Morris tribune., 1909-08-21
streak of independence, and he took
it out and waved it above his head in

it out and waved it above his head il
this contingency, calling public atten
ton to the fact that there was nothing
yellow about il, bnt that it was glori.
Gus gonfalon- tariff sixty per cent
signifying free thought, free speech
and a free list-for certain com
modities.
He was there, on the job, progress.
ing with the other progressives, an6
ever and anon lifting up his mighty
voice and advising the country of the
uefarious work being done there, un-
der that stained glass ceiling tariff
seventy five per cent-by those
statesmen who, pledged by their
party platform and by the ringing
words of their President to lower the
tariff, were not lowering it at all, but
were h'isting it, by heck! h'isting it to
cernlean canopy that covers us all,
h'isters and de-h'isters alike.
Years ago, before Nose came to the
United States Senate, he lived in Fer
gus Falls, and the people there gave
him the name of the Black Eagle of
Fergus Falls. Now, far be it from any
person to say that the Senator does
not look like an eagle, so will say it,
but the folk Of Fergus Falls were not
concerned with that ornithological
exactitude that should distinguish all
faunal naturalists. They were Nature
taking, in way; for to have called
the Senator the Black Cassowary of
Fergus Falls, for instance would have
been neither poetical or polite. They
called him the Black Eagle, and so he
remains to this day, albeit he played
it rather low down on the Fergus
Fallers by removing to st. Paul,
where he has lived since 1891. How
ever, no one calls him the Black
Eagle of St. Paul, nee Fergus Falls.
Fergus Falls it is and shall remain,
and none worthier' to wear the title
and do a black eagle turn than the
Senator.
His hair, you understand, is like a
ravens wing, and so is his mustache.
If he had whiskers they would be as
whole flock of ravens wings. Dark
his complexion and flashing his COM
pelling black eye, or eyes. He looked
and looks the part. A tall man and
wide, with shoulders almost yard
across when he gets to progressing
in ts Senate he progresses like
furniture van running wild down
hill.
There is some class to Senator
Clapp's insurging. He is not one of
those who thinks being an insurgent
means being human phonograph.
'sThe tariff" said Winfield Scott Han
cock, sis local issue;" and they
laughed him to death. 81 move,"
shouts the usual insurgent, "to substi-
tute vocal for local and proceeds
along the lines of the substitution.
But the Black Eagle does no eagling
until he has something to eagle about.
Then he rises majestically and let's
ner scream. He is no continuous
performer. When he does say some
hing, those who are roundabout listen
to what he has to say.
You see, Clapp is one of the best law
yers in the Senate. He has fine and
we'll trained mind and quick grasp
If public questions. Like many an
,ther, he is not particularly enamored
With work, but he gets thru lot of it,
ust the same.
From time to time, before the tariff
,ill came up for discussion, Clapp |
showed his independence of the Or
,anization by getting on the warpath.
He has hoped out and landed on Mr..
Aldrich and the Aldrichians many
lines in the eight years he has been
n the Senate, by way of demonstrate !
ng that he does his own thinking and
carries out his own thoughts. He has
,een chairman of the Indian Commit
lee for some years and has had much |
% do with the intricate legislation |
Lo, and disaffecting those |
Who desire to acquire sustenance from
10 and his hands. He talks we'll and is
and liked by all his col
eagues.
Thus, when he emerged on the
ariff bill and took his own slant in
tead of that of Mr.. Aldrich, his action
attention and carried
weight. He fought along for the
chedules as he thought they should
'e, and, at the final vote, with nine
'ther Republicans, went the entire
over all the jumps, by voting
gainst the Aldrich bill.
Just before he cast that vote Sena-
or Clapp made his justly celebrated