The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-30
STATEMENT is ISSUED
1t Declares He Is the Only
Available MissOurian.
Endorsement of Folk Two Years
Ago Is Repudiated.

which is composed of W. il. Bltnds
chairman; Edward T. Orear, w. T.
Kemper, NJ. E. Casey, r. W. McCurdy,
Edward Winstanley and Samuel Spar
roSe, was held in room 414 of the Com
merce building. 1t was decided to open
The campaign Immediately
The first step to be taken by the
committee will be to organize ward and
county precinct Clark for-Pl esident
clubs. When these subordinate organi-
cations shall have chosen their respec-
tive o.ncers and fallen irto line with
the movement a general meeting will be
called, probably in Kansas City. In this
way the Clark Missourians are to be
united in strength for the presidential
fight.
In order that the followers of Champ
Clark may be somewhat Informed as to
the object Of the Clark-for-P President
club the committee prepared and issued
a statement, with the view OF giving
the same public circulation. rms state
ment is as follows:
The Statement.
The Clark for-President club is or
ganized for the purpose of furthering
the interests of the man whom We pc
.ieve to be MiSSOuri'S choice as its can
ddate for PRESIDENT of the United
States, Hon3ra BILE Champ Clark, speak
er Of the house Of representatives.
Mr. Clark has served his state nearly
a fifth of a century in the house OF rep
resentatives His record speaks for IL
self AS an evidence of The approval
Of his public acts, by the DemocratS
of the nation, he was recently seiecteu
as the speaker Of the house by the Dem
ocratic ma jcrity of that body. NO pet
ter recognition of his public services
and superior ability could exist. Hls
long record is without spot or notch;
He has been faithful. consistent ana
most able in the discharge OF his pup
lie duties. That he is one OF the strong
est national characters today, everyone
knows and, in iact, we peiteNe e. ~.
10 be the most available candldate lOr
president. 80. -...,a
upon his long record ct the past. bue
recent record made by the house OF rep
resentatives in the redemption Or ITS
promises made to the people of the |
He is the friend of Kansas City, OF
the Missouri river, of the state OF MIS-
souri and we believe if he should be
selected as the choice of the Demo-
cratic party for president he would /
make the strongest candidate it could
possibly put forward.
The Folk Endorsement.
The mere fact that a convention. held |
two years prior to the presidential
"a ronaign should incidentally endorse /
the nomination of Mr.. Folk, or any |
other man. is a matter of no moment,
to our minds. The delegates TO that
convention were sent for certain pur-
poses and it was certainly not within |
their implied or expressed powers, to |
Determine the choice of Missouri of its
candidate for president, so long a time
prior to the presidential campaign.
Modified issues and modified condluons
have arisen Mr.. Clark, himself, was
not the available person then that he IS
now He had not been selected as the
speaker of the house, nor did he carry
the power or prestige that ne now pos
Sesses and whatever may have been
the action of that convention, or what
ever may be Mr.. Clarks personal pref
erence or personal choice, now or then,
should not be considered by the people
of Missouri. under the conditions and
circurn stances as they now exist.
If the question of determining the
choice for president had been submit
ted to the people choosing the delegates
to the convention. at which the action
was taken and if this had been I'M
derstood to be an issue, the result
might have been very different and
since delegates are now to be chosen
to a conventional that be the method
adopted-to express Missouris choice
for presid ent. the proposition should be
free and Untrammeled by any action of
a convention two years ago. or by the
action of any individual or set of indi
viduals-
1t is right and just that the people
of Missouri should be permitted to /
express their choice. in the light of .
all the circumstances and the facts |
existing shortly prior to the presi- /
dental campaign itself. If conven- |
ton held two years prior to a presi- |
Dental campaign could determine the |
matter, then the convention which is |
always held prior to the campaign |
would become perfurctory and useless |
and it's delegates could not exercise
their own Judgment upon matter of
such important character.
Only Available NFfSG0vyrfan
We believe that Mr.. Clark is the
only available Missourian and that /
Missouri, in its own interests and to /
it's own benefit and. consequently, to
the benefit of every citizen thereof, /
should urge and press the candidacy |
of the only man with whom it is pos
81 BILE to win
The choice of a presidential candi- /
date is bigger than any personal issue |
or desires of Mr.. Clark or of any other
individual. In other words, such a |
proposition is not personal in any
statewide import and significance, but
a national proposition and, believing
these things to be true, the Clark-for-
President Club of Jackson county will /
organize in every voting precinct and
these suborganization Will constitute
the larger Clark-for-Preside Club Of
Jackson county.
If the local interests of Kansas City
and Jackson county are to be consid-
cred, then the support of Mr.. Clark
by his party should be absolutely
unanimous He has helped US to Sc
cure river appropriations and stands
ready and willing to help Us in the fu-
ture. No one that we know is in
position to help more than he The
biggest factor in the future develop
ments of Kansas City, yea. of Missouri.
Kansas, Oklahoma and the great