The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-30
All Democratic Leaders Are Expected to Take Part
 In the Big Rally
CHAMP CLARK IS BEING
 TOUTEO FOR PRESIDENT
Boom for the Missourian Has Already Gathered Force and He Will He in Line With Harmon nnd
 Wilson for HonOrs
BY wATTERsoN sT'EALEY


 Washington, December 29-(special.)-- The approaching democratic caucus of the members-elect of the next House and the big democratic rally in Baltimore will make of Washington a political Mecca the middle of next month.
 Representative Clayton of Alabama, chairman of the House democratic caucus, believes there will be a big attendance of members. The Alabaman, in fact looks for no absentees and predicts a harmonious gathering of democrats which will name its best men for the tentative ways and means committee, and may go so far as to indorse Representative Clark of Missouri for the speakership and des- ignate a tentative rules committee to re- port to the House when the new Con- gress formally convenes. The personnel of the ways and means committee shows little change from that heretofore an- nounced. Added interest was given today in the report that the democratic leader. Mir. Clark. will make the speech in eau GUS nominating Representative Under wood of Alabama for the chairmanship of the ways and means committee. MT. Underwood will, of course, have no opposition and the reported action of Mir. Clark Is construed by his colleagues as being a deserved compliment to the Alabamian.
 Bryan and Wilson Absent The absence of MT Bryan and Governor Wilson from the Baltimore rally has not robbed that affair of it's national interest, Practically all the democrats in the Sem ate and House will be present and the fact that democratic leaders n most fe the states will be in attendance will give | the Baltimore gathering an importance only secondary to a national convention. The Maryland democrats are using every effort to prevent their red fires illumnat- | ing Governor Harmon more than any oth- CT presidential possibility. but the gover- | nor Is certain to be a big drawing card and that he will get an enthusiastic well come goes without saying. His support CTS will construe this as a demand for | his nomination and Harmon's Ohio by | GOO majority is further material. | Champ Clark is to vie with the Ohioan | in the applause of the banqueters and if | there is rival demonstration the Mis- sourian will get his share. The Champ | Clark presidential boom Is a mighty healthy one in the opinion of a number of democratic congressman. It Is point ed out by them that a man who unified his party in the House at the last ses- sion of Congress and made democratic
 victory possible will have to be reckoned
 with at the next national convention. l The prospective speaker comes from 1 border and a doubtful state. Geography and the civil war cannot count against | him, for he was too young to be sol | dier Those who are talking the Clark boom, however, say he possesses an ad- vantage over other candidates in that he will be a national figure from this time
 on. He is not confined to state, but as speaker of the House is afforded an | opportunity to be before the people in every state. If as majority leader he
 does as well as he did minority lead | CT the Clark boomers say he has got to be reckoned with by Messrs. Wilson, liar
 mon, ct al. Anything may happen In IS
 months and one presidential possibility | is as good as another. In any event the prospective speaker Is not going to be overlooked in the Baltimore affair. and at the congressional caucus here he will have matters his own way. Taft's Presidential Boom I Speaking of presidential booms. it is
 an exceedingly dull day that does not
 bring forth from the White House some
 joyful tale of thee onrush of the Taft
 boom. The mansion fairly teens with enthusiasm for the "renomination" wave
 as 1t Is called. which there originated, l and the political stokers are working
 overtime to keep the fires bright and | burning So far they are doing well. A | little more team work might be de- | sirable but the cheerful optimism with
 which they go about the task of rehabil-
 itating the Taft administration leaves
 nothing to be desired. Starting the day
 after Christmas, they have thus far not l slipped a cog. Each day has had its little sensation, all indicative of the new
 ly discovered demand of the people and | the party for the renomination of the | President
 First there was the startling announce
 ment that Taft and Roosevelt had writ
 ten letter to each other. This was fol-
 lowed by the statement emanating from
 'close friends of the President of his
 determination to again lead his party as it's candidate in 1912 and of the alleged
 fact that all opposition to him had sim
 mered away. Then there came the story
 that the insurgent republicans were pre- pairing to crawl in under the administra-
 ton wing and make Taft's renomina-
 tion unanimous.
 Roosevelt to Nominate Taft
 Today there is blazoned forth the anony- nous announcement that Colonel Roose- welt will make his speech in the 1912 con vention renomnating MT. Taft In addi- ton to this, as further indication of the tremendous strength of the Taft
 wave" three republican stand-pat sen ators who have been retired by their constituents and go out of public life on March 4 Burkett of Nebraska, Piles of | lCONTINUED ON PAGE 7.l