Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-05-30
SPEAKER IS LEADING.
Clark Boom Is Fanued by Flarorins
Winds Harmon Drops TO Third Place
Result May Hinge OH Horh OF


House.
Whether it remains SO or not, the
political wind nov is blowing steadily
in the direction Champ Clark for the
presidential nomination, and 1t Is gen
erally admitted that there has been
remarkable shift in public opinion in
the past few weeks.
1t is not SO long ago that the friends
OF Governor Harmon we're enthusiastic
in the announcement that the OHIO
governor would capture the democratic
nomination for the presidency ia the
national convention in 1912 Al that
tnc friends Of Governor Harmon
claimed first place for hln tn the race
for the numtnltion; Governor Wilson
If New jersey, was conceded 10 be
Il close second hy the Harmon boomers,
aud the first place was claimed for hu'
hy his flicndS. Champ Clark vas con
ceded by all TO bc pooc third.
Today The situation j. entirely
changed Notwithstanding the fact
that the Harmon supporters opened
up campaign III adQraiLers under The
vety pos. al Tie democratic speaker o1
| tn fi,n,.,--.m lit,l, ~ "ltlce IN tht
/ Hou<r ,tiiyc hultdlng Ma cd a IT.,
| Washington chnpaign headquarters
tn, S,irAl; T has come along 20 rapidly
that tiuyerrCr Ha,mou has droppfC
from fl>t place to Il pf".r third, Tor
merry Occur ,ed by Mr. CLARK Thrr,
i vide difference OF upli,Gn a. "a iht
relative standing al Governor Wit-Ct
nd Speaker Clark, bat both sides al
m / thai 81 far as 1t is possible to Judgi
II this trnc public opinion is almost
equally divided.
Thus far in The race Mr.. Clark has
not raj ci his hand 10 further his o"n
political ambitions. AlCcibcrs of the
House who have talked to the Speaker
On the subject and have urged him tc
announce his candidacy have had 10
uccrss. Mr.. Clark has no intention at
this time Of announcing his candidacy
He has made the fact so plain to his
friends that they have ceased talking to
him about it.
Speaker Clark is not running away
from the nomination. He * quite as
thoroughly infected with presidential
racili as any man in public life. His
friends have been given to understand,
aCwever, that the Speaker is going to
stpnd or fall on the record made by the
Democratic House OF Representatives,.
In this respect he is believed to have
m advantage over Governor Wilson
It is admitted that the program put
ihronsh the New Jersey legislature by
Governor Wilson, and against the wishes
ii the party leaders in that state, was
an extremely ambitious one, and re-
hected credit on the governor. The
Sew jersey legislature has adjourned,
however. and much that has been done
there has been forgotten outside of New
Jersey.
Mr. Clarke's friends figure that the
eyes Of the country now are centred on
the Democratic House, and that il the
the Hous. performs as Mr.. Clark
wishes and hopes it will perform, he
will be in an excellent position to COM
maHd a majority OF the votes in thu
Democratic National Convention.
While Speaker Clark may not have
the undivided support Of the demo
cratic members OF the House, it Is to-
lay an admitted fact that there Is
a better feeling on the democratic
side or the House than at any time
since the rules fight. At that time
Mr.. Clark then minority leader, ma it
no secret of his bitter feelings against
representative Fitzgerald and the
werty-ore men who voted against
Clark on the committee on commit
tees, and the minority leader told
Fitzgerald that he would have no more
Of his slack jaw" 1t is now learned
that more than year later Clark took
occasion to apologize to Fitzgerald for
the use of that language. This apol-
ogy was in accordance with Mr.
Clark 5 determination to maintain
harmony in his own ranks, and it had
tie effect Of healing over the old
wounds. Now, Mr. Clark is just sit
ting tight waiting for the democratic
House to complete legislative pro-
gramme on which he can stand.