Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1911-07-07

just now Mr.. B2rnnaTt Is gong 10
reform the press. He is the author
of house bill 1868 which is intended
to compel the publication in every
newspaper of the name Of its manag-
ing editor, publisher and owner or
owners. To avoid scandal on the one
hand and personal violence on the
other, the dramatic editor and the
baseball editor are allowed to Iurk
in dark anonymity. The plan is not
wholly new. Mr.. Bryan has been urg-
ing it for some years. Yet it awak-
ems interest in a congress filed with
newspaper owners-even those who
testify like Senator Smoot that they
own newspapers, but neither read nor
write for them.
The Barnhart plan will probably Ian
guish and die. Yet it has stimulated
the zest for reform. One representa-
tive wants to add to the Barnhart bill
a provision that every lawyer in con-
grees shall file a truthful list of his
clients. There seems to be a certain
justice IN this suggestion. Newspaper
editorials seem often to be biased. If
we knew who the owners of the paper
were we might understand the reason
Senatorial speeches not infrequently
suggest a retainer. Could we but turn
to list Of Senator Blanks clients we
might discern the handspring of his
oratory But Barnhart will have none
of this amendment. He fears that con-
gress would adjudge him fit for the
home at Longcliff
Champ CIark's Dual Role.
Just at present Champ Clark is
filling an historic role. Speaker
of the house Of representative as
was Henry Clay in 1922, he, like Clay,
is an avowed candidate for the presi-
dency. Fuller, the historian of the
speakership, writes of Clays political
ambitions: From that time on there
were two Henry Clays, Clay the states
man and Clay the candidate for the
presidency. These two roles ever
met, often in conflict, and each at
length fatal to the other"
Just now the friends of Champ
Clark are less concerned about any
| possible check to his ambition arising
from his position as speaker, than
they are about the effect upon his po-
! litical fortunes Of the candidacy OF
| Joseph w. Folk of Missouri
Folk may be described as the first
| of the secondary candidates for the
presidency. He is first in that class,
not because he is ADLER or enjoys a
more extended national fame than the
three Democratic governors, Foss, Dix
and Marshall, the mayor of the most
typical of American cities, Carter H.
| Harrison, or the brilliant and growing
chairman of the ways and means com
mittee, Oscar L. Underwood. All
these must be reckoned with in the
next Democratic national conven-
| ton.
Folk Endorsed by State.
But Folks position is unique in that
he has already the endorsement of his
Democratic state convention-an en-
dorsement given apparently ungrudg-
ingly and joined in by all factions
True, there are reports that it was
done to keep him out of the senatorial
fight. That may be. But in any event
he holds the endorsement, and Sena
tor Reed, in whose election he aided
materially, and even Senator Stone
not, insist that the party's word is
pl1ghted and that to violate it would
be political perf1dy. 1t is easy to
see what the effect of this situation is
upon Champ Clark's candidacy. Be.
fore the people Clark is inestimably
the greater figure. Clark's claims are
based on what he is doing today;
| Folks on what he did as a reform gov
| ernor years ago.
But Folk has the endorsement. If
the Clark people take it away and
| nominate the speaker, Missouri might
be lost in the ensuing election. It
is close state at best--Republican
In the last two presidential elections
and revolt of the Folk faction might
keep it in the Republican column
Hence serious obstacle to the Champ
Clark progress and the need for recog-
nlzing Folk as a possible figure in the
national convention.
Dix and Foss Seldom Mentioned.
indeed as matters now stand the
Big Three" Clark, Harmon and Will
son, will not have matters all their
own way in the nominating body. In
der ordinary circumstances a Demo-
cratic governor Of New York should
bulk large in such a gathering. but
Governor Dix has failed to imnress
himself on the nation Just why would
be hard to tell, but it is a fact that
one may sit with group of eager ma
tional politicians here at the canttaI
and hear presidential possibilities dis
cussed by the hour without the name
of Dix being mentioned.
His neighbor, Governor Foss. is in
nc better standing. During his, brief
stay in congress Foss won some re-
spect for his strong and logical views
on the tariff, but failed to impress
himself on his colleagues. He was
here but few months and save for
one tariff speech, had little opportu-
nifty to attract attention. It is con-
coded that these two governors, with
Marshall of Indiana, will have the first
votes of their delegations, but Wig
orous fight for the nomination of any
one Of them is not expected. Of the
three Marshall is the strongest. His
state is pivotal, every Indianian is
politician, and the delegation in con-
gress from Indiana is second to none
in political acumen and is talking hard
Horchou