Omaha daily bee., 1908-02-14
Champ Clark Takes President as
Theme of Address.
MANY VIRTUES AND MANY FAULTS
with All of Them, He Says, Executive
is Not a DemOcrat-Repub-
Iican TariR Position
Attacked.


most notable being by Champ Clark of
Missouri, who commanded the attention of
the house for an hour and a half. Upon
the conclusion of his remarks he was ac-
corded an ovation by democrats and re-
publicans alike. Mr.. Clark arraigned the
republicans for their attitude on the tariff
question and said that the announcement
that there would be a revision of the tariff
after election was simply '1n preparation
of another stupendous confidence game on
the people" He discussed the presidents s
message and said that whatever his vir-
tues or his faults, the president was not a
democrat.
Other speakers we're Messrs. Ralney
Ull), Tirrell (Mass), Gillett CMass.) and
Hammond Qnd) all of whom discussed
various phases of the tariff question.
Address of Mr.. Clark.
Champ Clark Of Missouri occupied the at
tention of the house of representatives to-
day for over an hour in an address upon
the presidents recent special message to
congress. the financial disturbance of last
fall and the tariff question. 1t was a char
acteristic talk and aroused the interest of
the house to high degree.
In opening Mr. Clark asserted that
reasonable view should be taken on mat
ters touching the president, but that it
had not been done as a rule HE is such
belligerent parsonage" he declared, that
his lightest word is challenge to combat"
The presidents whole public life, said
Mr. Clark, had been one session of spec
tacular 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"
Strength Gained in Battle.
But" he said, the truth is that this ex-
traordinary man has waxed stronger and
stronger by waging his battles" Even de-
feat, he declared has made him
larger and more commanding figure. So"
he said "amid the swirl of things the
deluge of words, the shouting of the cap
tains, the beating of tom-toms, the groans
of crippled republicans, the yells of friend
and foe" one who was a personal friend
of Theodore Roosevelt, the man, but po-
litical 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
you'd have his say. He spoke of his per-
sonal liking for the president and said
that although, after the manner of strong
ultI llit pIESlutHl mas virtues
and slaring faults OF character. he bad
never abused him nor had he grown hys-
terical in admiration of him, but he had
supported him when he was right and
fought him tooth and nail' when he was
wrong. He believed that was the way
the president should be treated. HE must
indeed said Mr.. Clark, entertain ineffa-
BILE contempt for the invertebrate syco-
plants who grovel before him on all occa-
sions and who, no matter what he does or
says, throw high their sweaty caps in the
air and shout, 10. triumphe; 10, tri-
umphev"
Fights Shy of Third Term.
No ons knew, continued Mr.. Clark,
whether or not the president was a great
man. He quoted from an old saying,
count no man happy ill he is dead" and
said 1t was a safe and sane rule to PRO-
nounce no man great until he was in his
grave. I'VE have not enough perspective
necessary to fix his status in history" he
said, "and 1t is sheer folly to attempt It,"
individuality be wished the president well
until March 4, 1903, when he hoped the
president would quit forever, for no pres
ident will ever be elected to third term
till tho republic is on it's last legs
Everyone could be honest, he maintained
even If he could not be great, and" he
added, 'if you republican big wigs would be
candid, you would confess that you are not
half so much enamored of the president
as you seem to be-
The republicans, he declared, grew red in
the face laudirg the president TO the skies
'for he is still the dispenser in chief of pie q"
A republican statesman bereft of pie said
he, was "A spectacle to make the angels
weep" but he said. when he saw republicans
trying to appease him by mere lip service"
it seemed to him the lady doeth protest too
much.
Financial Question.
Coming to the subject of the recent III
nancial disturbances, Mr.. Clark laid IT at
the door of the republicans. The self-con-
stituted defenders of the president, he said,
charged that Hartman and his crowd did
it, while, on the other hand, Hartman and
his crowd swear that the president and
hsi crowd did it," 1t did not become an
innocent bystander, he asserted TO decide
which were the ideal republicans. "One
thing we do know" he said, "and that is
Mr.. Hartman was a delegate to the last
republican national convention which nom-
mated Colonel Roosevelt by a unanimous
vote and that he was a liberal contributor
TO the TepubllCdu campaign Iunu.' II there |
fore, he said, did not lie in the mouths of
republicans to disown him for he was once
my dear Mr.. Hartman" but now he was |
another sort of Hartman, beginning with |
a big, big D." but he charged Hartman |
was and is "a republican of high degree"
Bond Issue Criticised.
Mr.. Clark criticized the recent bond is |
sue and said that the issuance of bonds in |
a time of peace was the Identical thing |
for which the republicans "pilloried a |
democratic president before high Heaven" /
Much attention was paid by Mr.. Clark 10 |
the charge that Mr., Hepburn had threat
ened ito run over" the leaders of the house.
That threat, he declared already had
brought into line Mr., Payne of New York.
the majority leader, who announced that
there would be no tariff revision. IT.
he said, still referring to Mr.. Hepburn,
he viii be kind enough 10 let us know
when he intends to start his roller over
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr..
Dalsell. and over Uncle Joe, to disfigure
them, he can safely count on a full house
and an audience bresthless with expecta-
lion and deliriOus with Joy"
He remarked that should Mr. Dalzeu
ever arise in his place in the house ana
unequivocally declare that he was earn
estty in favor OF general tariff revision