Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-12
IS NOT A CANDIDATE
Champ CIark's Announcement
of His Position.
TALK AT THE CAPITOL
Revolt of Democrats Against Will
liams.
VIEWS OF THE LEADERS
Conference of Missouri Representa-
tive With Representative From
Mississippi.
VIEWS OF THE LEADERS

Champ Clark assured me personally
that although he was not a candidate for
the position Of minority leader and had no
intention of making any effort at all to
aid those democrats opposing Mr.. Williams,
he would nevertheless accept the position
of minority leader If it developed that
Mr.. Williams could not be reelected. II
Mr.. Clark makes any statement to the ef-
feet that he is not candidate for the mi
nority leadership and will not take it under
any circumstances, then 1t seems to me that
our crowd has been thrown down good and
hard"
That is what a prominent democratic
member of the House-an anti Williams
man-said today when it came to his ears
that Champ Clark was reported to have
said that his personal friendship for Mr..
Williams made it impossible for him to be
even a receptive candidate for the minority
leadership.
There was conference of about twenty
five anti-Williams men at the House today,
there being session, and a number of
them frankly said that they had heard the
report Of Mr.. Clarks alleged utterance
from several sources and believed he had
taken that position the matter. A
calculation was made and it seems probable
that even if Mr.. Clark decides that he will
not under any circumstances oppose Mr.
o,
other democrat can be elected to succeed
the MiSSiSsippian.
Although an effort is being made by Mr.
Williams friends in the House and out of
1t to make 1t appear that the opposition to
the minority leader is numerically insignifi-
cant and based entirely on personal grudges
growing out of committee transfers. per-
sonal sights and the like, it is fact Just
the same that many of the progressive rad
icals on the democratic side of the house
who like Mr.. Williams very much person.
ally, and who admit his ability as a leader.
object to him because of what they call
his plainly stated anti-Bryan attitude
These men consider that they would be
more than justified In voting against Mr..
Williams on this ground alone, and a good
deal OF the strength of the anti Williams
crowd Is made up of just such men.
WILLIAMSBURG Conference.
Very soon after it became known on the
floor yesterday that the leaders of the anti
Williams movement were claiming that thew
had the minority leader down and out.
Mr.. Williams, with Champ Clark, returned
to the minority conference room and had
two-hour chat. Mr.. Clark says that he
and John Sharp were talking about bills,
resolutions and other routine public bust
ness. But just the same it was after this
conference that Mr.. Clark astonished one
OF the antf-Williams crowd who had been
working all along on the basic assumption
that Mr.. Clark was receptive candidate
by making some remark indicating an OPP
posite contention. This democrat carried
the news. and Mr.. Clark was asked to
explain his attitude. He declined merely
saying that he would give out a state
ment later.
A Star reporter asked Mr.. Clark this
morning whether or not he would accept
the position of minority leader if it were
offered to him and if it were made plain
that in any event John Sharp Williams
would be defeated He declined to ex-
press himself, but said that he would give
out statement later. He declined to in
dictate in the meantime what he would
say.
Il don't care to make any statement
before make a statement" remarked Mr.
Clark somewhat ambiguously.
Mr.. Clark's Statement.
Mr.. Clark later in the day issued the fol-
lowing statement:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
WASHINGTON. January II, 1907
Having been asked about the question Of