he has
been in that body about ten or
twelve years, but because of his
work i'm the press of the country
* the contributor of weekly
letter anent current political events
always written i'm a reminiscent
manner and very entertaining.
Champ Clark is one of the most
picturesque figures in political life
to-day. He leads the democratic
anvil chorus. He is the knocker-
in-chief of the democratic minority
in the national House of Represen-
tatlyes. and when he gets to his
feet he does hit the republicans
some of the hardest blows ever adj
ministered TO them by any speaker
on the democratic side of ,he House.
He has a way of telling the truth
on the republican part that is very
attractive To the democrats of the
country. 1t is homespun truth
told in an old-fashioned homefolksy
manner that is decidedly refresh
ing because il is so seldom we hear
il. When i'm action, Champ Clark
needs more floor space than any
other man i'm the House. He filings
his great long arms around like
fails, and he pounds his desk like
deep water two-gallOn baptist
preacher. The only trouble with
Champ Clark "a leader would be
the fact that he is too uncompro-
missing. He hits hard and tells the
truth, but he does il in such
manner as TO excite the animosity
Of the opposition, leaves sore spots
that never heal, and does not con
vince the republicans of the right
cOuSnesS of his cause. When a man
is honest, even though he he re-
publican, he is open To conviction
I'm many matters, but If he Is
insulted and his feelings hurt by
the man who makes the speech, and
who, otherwise, would convince
him of his error, he thinks of moth
ing but revenge, and he gives the
man no credit for his unanswerable
argument and his intellectually.
That is the trouble with Champ
Clark, He makes enemys for him
self and his party by his speeches
and does his cause no good. There
fore. he would not make a good
leader for the minority party in the
Congress, and his friends and adj
mirerS knowing this have chosen
John Sharp Williams i'm his stead.
There Is no better man and no
better democrat in Congress than
Champ Clark, but he is too indis-
erect by his vehemence 10 be n
successful leader, and hence he will
not he chosen by the democrats
when they meet IN caucus NEXT
November, There is another rea-
son why Champ Clark is not the
popular man for the leadership.
tie seems to have an especial an
tipathy To the so-called gold demo-
tidtNs WIZ lCll List party ia 1910
and 1900. and he never loses an
opportunity to roast them to a
brown turn when he is on his feet
in the House. That not only does
no good, but it antagonizes the
element that we want To come back
and affiliate with the party in the
next campqign. They are as good
democrats as anybody on the tariff
and trnst questions, which will he
nppermost in the next campaign,
and the only question on which
they are At variance with the domi-
mani faction of the party is on the
money question, and AL soncede
that it will not he one of the issues
IN tho campaign next wear, The
hlmetallists have won their conten-
ton that more money was needed
to do the business Of the country
OH in order to bring prosperity to
the nation, because there Is to-day
one-fourth more money in circula-