The Irish standard., 1908-02-22
Declares 1t Cold Day When the Nations
Chief Executive Doesn't Send
Message to Somebody.
Without Any Reserve He Challenges the
Republicans to Pass Bills the
President Recommends.

The feature Of tho session oil the
House of Representatives was the
speech of Champ Clark, tho cpigram-
matte and emphatic Chautauqua orator
from Missouri. 1t was delivered with
much force, wuS full of characteristic
uttcrallrcs. was hugely enjoyed by the
Democrats and was heard with interest
by the Republicans, who were in force
with Speaker Cannon at their head.
| Mr. Clark paid some attention at the
beginning to President Iioosevclts let
ter writing and other forms of partici-
patton in the campaign Of 1906. and as
ter writer" could write enough letters
between now and November to return
another Republican majority in the
House. The majority was reduced from
ia to 55 in the Sixticth Congress. and
in every district where the Republicans
received less than the 5000 majority
had the better chance to elect this
year. "And praise be to God, there
are 45 OF tIlem.' In districts where
the Republican candidate had less than
$500. he said, "you are our meat. There
arc 81 of these and VIC need To carry
only .3 to organize tho next House,
Mr.. Clark said he wouldn't discuss
the financial question, adopting Lord
1,aincrston's bon mot concerning the
"But two men, he said, ever under
stood it. Quo Of them is Mr. Hill Of
connccticut; the other. unfortunately.
| is dead" He would, however, devote
some time to an expression OF his
views on the panic. This, he declared,
was and would be always known as a
Republican panic. The Presidents
friends charged il upon Hartman, and
Harriman's friends charged It upon
the President. But whichever faction
was responsible. it was d; Republican
panic.
The gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Hep
burn) had sought to minimize tho effect
OF tho panic. IT reminded him, Mr.
Clark said, of tho old sinner Of whom
IL was reported that as Noah sailed by
in the ark, sitting in the forks Of u big
tree Ho shook the water from his eyes
and hair and remarked: "rhis 'cre flood
amt much Of u shower after ALL"
OIaughter.)
| Col. Hepburn had said the panic
wasn't so bad. Whether It was or not,
Mr.. Clark said, 1t had cost him about Il
quarter OF what he had owned. He
quoted from ex-Sccrotary Shaw and
Senator Aldrich to prove that the
panic had been one of the worst on
record. And Secretary Cortelyou's
remedy for it had been to issue bonds
in u time Of profound peace, for which
the President had written him o. let
ter of approval.
"Its u cold day." commented Mr.
Clark amid d shout Of laughter, "when
the President does not send a. letter to
somebody. If he does not wind up
with a case Of pen paralysis miss my
guess"
! Just at this moment ono of the
White House secretaries appeared on
tho floor, and Chairman Lawrence,
bringing his gavcl down, announced:
"Thc gentleman will suspend while the
committee rises informally to receive
IL message from the President OF tho
United States
1t was several minutes before the
laughter subsidcd and Mr. Clark was
enabled to resume.
On the subject of the tariff Mr..
Clark scored several points at the ex-
pense Of the Republicans. Tie did not
count much on Majority Leader Payne's
promise to revise the tariff. If the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr.
DalzclD should rise in his place, he said
and make the Unqualified statement
that he was in favor Of q general re-