The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-02-28
CHAMP CLARK'S EULOGY
OF DAVID A. BALL.
At "old Pikers" Banquet He Talks
of His Friends Candidacy for the
Gubernatorial Nomination.

/ ~ ~ i"UlN ihNt saturday nlRnt.
Al the banquet besides the "Pikersn
were Governor Folk, Senator Stone
and other invited guests. A feature
of the occasion was the speech Of
Congressman Champ Clark cxtoll-
ing the many good qualities Of that
! popular "Commonrr" Dave Ball,
candidate for the Democratic nomi-
nation for Governor. Mr.. Clark
| said:
Former Lieutenant Governor
David Alexander Ball Is the Pike
county candidate for Governor of
this imperial Commonwealth, he
said, and he is worthy of that high
honor, In saying this | would not
dctract even in the estimation of n
hair from William Strothcr Cowherd,
or Judge Wallace, or Judge Fort
or James II. Whitccotton, or Mr..
Staples, or any other Of the eminent
Democrats who are candidates for
Governor, or who have been men
toned in that high connection. |
know all these men well, and with
some Of them am ON close terms Of
friendship. | can support any Of
them chrcrfully if nominated, but
Ball is the peer of all.
Ball is one of the most successful
Ia, "A &
best Campaigncrs have ever
clappcd eyes on, and | have seen II
multitude. He is not only superb
stumpcr, but is an excellent mixer.
He has laborcd as hard for the Dem
ocracy Of Missouri as any man in
the State-has for years been n
newer Of wood and drawer Of water. |
Some say that he is not big enough
to be Governor. The same men
said that Silver Dick Bland-God
bess him in his grave-was not big
enough for the presidency, and the
same men say that William jennings
Bryan is simply dreamer, IA mere
mouther Of rhetoric, pestilent
disturbcr Of the public peace, and
has not mental cndowmcnts fitting
him for service in the White House. !
Ball Is one Of "the plain people"
whom Abraham Lincoln said God !
loved, or he would not have made |
so many of them. 1t will he n sad !
day for the Republic when public |
men are ashamed Of having done |
any sort of honest toll, or that they |
are the sons of lahorers, for the /
laborors of the land ARE the bull |
warks of our institutions. My faith |
er was at on" time Il buggy and car |
riagc maker. | am proud of that.
am glad that Ball once was Il
hired man and II must afford him |
both pride and pleasure to remember
TINT the Tinsleys, in whose tobacco
factory he wOrkt d, are among his
best clients and warmest supporters
now. They know him like book,
or as that brilliont Piker, Doctor
Samuel w. Buckner would put it:
They know every convolution of his
brain; and they swear by him.
When | came to Missouri | was
dead broke'-not an unusual con
dition with me. / always had Il
after politics and tried
to practice law. 1t looked like
fate to enter the lists
they were so completely occupied
in Pike county, there being sixty
seven licensed lawyers in the coun-
ty, forty of whom were endeavoring
to live by their profession exclus-
Ively. But | had the temerity to
essay that hazardous stunt, and am
glad | did, though frequently | was
tempted to jump the game.
Fortunately, however, ! got so
ieeply in debt that could not leave
without sense of shame, aud by
he time ! was out of debt the four
Icst mules in Missouri could not
nave pulled me away.
The necessity of teaching school
ook me to Louisiana, which was in
Pike county. No man ever taught
/ finer set af pupils. They have all
handsomely, and it is one
# the proudest recollections of my
ife that wherever they may be, by
and or sea; whatever they are do
ng, whether presiding over courts,
Is does Judge Virgil Rule, or
preaching the gospel, as does the
Reverend Alonzo Pearson-they are
III, men or women, Democrats or
saints or sinners-my
worn friends.
When located in Louisiana, Ball |
vas struggling young lawyer,
'oor as Lazarus, fighting his way
nch by inch. He took me in and
ivided his crust with me. 1t was
title enough, God knows, but it en-
bled me to remain In Missouri, IA
act for which 1 shall never cease
D thank the Giver of all good things.
Lfk-... Il