The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-08
CHAMP CLARK IS
 STILL IN RACE Big MissOurian Is Gaining Strength Every Day IS A HAPPY MEDIUM
Answer to Taft's Hamilton Speech Was Most Effective Work Clark Has Ever Done-Is Neither
 Radical nor Conservative
Nv RoDERICK CLIFFORD

bN
 Washington, october 7.-tspeeial')- Those democratic politicians who counted Speaker Champ Clark out of the race for the nomination for the presidency are now wondering If they were not nttie rash. The big Mlssouran has gained more in strength within the last six weeks than any other candidate, and now he stands out as the most likely man in the fight
 Of course the fight for the democratic nomination is not over It probably will not he over until the final ballot is cast in tbe convention, but as pre-conventlon calculations go. it appears. just at this time. as if Speaker Clark had the best of the race.
 Friends of the speaker are busy, too, asking "Wby not?s They are pointing 10 the qualifications Of the Missourian TOT the presidency Their argument is par dcuarly impressive when they insist tha1 q man with IS years of legislative eNpe- rience in the House of Representatives Is perhaps as well qualified as one could pe for the chief executiveship.
 They point 10 the fact that Mckinley had only his work in the House 10 edu- cate him for the presidency. And 1t IS a lact that Mckinley was on better terms with the Legislative branch of the gov ernmcnt than any President has been since the civil war His friends in the House helped him out on all his legislative pro- grammes and Senator Hanna was always ready 10 manage affairs in the Senate.
 Also the Clark boomers are urging lis n An ntheT grounds They say that he does not represent the violent rad icalism of some clements of his party, neither does he represent the unpopular conservatism of other elements. He IS pointed al as standing squarely between. these factions and as being able 10 fuse the two.
 In Clark the progressves of the dem ocratic party undoubtedly have staunch friend, but it is d fact that he is not in sympathy with the leaders who would abolish the courts and the trusts, and the business of the country merely to head off socialism. He Is progressive on the tariff, and on other issues, but he Is not too :ad- ical
 It would be folly to deny that Speaker Clark has gained ground within the past few weeks. The fact is, he began to figure bigger before the people of the country on the day he published his answer to IIeSlutHl alt I1dilllilOi SptCNhs lhoh answer was defense of his party, and it was without doubt the most effective piece of work the speaker ever did.
 This reply struck a keynote. It laid the foundation for the democratic platform and the democratic appeal to the country next year. It was a masterpiece as po- litical argument, and it made Clark more friends than he had ever had before in his party or out of it.
 A. .sI- have two opponents who will give him concern. Governor Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey and Governor Judson Harmon of Ohio are today standing out as the two most promising leaders of the dem- ocratic party, with the one exception of the speaker They have friends In every part of the country and these friends are becoming more and more active every day
 Wilson will divide the south with Clark There is a greater Wilson sentiment in the southern states than exists at this time for any other democratic presidential possibility. This sentiment will have to be combatted by Speaker Clark if he is to win the nomination. He may have the ac- tive support of Bryan in weaning he southern states from Wilson, but then he may have only the passive support of the Nebraskan. MT. Bryan has so far found no objections to Governor Wilson.
 Harmon will find his strength in the east, and in his home state. New Yorlr, Pennsylvania, Ohio and one or two other states are looked to to give Governor Harmon their support, and in them there is an important nucleus.
 Just where the deciding delegations are to come from is not now certain. Some politicians say that New England can, if 1t holds together, control the next dem- ocratic national convention by holding the balance of power between the other sections of the country. This seems req sonable when it is recalled that the south will be divided, that the middle west ana northwest will be on the fence, that the east will not be solid for any candidate, and that the far west has not a great many votes anyway.
 So far New England has not put out a favorite son for the nomination, but that section may muster around Governor Foss or Governor Baldwin long enough to per- feet balance of power organization in the hope of controlling the convention.