The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-02-01
the opposition party than for the de-
NAL of the peoples will and the usur-
patton of their right to rule.

NAL of the peoples will and the usur-
patton of their right to rule.
For Representative Government.
Attacking this veto in three strong
and powerful speeches, Champ Clark
has held up the theory Of real repre-
sentative government, and in mill
tant Democracy becomes the central
figure standing for that great question.
1t may be said simply and without
further emphasis that no man has
ever asked for the presidency In this
generation upon two stronger and
more logical claims than the speaker
| of the house.
OF the three prominent candidates
for the Democratic nomination, Champ
Clark has a conspicuous advantage in
| another fact. The followers Of Judson
| Harmon are constantly under the ne
| cessity of defending him against the
| charge Of ultra-conservatism and the
| suggestions growing out of his past
| intimate associations as an attorney
! for great corporations.
| The friends and advocates of Wood
the Defense because of the sudden
ness Of his conversion from the ultra
conservative to the ultra-radical view,
and because of certain surround
| ing associations whose attitude to-
ward popular interests Is seriously in
| doubt.
If either Mr.. Harmon or Mr.. Wilson
should be nominated, he will be con-
stantly compelled to defend himself
and to explain himself, both before
and after his nomination for the H.
lustrious Office.
Champ CIark's Record FIawIess.
The friends of Champ Clark, on the
other hand, have nothing to explain
and nothing for which to apologize.
There is absolutely not flaw in the
public career of the Democratic speak
err of the house, and not an objection
that can be urged against him, either
upon the hustings or in personal con-
versation. He has fawless record of
rs years Of faithful, capable and fear
less service for the Democratic party.
| He has gone through every office of
| development to fit him for this lofty
station. Through the kindergarten OF
Pike county politics; through the pri-
| mary school Of the Missouri legisla-
ture; through the high school Of the
| American congress; up to his present
lofty station as the second officer of
the government every step Of his
career has fitted Speaker Clark for
service in the chief executives Of
flee.
To pass, after his long experience,
from the speakership of the house of
representatives to the executive Office
of the White House would be to Champ
Clark simply like passing from one
room to another.
And in all this career there has
been no act and no expression which
would give his enemies hammer to
batter his record or his capacity. He
is a Progressive Democrat, and the
leader of the Progressive Democrats
in a progressively democratic age. In
his inaugural as speaker, he assumed,
far in advance Of the recent speeches
of President Taft, the high and sens1.
BILE position that the Democratic party
had as much interest in prosperity in
this country as any other party, and
that it had too much interest, both In
prosperity and in property, to endan'
ger either by unwise and foolish poll
cies in government.
A discreet radical and a progressive
conservative, with nothing in his rec
ord for which to apologize and explain,
I submit that Champ Clark offers the
best possible compromise between the
contentious of the conflicting factions
which champion the cause Of Gov
ernor Wilson and of Governor Har.
mon.
Equipment for the Presidency.
| There is another remarkable qualiti'
cation which fits Champ Clark pecul'
iarly for the presidency. His long car
eer in congress, and his intimate
knowledge of the ways of congress
and of the motives that move
the two houses is an equipment for
the presidency which the history of
that office will emphasize.
Grover Cleveland was one Of the
greatest statesmen that America has
produced. OF his ability and integrity
there can be no doubt. And yet Grover
Clevelands two terms were incessant
wrangling conflicts with the house of
representatives, and he left the White
House with his party broken and dis
rganized-simply because he did not
know how to handle the American con-
gress.
William Mckinley had, perhaps, the
| most popular administration of the
presidency that the country has known.
With less individuality than Cleveland,
and perhaps with less ability, his adj
ministration was full Of achievement
and comparatively free of friction, be-
cause his four terms in the American
! congress had taught him how t. deal
with that body and how to secure leg
islation at it's hands.
Theodore Roosevelt, with his siren