The Washington herald., 1910-12-01

Dlock ana each EFFORT saddle" win
handicap. But they got there-both OF
them-they got there and mayhap some
where beyond tho stars the light OF their
eyes is shining down upon here tonight
Mark Twain, lobbyist.
Taking as hts subject. Mark Twain,
lobbyist" Champ Clark spoke in part as
follows:
ut is IN keeping with the eternal 1T
ness OF things that a Missourian should
participate in paying honor 10 the most
famous Missourlan that ever lived. With
me it is a labor OF love.
I'm his time. Mark Twain played many
parts-printer. Mississippi River pilot. sol
der, Ofiieeholder. reporter. editor, lee
turer. author, humorist. philosopher. con-
troversialist. traveller. humanitarian. sat
irist. stump speaker. and lobbyist. Mir
able dictul He played them all success
fully. In versatility he ranks with
Thomas Jefferson. Perhaps a buster man
never lived. He oheyed literally the
ScriDturai injunctiOn: Whatsoever thy
hand fndoth 10 do. do il with thy might"
Il consider il my good fortune TO have
known this illustrioUs and lovahle man
personally at all, and my bad fortune not
10 have known him for q longer period
he was born within a few miles of my
Congressional district, at the confluence
OF the three forks OF salt River, a stream
Of evil omen 20 candidates, upon whose
briny bosom many Of them sail into the
gulf OF Oblivion.
The way ! came 10 know Mark Twain
personally is that three or four years ags
Ia, 1-f-ffaa a f1r
Let not the prudlsh and squeamish shud-
der az the term, fer Mark Twain was
not only a lobbyist. but very prince OF
lobbyists He did honor not only 10 the
lobbyists but also 10 those with whom
he lObbied There are lobbyists and lob
byists. In the lapse OF years every
species OF man appears u Washington
10 lobby. except a fool
so IL came 10 pass that on a memoir
able day Mark Twain. lobbyist. with his
worldwide reputation as his avant-cou-
reur. descended upon the Capital in gor-
geous attire and swept everything before
him. Solomon in all his glory was not
arruyed az was this great MissOuTian. for
in the dead Of winter he wore a suit OF
white flannels white as the snow which
filed the air, while all the world won
dered. He created a profound sensation
sation which, so far as he was concerned,
was strictly utilitarian in character and
cunningly planned for effect upon hard
headed. matter-Of-faCt solOns. The news
papers were filled with Mark Twain and
his unreasonable raiment. He was the
theme of every tongue from White
House TO police station, from Porto Rico
70 far Cathay.
Most wonderful ADnareI
Since JoseRh's coat OF many eolors-no
article of apparel of any other male per-
son was ever so extensively advertised
not even excepting the wonderful coro-
nation robes Of George " or the cooked
hat and gray overcoat OF Napoleon or
the white plume of Navarro. With his
snowy fannels. snowy hair. and snowy
mustache. he made a superb picture. one
on which affection loves to linger
''The subject matter Of his lobbying
was Improvement in the copyright laws,
which were sadly in need OF Improvement.
II was a subject near his hears. He was
intensely in earnest-persistent. enthusi-
astic. optimistic.
Mr.. Speaker Cannon gracefully and
graciously turned over one of his rooms
To Mark Twain and in it no held his
court, somewhat. il must be confessed.
to the Generalization of business in the
Congress, for so long as he remained in
the Capitol 1t was almost impossible to
maintain a quorum in the House, so
eager were members TO look into his
face, shake his hand. form his acquaint-
ence. and listen to his conversation. It
pleased him nightly. and in those hal
cyon days he was undoubtedly happy
and, being happy. was at his best as
James SteerfOrth begged David Copper
field to remember him. and as all of US
would choose TO be remembered.
Receives Hearty Welcome.
mo other man of letters in the history
of the world ever received such a hearty
welcome as Mark Twain received in
Washington except Voltaire upon his last
visit to Paris in his extreme old age
The great-hearted Missourlan enjoyed It
20 the limit. He was as pleased as a
little child He extended the glad hand
To everybody. He talked with perfect
abandon on a multitude of subjects, ana
all the while he lObbed-lobbied skill
fully-lobbied IN delightful manner-lob-
bied with side-spHtting yarus-lobbied
with philosophical remarks-lObbied with
wealth of reminiscenCe-lObbied with
fetching arguments for justice-and ac-
complished the substance OF what he
sought-a rich benefaction 10 American
authors When quitting his country's
capital forever-his country which he had
honored in every quarter Of the globe
re might, without exaggeration or bad
taste. have repeated the proud boast of
Caesar, 'Vfnil Vidl Wei"
Il think myself happy to have been
able to aid him in his self-imposed task
Of aiding the American writer's, They
have in their kindness done me honor
over much The men 10 whom your grati-
tude is primarily and in largest part due
are the members OF the Committee on
Patents headed on the Republican side
by Mr. Chairman Currier. Of New Hamp-
shire, and on the Democratic side by
Hon. William Sulzer, of New York"
George w. Cables "reminiscences Of the
dead author and his eulogy of the humor-
ist and his work were received with close
attention by the audience. Henry Van
Dyke then read the poem he had written
for the commemorative exercises. The
memorial ceremonies came TO an end with
a postlude on the organ played by War
rem r. aedden.