Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-08-28
Speaker Champ Clark Throws
Down Challenge in
Brilliant Speech
THE WOOL BILL VETO
Refuses to Be Scared by Cry
of ''Politics" and
Demagogue
Especial to the Herald.)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25.-"The
President has raised an issue which
will rage with unabated fury until the
close of the polls in November, 1912"
When Speaker Champ Clark threw
down this challenge in what is now
regarded as one of the most brilliant
and militant speeches of his entire
career, it meant not only that the
Democratic fight for lower cost Of
living was to be one to a finish, but
that Champ Clark himself was the
man best qualified to lead that fight.
Republicans as well as democrats
apparently realized this, as was evil
denced by the fact that when the
speakers name was mentioned in
connection with the presidency, the
big Missourian was cheered to the
echo.
To those in the galleries, too, there
was significant meaning to this wild
demonstration; it meant that Champ
Clark of Missouri, who started life
as poor barefoot country boy plow-
ing corn on rocky hillside in Ken
tucky, had entered on the last leg of
journey to the White House. And
to the ears of Clark's friends in the
crowded chamber the din of applause
also sounded sweet, for to them it
meant recognition at last of their
contention that Champ Clark had be.
come the biggest figure on the dem
ocratic horizon. The party had at
last found a leader who could lead alt
factions.
1T makes me weary" thundered
the speaker. directly challenging the
leaders on the republican side, "to
hear people talk about somebody
wanting to destroy the industries and
prosperity Of this land 1t is a lie.
No sane man wants to injure in the
estimation of hair any legitimate
industry in this country. 1t is thing
incredible. That Is what l have con.
tended for always, and especially
since we carried the House and had
the responsibility placed upon US. It
Is our country as we'll as yours; our
children must live here as we'll as
yours; we have as great a stake in
the prosperity Of the republic as you
have, and, in the language of Tiny
Tim, God bless us, every one
Another thing. they say that we
are playing politics. Whenever any
man stands up and undertakes to do
anything for the benefit of the great
masses of the people he is denounced
by the interests as demagogue
and is charged with playing politics,
But to stand up and advocate the
cause of the interests is the highest
evidence of craftsmanship. AS far as
l am individually concerned, sprane
from the loins of the common people,
God bless them and am one of them.
| labored with my hands in my youth,
and would do it again tomorrow il
had to do SO; and l unhesitatingly
take my stand with the consumers of
the land as against the interests.
These gentlemen supporting the
Presidents veto message have all
said that this wool bill is unconsider.
ed. do not propose to have that kind
OF statement go to the country un.
challenged, because it is absolutely
untrue. What happened? We called
democratic caucus of the democrat
ic members elect of this house on the
10Th day of January. The purpose of
that proceeding was to select the
Democratic members of the commit
tee on ways and means that they
might go to work preparing tariff bills.
Some of the Republican newspapers
said it was my crazy scheme, but
it worked like charm. We chose the
Democratic members and they went
to work and spent nearly three months
preparing this wool bill. l defy my
friend from New York (Mr Payne to
state that he ever spent three months
on any schedule of tariff bill"