Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-20

vention with a plan of a constitution in his
pocket.
"It was submitted to the Virginia dele
cation, with George Washington at its
head. They agreed TO 1t, and presented it
as the Virginia plan Hamilton had a.
plan, and somebody else had a plan, and
the convention rejected the third plan, and
they adopted Madison's plan in all of it's
essential features, and he has been ac-
claimed the father of the constitution
until quite recently"
A Roosevelt Admirer.
Mr.. Clark confesses to a strong personal
admiration for President Roosevelt. He has
never attempted to conceal this even in
partisan debate on the floor Of the house.
His tolerant good humor is shown TO per-
lection in his Characterization Of and atti-
tude toward Mr., Roosevelt. "Out in Mis-
souri," said Clark one day, there was a
lawyer who so frequently urged courts and
juries to take a reasonable view that his
saying passed into a proverb. That is eX-
actly wha should be done touching the
president; but that is precisely what has
not been done as a rule. He is such a
belligerent parsonage that his slightest word
is a challenge TO mortal combat, and he
cannot express an opinion on any question
under heaven, even on a subject so prosaic
and threadbare as the prospective state Of
the weather, without precipitating a row,
his extreme admirers declaring that there
never has been such a weather prophet on
earth since Adam and Eve were driven
with flaming swords from Paradise, and his
extreme enemies vociferating that he knows
no more about the weather than does the
ground hog.
Upon this issue there would be joined
a battle royal, full Of sound and fury, sig
nifying nothing. Colonel Roosevelt laughs
TO scorn the words Of the great cardinal:
Love thyse,f last; cherish those hearts that
hate thee;
Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace
To silence envious tongues.
Personally ] like him. He has treated
me we'll, and / have tried TO treat him
well. After the manner of strong men, he
has pronounced virtues and glaring faults
Of character. / have never abused him. I
have never grown hysterical in admiration
Of him. When he is right, / support him
cordially. When he is wrong, l fight him
tooth and nail. 1t seems to me that that 10
the way in which he would desire to be
treated"
Friendship with PettuE.
During his service IN Washington Champ
Clark has delighted in intellectual inter-
course with some of the ripe old minds Of
the senate. He greatly admired General
Pettus, and during the lifetime Of the aged
Alabama senator saw him as often as he
could. The two men attended what Clark
calls 'the only democratic Presbyterian
church in washington" Clark said once
The general and might have been not
improperly denominated as sons-in-law TO
that church. We attended with our wives,
he habitually. l occasionally. DIT. Pitzer.
the pastor. came to rank as a sort Of
pishop. To illustrate the esteem in which
he was held, once a little gin, who was a
member Of his church, was asked what St
Paul had said on a certain subject. She
replied: I don't know what 81. Paul said;
what I want to know Is what does DR..
Titzer say"
Clark tells this Pettus anecdote: He
was endowed with rare powers Of sarcasni
and a saving sense Of humor. When he
made his celebrated speech in reply to
Senator Beveridge, an exceptionally eX-
quisite piece Of sarcasm. wit. and humor,
IL happened that / was lecturing at Michl-
gan university. His speech was head
lined and greatly exploited iu the news
papers. It set the country in a roar from
sea TO sea. The first time I was in the
senate chamber after returning 10 Wash
ington. l congratulated the general on the
fame he had achieved. Solemn as a graveH
image. he replied: My speech on that oc-
oasion was one Of the indtscretions OF
youth
Mr.. Clark is proud of the fact that for
twenty-five years he held a record for be-