The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-27
CLARK IS CROWDED
OUT OF L|MtL|GHT
Underwood Got All the Pub
licity Because New Rules
Bound the Speaker.
az SIDNEY EspEY

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.-There 10
rivaly over the House lead
ership between Speaker Champ Clark
and Chairman Oscar Underwood. of
the Ways and Means committee. This
centers in the ambition of each to be
President of the United States.
In the beginning of this congress
there seemed to be no conflicting as
pirations between these two Demo
Gratis. The name of the new Speaker
was on every lip. and he appeared to
tower infinitely above the head OF
his associate from Alabama.
But times have changed. It has de-
veloped that under the new rules OF
the house the Speaker is nothing more
or less than figure head. No pow
er attaches to this once powerful Of
flee. There is some glory in presiding
over the lower house of congress, but
there is little for the Speaker to do
aside from ruling upon parliamentary
questions
Tended to Obscure Him.
All this has tended to obscure Speak.
er Clark. He has had no committee
men to appoint, and therefore no great
body of representatives under obliga.
tons to him.
He has had no committees or in
dividuals approach him and ask if this
measure or that measure might come
up for consideration. He had had but
few requests for recognition from the
floor. AS result he has been more
or less ignored in carrying out the
program Of the party caucus.
All this. too, is in direct contrast
with the power that centered in the
Speakership under Joseph G. Cannon
of Illinois.
At that time the Speakership was re
garded as the most powerful office in
the government, not excepting the
Presidency. But that is past. When
Speaker Cannon was shorn of his great
authority, Speaker Clark was shorr
by the same act.
On the other hand, Chairman Under
wood has figured more prominently be
fore the country during the extra ses
sion than has any other member Of
either branch. He had led all the
tariff fighting. He has PRACTICAL,
framed the wool, the cotton. and the
free list bills. He put reciprocity
through the house, and had, within the
past few days, represented the whole
house on the conference committee.
Incidentally, the Alabaman has de
veloped real leadership, and has KEPT
his Democratic majority squarely be
hind him throughout the whole ses
sion. This has given him a creditabls
reputation throughout the century.
An Underwood Boom.
Then came the Underwood Presi
Dental boom. It was initiated in Ala
bama, and for time was regarded
simply as local effort to pay /
compliment to favorite son. Nobod!
outside Underwood's state seemed Il
take the matter seriously, and leas
of all was q serious view taken of it il
Washington.
When the Ways and Means chair
man clashed with William Jenningl
Bryan. and when he was found to hav,
practically every Democratic membel
of the house behind him in his fight
his Presidential boom was given sud
den and startling initiation. Politician
began to take notice OF Underwood
and to estimate his chances for tn,
Presidential nomination.
AS Speaker, Clark's star waned, Un
derwood's grew brighter. 1t woult
not have been human in the Speake
to sit idly by, and see his lieutenan
pass him in this fashion. He did 81
still, however, insofar as appearances
went, but the gossip is that he di,
not approve of the attack upon Bryan
and that he said SO to number o
his personal friends in the house.
Clark has been Bryan man man.
years. He was for Bryan when tn
Nebraskan first jumped into fame, an,
has been consistent in his support Q