Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-14
Democrats Harmonious, Says Presid.
ing Officer of the House.
THEIR TURN IN 1912, HE SAYS
Defends the Politicians, and De-
clares College-Bred Men Should
Perform Their Political Duties.


their praise of Thomas Jefferson 10
laud Speaker Clark and proclaim his fit
ness for the highest Office in the land
the college men cheered again and again.
The big ballroom of the New Willard
was decorated with the flags of all the
colleges and universities. Boxes were ar
ranged along the sides Of the room in
which the guests of honor were seated.
Among those in the boxes were Mrs.
Clark. wife of the Speaker; their daugh-
ter. Miss Genevieve Clark; John Barrett.
director of the Pan-American Union !;
Justice Lurton of the Supreme Court.
Mrs. Lurton and party. Henry St.
George Tucker and Mrs. Tucker, DIR. J.
Townsend Russell of New York and Mrs.
Russell.
Duty of College Men.
Speaker Clark himself addressed the
college men. welcoming them into the pO-
litical world. 1t had been the custom to
sheer at politicians in the past he said
The great trouble lay in the fact, he said,
that there were not politicians enough
Every citizen should be politician, and
every college-bred man should perform
Speaker Clark emphatically declared the
democratic party was working in absolute
harmony today. He ridiculed the efforts
of republican newspapers to discover a
split in the democratic party.
The terror of the republican press lest
the democrats fall out is the most hui
morous thing l have seen since Mark
Twain wept at the tomb Of ADAM" said
Mr.. Clark. I'VE are not going to get to-
gether, said Mr.. Clark, for We already
are together. We always have been to-
sether."
MI Clark referred to recent democratic
caucuses, to the unanimity of the demo-
Gratis at the last session of Congress, and
to the fact that democrats passed the re-
ciprocity bill in the House, when Presi-
dent Taft with all his patronage couldn't
muster a sufficient majority In re-
publican Senate to put his proposition
through"
Speaker Clark told the college men they
were entering politics at an Opportune
time. when We are emerging from six
teen years of the Wilderness" He de-
clared, however, that il the "hoodlum"
went to the polls and the educated man
stayed at home. the "hoodlum merited the
name of better citizen"
"our Turn at Last"
''And its our turn at last he said, re-
ferring to the presidential compaisn Of
1912.
Speaker Clark warned the college men
not to be diverted from politics because
Of the sneers directed at the mere poll
tician.' In the light Of human expert
ence, he added. the public men of today
have the consolation of knowing that,
While we are Jumped on now as JOB lot
OF politicians, some Of Us will be rated as
statesmen by future generations"
Scholarship accompanied by common
sense will enable a college man to win
success in politics. but scholarship alone
10 of little avail. said Mr.. Clark.
1t Is incredible that there should ever
have been. Is now. or ever will be. any
general prejudice against learning or
learned men, said Mr.. Clark. The scholar
In politics is all right, but pedant Is
ridiculous. whether in politics or out of it.
The general average Of intelligence has
increased amazingly in the I'D years OF
our existence under the constitution, but
scholars in politics.
Thomas Jefferson. the greatest states
man that ever lived. bar none. the pro-
foundest philosopher that ever devoted
his life to politics in any country or age,
the anniversary of whose birth We are
met 10 celebrate, was one OF the most
scholarly of OUR Presidents. His imme-
date predecessor, the elder Adams. grad
uated at Harvard, from Harvard, as
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge would say.
was graduated from Harvard. while his
immediate successor. James Madison,
won his degree at Princeton"
Mr.. Clark declared that honesty In poll
tics was an absolute essential and that
the chief inducement to enter public life
mentS attaching thereto.
A Fortunate Era.
Speaker Clark contrasted the oppor-
tunities in politics today with those Of
nifty years ago. declaring:
Young men of America of this day.
coliesians and non-collesians. come upon
the scene in a very fortunate era. This
is the day OF great things. 1t Is the age
OF the worlds intensest activity and high
est development. Men are prone to look
backward to a golden age. ! prefer to
think this age is better than any Of its
predecessors and that the best is still to
come l take no stock in the pessimistic
theory that the republic is on the high
road to perdition and that We are headed
for universal chaos. The world is pro-
gressing-particu!arly our part of 1t.
True. We have not reached the millennium
yet There are wrongs still to be right
ed. reforms to be effected. There Is plenty
for ali of US to do in improving our
methods of government and ameliorating
the conditions under which We live
Democratic College Clubs.
The meeting was presided over by W.
Jefferson Davis, president OF the DEM
ocratic College Mems League. Mr. Davis
traced the history Of the movement Of
organizing democratic clubs among COL
and New England, where they are very
strong.
The first speaker Of the evening was
Thomas Nelson Page. DR.. Page called
Thomas Jefferson the first political phil
osopher the country ever knew.
Colleges have become hidebound in
conservatism and erected affairs to che
calf of gold." said DR.. Page. while
universities in other countries have been
hotbedS OF progressive ideas. the older
colleges in America have been nurseries
Of dizziness.
'One Of the gravest charges which
may be brought against the republican
party Is that II has thrown all other
notices TO :he wind. and has preached
continually but one gospel-the gospel
OF wealth. IT has invaded ti,e institu-
ton of learning, the temples where the
affairs were set up. and to which in
genuous youth is brought to sacrifice.
The republican party might well change
its first initial and be the c. o. p, or
crafty old party. for II has been too
crafty for innocent democracy"
Assurance From Independents.
John Temple Graves brought mes
sage from the so-called independent dem
ocratic party that 1t stood solidly In line
with all democrats today.
1.-The donkey has at last shed its coat
and has donned the hide OF the conquer
ing Iion." said Mr.. Graves.
nA AZ