Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-13

Congr esS. the
financial disturb
ES1 ance of last fall
and the tariff ques-
ton. 1t was characteristic talk, and
aroused the interest of the House to a
high degree.
interest of the House to high degree
In opening, Mr.. Clark asserted that a
reasonable view should be taken i'm mat
ters touching the President, but that il
mad not been done as a rule. He is such
a belligerent parsonage he declared
that his lightest word is a challenge to
combat The President. he said, could
not express his views upon any question
under Heaven, even upon a subject so
prcsafic and threadbare as the prospective
state of the weather." without precipitat-
Ing row, his extreme adherents swear
ing that there never had been "such a
weather prophet on earth since Adam and
Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden
with flaming swords from Paradise. and
his extreme enemies vociferating that he
KNOWS no more about the weather than
does grounding.
Succession of Fights.
The Presidents whole public life said
Mr.. Clark. had been one long succession
of spectacular fights. No man had been
more viciously assailed by men of his own
party, and none was ever, while still in
the flesh. so lavishly lauded by some of
the opposing party But he said,
amid the swirl of things. the delus, of
words, the shoutings of the captains. the
beating of tom toms, the groans of Grip
PIED republicans, the yells of friend and
1oe, one who was a personal friend of
theodore Roosevelt the man. but poll
tical opponent Of Roosevelt the politician
or statesman. had but little chance, per-
haps. OF being heard in this babel of
voices" Mr.. Clark. however insisted
that he would have his say.
he spoke OF his personal liking for the
President, and said that although after
the manner of strong men, the President
had pronounced virtues and glaring faults
OF character, he never has abused him nor
had grown hysterical in admiration of
him, but he had supported him when he
was right and fought him tooth and
nall when he was wrong. He believed
that was the way the President wanted
to be treated. HE must indeed" said
Mr.. Clark, entertain ineffable contempt
for the invertebrate sycophants who
grovel before him on all occasions, and
who. no matter what he does or says
throw high their sweaty caps in the air
and shout 10! Triumphe! 10. Trumphe' /"
The Presidents Vigor.
Mr.. Clark spoke of the claim that Pres-
dent Roosevelt was better than his party,
which fact" he estimated, "easily could
be without running any imminent danger
of being translated after the manner of
Elijah in a chariot of fire by reason of
his goodness" But, he said. whatever
the Presidents virtues or faults, he was
not democrat. Occasionally. he said
the President, very much to the delight
OF democrats and the confusion of re-
publicans. "appropriates or absorbs, bor-
rows or seizes democratic idea" and
from his high coign of vantage urges it
with tremendous force; for, he said. the
scriptural injunction: Whatsoever thy
hand findeth to do, do it with thy might"
1t was the heavy hand or big stick of
the President, he declared, that had driv-
en- so many republicans ''pell NELL into
the cave of Abdullam, where there is
weeping and wailing and gnashing of
teeth and much profane swearing" and.
he added, 80 far as he has advocated
democratic ideas. so far as he has mauled
wicked republicans with his mailed fist
or thumped them with his big stick. he
has deserved the unstinted praise of all
lovers of our country"
No one knew, continued Mr.. Clark.
whether or not the President was a great
man. He quoted from an old saying,
Count no man happy till he is dead,
and said 1t was a safe and rule to
pronounce no man great until he was in
his grave. 1--WE have not enough per-
spective necessary to fix his status in
history" he said, land it is sheer folly
to attempt it, individually he wished
the President well until March 4. 1909.
when he hoped the President would quit
forever. ''for no President will ever be
elected to third term till the republic
is on its last legs" Every one could be
honest, he maintained, even if he could
not be great, land" he added 'f you
republican big wigs would be candid you
would confess that you are not half so
much enamored of the President you
seem to be- The republicans. he de-
clared grew red in the face Iauding the
fn Ia he iS 81 H.
dispenser n-chief of pie" A republican
statesman bereft of pie. said he, was ID.
spectacle to make the angels weep" but.
he said, when he saw republicans trying
to apotheosize him by mere Zip service
it seemed to him 1.-The lady doth protest
too much
Certificates of Character.
Referring to the last campaign Mr..
Clark charged that 'sundry republican
representatives" sought and obtained from
the President Certificates of republican
good character" to help them pull
through So doubtful were the republic an
managers of results in the last cam
paign. said Mr.. Clark. that the President
was induced to write >the famous letter
to My Dear Mr.. Watson. which he said
was a blanket Endorsement of all repub-
lican candidates for Congress except the
unfortunate Mr.. Wadsworth." Notwith-
standing that letter, he said. the repu5-
ncan majority in the House had been re-
duced from la to 30. He depicted Speak
er Cannon to whom he referred as Uncle
Joe," studying the returns and repeating
the sad exclamation of Pyrrhus. King o;
Epirus when. surveying a hard-wcn field
he said: Another such victory and We
are undone."
Addressing himself still further to The
republicans. Mr.. Clark exclaimed: AND
the signs of the times indicate that ever
the ready letter writer in the White
House cannot write enough letters betweer
this and the hrst Tuesday after the fl 81
Monday in November to give you another
majority in this House. He predicted
that on March 4, 1909 democratic Pres
ident would be inaugurated. backed by
such a democratic majority in this House
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