Evening star., 1909-04-18
Clark Of Florida.
This is dispatch from Tallahassee:

Asserting that he was answerable to
the people OF the second Florida district
and not to the state legislature, Repre-
sentative Frank Clark tonight opposed the
resolution denouncing him for utterances
made on the floor of Congress. He made
two-hour speech before the Florida
house.
CLARK denied that he had attacked
Champ Clark or said that the Florida
legislature had instructed him to speak
against Bryan. He reiterated his attacks
upon Bryan, designating him as that
Nebraska populist.' and said he had done
more campaigning while Bryan was the
standard bearer than all the hackers of
the resolution.
Yes. I'll work for him again II he is
nominated by the party in 1872 he said.
The people of the south in ~ had to
hold their noses and vote for Horace
Greeley.
No self-respecting white democrat in
the south can stand for the further effort
OF this man to reach the presidency when
ne believes in the ownership
said. negroes would hold all positions on
the railroads soon. as they now hold them
in the free-delivery service"
Mr.. Clarks courage might have been
greater. 1t required courage for him to
speak Of Mr.. Bryan as he did in the
House here, and then to repeat his words
at home before a body OF democrats pro-
testing against his utterance. The peer
less leader has so many admirers, and
those who admire him are so completely
under his spell. criticism from the ranks
Of his supporters sounds like treason.
And yet. bitter as he Is toward ''that
Nebraska populist," Mr.. Clark confesses
to certain helplessness when 1t comes
to action. He does not think that any
''self-respecting white democrat In the
south can stand for the further effort of
this man to reach the presidency but
admits that II Mr.. Bryan, making a fur
ther effort. succeeds in securing another
nomination. he will support him. Strange
reasoning. Party regularity imposes
much that is. disasreeable at times, but it
should never force a man to part with
his self-respect. And probably it would
not In Mr.. Clark's case. He spoke little
-extravagantiy under pressure.
Mr.. Bryan cares little for those who
speak against him. and yet act with him
at the polls. That is to say. he does not
take them into account az he does those
who both speak and act against him. In
the cases Of the former he relies upon
party discipline to do Its perfect work
He has but to secure a nomination to be
assured OF their support. The very en-
ergy with which they oppose him before
nomination operates in his favor after the
nomination has been made. They must
then canvass for him with might and
main fh order to appear well in the party
harness. Mr.. Clark says that he has
worked harder with Mr.. Bryan in the lead
than the men who are now complaining
OF his anti-Bryan speeches.
For AL the rest, Mr.. Clark is probably
safe at home. He Is looking out for Flor
ida. and expects Florida to reciprocate.
Mr.. Bryan, In time, will pass. but Florida
will abide. After that Nebras ska popu-
list" has been gathered to his fathers.
and his wonderful spellbinding is but
memory. the industries Of the Peninsula
state will still be entering into the Ameri-
can scheme Of things. and still be de-
manding consideration along with other
American industries. If not Mr.. Clark,
some other man from the second district
must keep guard over things the district
Is most interested In when tariff sched-
ules are being revised and new rates of
customs duties being fixed. For steady
wear. practical politics is safer than be-
witching eloquence.