The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-04-09
CHARACTERISTICS
OF TWO LEADERS


spot light. But just the same, Champ
Clark, of Bowling Green, Missouri, the
minority leader, breaks into the piece
at frequent intervals and speaks his
part with gusto.
Serene Elisha is large, rotund party
He probably hefts the scale at 275
pounds A plentiful share of white
hair clings to his massive head. and
white mustache just matches his white
eyebrows on a quizzical, kindly face.
It is study to watch Payne's face
while he is speaking. His eyes twinkle
and shine and funny little wrinkles
play about his mouth when he takes
sarcastic shot at the minority SIDE
which is often. He has a profound
knowledge of the tariff, talks intelll-
gently about it's technicalities, its raml-
fications and it's applications; KNOWS
finance and governmental administra-
ton from A to z, and, what IS more
can tell what he knows in clear, con-
else, point manner.
. Nothing really ever disturbs Payne,
or confuses him. He tries to make
believe that rapid-fire questioning up
he made his famous two-day speech
i'm the house at the opening of the spe-
cial session, explaining the tariff bill,
he had eight solid hours of nearly con-
tinuous grilling at the hands OF the
whole house-an almost steady stream
of questions from members, ranging
from queries as to what ad Valorem
meant to how many pounds of tea were
used each year in the United States,
in Germany. in England, and elsewhere
And not a single question went un-
answered. If he evaded one, II was
done so skillfully that the questloner
seemed satisfied.
Pavne has served on the ways and
means committee just 20 years he
has been a member of congress for ~
wears. and has seen the framing ana
passage of two previous tariff measures.
He is the trusted lieutenant OF the
sneaker. and a most vigorous and con-
sistent always -the-job supporter or
the house machine He never walks
he slides along with sort of waddle.
He is big enough around the mldoie 10
wear President Taft's trousers, Out
would be clean lost in his coat.
Champ Clark's principal character
istic is his voice. When properly har-
raised and working perfectly, Champ
has a fog-horn beat to FRAGILE. he
is fond of homely phrases; like uncle
Joe Cannon, he often refers 10 the
Rible for an illustrative incident, Or
precept and has goodly fund OF anec-
dote There is just a faint suggestion
of the South in his speech.
"Misher Speeeeee-r", says Clark, as
he rises majestically, removes his spec
tacles slowly, swings them around care
lessly in one hand, and sticks the other
in one of those Old-style horlzontai
trousers pockets that he affects. When
he gets "het up properly. Champ dis
cards the spectacles, and cuts little cir
cles in the atmosphere with the Tree
hand; pounds on the desk, or else
tucks it away in the other capaclous
trousers pocket. Sometimes he leans
forward and sticks his head out pug
naciously. He has one peculiar man.
nerism. When he stops to collect MS
thoughts, he purses up his mouth ana
then. suddenly "puffs'' vehemently.
When he is real excited Tie pun SOuhuo
| like a locomotive exhaust. He is tall
and well-fed in appearance. He al
WAYS wears one of the old-style open
'front.' collars, and has penchant for
red neckties. He is smoothfaced, with
gray hair pretty thickly scattered over
his head except in one spot where the
| pink of his scalp shows.
Champ moves slowly with dignity
as BELTS all big things. He has a
curious little way of poking his shoui
ders and head forward as he takes
each step, and always begins MS
speeches negligently-musses his open
ing words up so that hardly anyone
knows what he is saying. Having thus
slurred over ,"Mr. Speaker" and his
opening phrases, however, there is nj
one in the chamber that can possibl,
plead inability to hear. He has mon
strous rasping voice that penetrates.
I Clark, too, like Payne, has been il
congress a long time His service be
gan in 1896 and he has been returning
every two years regularly.