The border vidette., 1912-06-15
CHAMP CLARK -
The Great Democratic Leader the
 Choice of Prominent Men.

Washington, D. C. May 18th. With the date of the Baltimore Convention drawing near, mem bers of Congress in both Houses are beginning to dicuss the avail ability" of the candidates for the Democratic nomination. The shifting sentiment in the Repu- blican ranks which makes it inn possible to predict the winner of Chicago convention is causing leading democratic members of the House and Senate to conSi- der seriously who among the men running for the Democratic nomination would prove strong est against the Republican mo- minee whoever he may be. Particularly is this question interesting the members from pivotal States states that it will be necessary for the Democracy to carry if victory is to come in November. There seems to be no dissenting voice among the leading Democrats in the House who represent the sO-called doubtful States that Speaker V l d WOuIo OS Oy 1dI O1O strongest candidate. It is point ed out that the present strong position of the Democratic party is due solely to the splendid re- cord of the Democrats in the Sixty first Congress and. their record since they became a majority. The consensus of opinion is that to Speaker Clark more than to any other, Demo crat is due the success of the party in the Congressional campaign of 1910, and it is fur ther emphasized that he more than anyone else has harmon ized and held together the once discordant Democracy until now it is united and victorious. If the Democrats are to elect a President of the United States, it must be upon the record of the Democratic House, leading Democrats from these pivotal" States assert, and the record of the Democratic House is the record of Champ Clark.
 Expressions from numerous members of the House as to the availa bility of candidates for Democratic nomination were had today.
 Said Representative Fowler, of Illinois.
 1.-The Democrats of the House are agreed that we must make our campaign this year upon the record of the Democratic Congress. Champ Clark made this record possible. It is a re- cord of progress that has astonished the country. He can carry every State that is labeled doubtful against any man the Republicans may nominate. l have no doubt that Clark can carry Illinois, if nominated, and I have no doubt that he will be nominated
 Representative Henry George of New York, declared that Clark in his opinion would be the strongest man that could be mo- minated, because with the Speaker leading the national ticket New York would surely go Democratic.
 In my opinion,' said Mir. George, "the Democrats are going to win the Presidency on the issue of the tariff and the higch cost of living which is the result of the tariff. Democratic voters know who began the fight to reduce the cost of living they know it was Champ Clark of Missouri. That is why Speak CT Clark has won in every State where a Presidential preference primary has been held; that is why Clark would carry New York over any man the Repu- blicanS may name."
 West Virginia will be carried by the Democrats in November if Champ Clark is nominated at Baltimore, declared Represent atiVe Hamilton of that State. 1T have always maintained that the Speaker is the strongest man we can nominate"
 Representative Martin of Co., lorado, who was among the first to declare for the Speaker as the Democratic candidate, said <: Colorado will go Democratic this year if Speaker Clark is nominated, and I say this because he is the only Democrat on whom the Democratic voters of the country can and will unite.