The Mankato free press., 1908-02-21
CLARK ON ROOSEVELT !
MissourIan Gives Ills Views
of the President.
SAYS He Is NOT A DEMOCRAT
Has Pronounced Virtues as Well as
GIaring FauIts-He Is BelIieerent
Parsonage.

Washington, Feb. 14.-General de-
bate on the legislative appropriation
bill was brought to a close in the
house of representatives after a ses-
sion full of interest and entertainment.
Several speeches were made on the is
sues of the day, the most notable be-
ing by Champ Clark of Missouri, who
commanded the attention of the house
for an hour and half. Upon the con-
clusion of his remarks he was accord
ed 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 lin preparation of another stu
pendous confidence game on the peo-
ple" He discussed the presidents
message and said that whatever his
virtues o. his faults, the president was
not q Democrat.
In opening Mr.. Clark asserted that
a reasonable view should be taken in
matters touching the president, but
that it had not been done as rule.
"He is such a belligerent parsonage"
he declared, that his lightest word
is challenge to combat" The pres
ident, he said, could not express his
views upon any question under
heaven, "even upon a subject so
prosaic and threadbare as the pros
pective state of the weather." without
precipitating a row, his extreme ad-
herents swearing that there never
had been ''such weather prophet on
earth since Adam and Eve were driven
from the garden of Eden and his ex-
treme enemies vociferating that he
knows no more about the weather
than does a ground hog" The presi-
dents whole public life. said Mr..
Clark, had been one long succession
of spectacular fights.
viciousIy Assailed; Lavishly Lauded.
No man, Mr.. Clark declared, had
been more viciously assailed by men
of his own party "and ncne was ever,
while still in the flesh, so lavishly
lauded by some of the opposing party"
but" he said, "the truth is that this
extraordinary man has waXed strong
er and stronger by waging his bat
ties" Even defeat, he declared, had
made him larger and more con-
manding figure.
so" he said, "amid the swirl OF
things, the deluge of words, the shout
ing of the captains, the beating OF
tomtoms, the groans of crippled Re-
publicans, the yells of friend and foe,
one who was a personal friend OF
Theodore Roosevelt, the man, but
political opponent of Roosevelt, the
politician or statesman, had but little
chance perhaps of being heard in this
babel of voices" Mr. Clark, however,
insisted that he would have his say.
He spoke on 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 had
never abused him nor had he grown
hysterical in admiration of him, but
he had supported him when he was
right and fought him "tooth and nail
when he was wrong lie believed that
was the way the president wanted to
be treated.
Other speakers were Messrs. Rainey
of Illinois, Tirrell Of Massachusetts.
Gillett of Massachusetts and Ham.
mond of Indiana, all of whom dis
cussed various phases of the tariff
question.