Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-02-15
A RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT
Editorial in Chicago Examiner Points
Out Democracy's Debt to Speaker
Champ Clark.


Jackson Day banquet in Washington
than that of Speaker Clark.
1t was sound, practical eloouence
backed by magnificent personal ser.
vice and leadership
He pointed the way clear and
straight and wasted little time in
scholarly theories.
what Mr.. Clark said of the part
played in Democratic history by the
s1xty-drst and Sixty-second Congress
and the extra session of the Sls.ty-
second is true by the record.
The history of the Democratic mi
norlty within the decade is proven of
all men,
AT the end of Bailey's leadership
the minority was in an absolutely de-
moralized condition. John Sharpe
Williams followed Bailey and demon
allied it still further until the nation
al Democratic party in Congress had
no standing in the eye of the nation
or OF the voters throughout the
country.
When Champ Clark was elected
leader after Williams the men who
constituted the Democratic represen-
tatives in Congress We're very largely
the same as they had been before.
They were not different in numbers
particularly.
| There were still a minority, and
practically the only difference was in
the leadership, and that was Clark.
But that leadership was immensely
important and soon began to be fol-
| lowed.
The Democratic representation in
Congress, although a minority, began
under the leadership Of Mr.. Clark to
support the good Republican measures
and oppose the bad Republican meas
ures and to introduce and be respon-
sible for the policies which the peo.
Pile of the country really wanted, and
soon the people Of the country began
to realize that there was a small body
Of men that was doing its best to
represent the people and was really
representing them.
And as soon as the public
thoroughly understood that and hat
followed the action of this Demo
cratic minority long enough to have
confidence not only in its desire to be
right, but in its judgment and ability
to do the right thing, they changed
the Democratic minority into Demo
cratic majority for the first time in
sixteen years.
Now, this was altogether leader
Hshp, altogether question Of judg
ment. And Champ Clark was the
minority leader.
For this last session we have had 6
Democratic majority in Congress thai
has acted with the same judgment
the same broad democracy, the same
devotion to the welfare Of the public
and the same ability to discover tht
desire of the public that character
lied the conduct of the minority.
/ AS consequence the Democratic
party all over the country has beel
strengthened. People have come t,
regard the Democratic party as a
once the genuine progressive part.
and the sound and trustworthy party
the party of good sense and goot
: judgment.
We no longer hear the name Of De
mocracy linked with free silver an,
anti-expansion and the guarantee o
bank deposits and other peculiar an
personal policies which for lon
time deprived the party Of the supper
, of the stable and thinking element Q
the community.
The sound, Ndlcious part of tn
progressive programme can nov
+ march forward to success because tn
fads and the visionary fancies hav
been eliminated from the programme
! The real progressive measures tha
the people want and from which tn
people will benefit have been tn
, measures upon which first the Den
, ocratic minority and then the Den
, ocratic majority centered under tn
leadership of Mr.. Clark.
These facts are very important fo
] Democrats throughout the country t
| consider.
! A presidential election is comm
on. The Democrats will have to non
r mate a candidate, and they wan
first, candidate who will be able t
win at the polls and be elected Pres
dent, and secondly, a man who afte
: he is elected President will make S
!. creditable an administration that tn
party can remain in power and not
!. those unbalanced things which wi
\ bring discredit on the administratio
and result in the defeat of the part.
without rejecting in any way 0
: the many able candidates that are b.
/ ing discussed and considered fo
), nomination for the Presidency by tn
Democrats, the Examiner feels thu
2 no man better deserves to be discu
scd and considered than the ma
I who has proved his ability an
q proved his Judgment and prove
y his capacity for guiding the nation;
Democratic party to success.
e Who would make a better candida'
e than the man who transformed
i Democratic minority in Congress i
. to Democratic majority?
a who would make a better presidei
y than the man who led that Democra
l. ic majority In a way to satisfy Il
& whole people Of the United State
and make Democratic success in Il
II next election rot 5nlg possible, but .
u most inevitable Chicago Examine