Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-11-29
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
CHAMP CLARK Will BE FIRST
EVER CHOSEN FROM MISSOURI.
Massachusetts, Virginia and Kentucky
Have Each Had -Four Represen-
tatives Elected Speaker.


II Champ Clark is elected speaker
of the next house of representatives,
he will be the thirty-fftn man chosen
as the regular presiding officer of the
lower branch of congress and the first
ever selected from the state of Missou-
ri
Representative Clark would also be
the second speaker to hail from west
of the Mississippi river. Iowa has the
distinction of being the only state west
of the Mississippi that has been hon
ored with the speakership up to the
present time The late David B. Hen
derson, of Iowa, served as speaker of
the fifty-sixth and fifty-seventh con-
crosses.
Massachusetts, Virginia and Ker-
tucky are the states which have been
most highly favored in regards to the
speakership. Each has had four of its
representatives chosen to preside over
the house.
The four speakers from Massachu-
setts were Theodore Sedwick, of the
twenty-first congress-; Joseph D. Var
mum, of the tenth and eleventh CON
crosses; Robert c. winthrop, of the
thirtieth congress, and Nathaniel f.
Banks, of the thirty-fourth When Mr..
Winthrop was elected speaker of the
thirtieth congress it was by majority
of one vote, which is the closest con-
test known.
The Virginia speakers were Phillip
Barbour, who presided over the
seventeenth congress and afterwards
served in the senate; Andrew Steven
son, who served from. 1927 to 1884;
John M. Jones, who was speaker of
the thirty-eighth congress and died
soon after completing his service, and
R. M. r. Hunter, who was speaker of
the twenty-sixth congress and after
ward served as secretary of state of
the Confederate government.
The four Kentucky speakers were
Henry Clay who presided over five of
the early congresses; John White. of
the twenty-seventh congress-; Linn
Boyd, of the thirty-second and thirty
third congresses, and the late John G.
Carlisle, who occupied the speakers
chair in the forty-eight, forty-nipth
and fiftieth sessions.
In Henry Clay the state of Kentucky
holds the record for long. service in the
speakers chair. Mr. Clay served nine
and a half years as speaker, though
his service was not continuous. The
next longest record is that of Mr.. Can
non who will have served eight years
when he yields up the gavel to his
successor next March.
Pennsylvania and Indiana have each
had three speakers of the house.
contributed the speaker
Of the first congress. Frederick A.
who was one of the three
brothers who immigrated from Ger
many before the revolution, and all of
whom rendered distinguished services
to the country of their adoption. The
other speakers from the Keystone
state were of later date. Galusha |
Grow, who occupied the chair at the
beginning of the civil war, and Sam
lel ]. Randall, who presided over the
house from 1876 to 1881.
John w. Davis, known as Honest
Tohn," was the first speaker from In
liana He presided over the twenty
ninth congress and was afterward
governor of Oregon territory. Schuy-
er Colfax, of Indiana, was chosen
speaker in 1855 and served until 1863,
when he became vice president. The
bird speaker from Indiana was Mich
lel C. Keer, who was elected in 1875,
md died early in the following year.
Maine, Georgia, New Jersey, South
'arolina and Tennessee have each had
wo speakers. From Maine came
lanes G. Blaine and the equally fa-
nous Thomas B. Reed; from Georgia,
lowell Cobb and Charles f. Crisp;
rom South Carolina, Langdon Cheves
md James L. Orr, and from Tennes-
zee, John Bell and James X. Polk.
me two speakers from New Jersey
we're Jonathan Dayton, of the fourth
nd fifth congresses, and William
who presided over the
congress.
The only speaker from Connecticut
vas Jonathan Trumbull. who presided
ver the second congress. The only
peaker from Ohio was Gen. J. War
en- Keifer, who presided during the
orty-seventh congress. and who is
member Of the present house. From
forth Carolina came Nathaniel Ma
on, who became speaker in 1901. He
srved as a representative for nearly
quarter Of a century and was known
$ the father of the house.
John w. Taylor, who succeeded
Ienry Clay in the sixteenth congress,
-as the only speaker from New York,
18th the exception of Theodore Pom
roy. who served as speaker for one
az at the beginning OF the forty-first
ongress. until Mr.. Blaine. who had
cen elected, could take his seat
knoxville Journal and Tribune.
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