The Washington herald., 1912-02-02
THEP0LITICAL PROCESSION
ny FRANCIs B. GEssNER.

Powell Clayton, OF Arkansas. the vet
eran member Of the Republican National
COMMITTEES. was no less cheerful and con-
fdent than Secretary HiIles. when the
approaching national convention was dis
cussed.
Il have never wayered in my belief
that President Taft would be renomi-
mated" !" said Gen. Clayton. 'and each day
adds to my confidence. Ny good old
state OF Arkansas comes early on the
roll call. and our delegates viii respond
unanimously for Taft when our state Is
called in the Chicago convention. While
there has been no fuss or stirring up OF
things in Arkansas, the work for the
President Is going on, and evidently the
opposition has not thought II worth while
TO venture in
There was a very confident expression
by Gen. Clayton that other States South
and West would line up for the adminis-
tration in good season. and indeed the
general has never been much worried
about the ultimate result.
Gen. Clayton is a veteran in politics.
He began in Kansas prior to the civil
war as a delegate to a Congressional
convention. He first went on the Ma
tional Committee in 1872. and he has
never quit the Job. He has had Just forty
years on the committee. and has missed
but one convention-that which renomi-
mated Roosevelt in 1904
Gen. Clayton at the age OF seventy
eight promises that he will not miss the
convention OF 1872, ana promises, too,
that he will be a delegate-at-large and
swing the Arkansas delegation to Taft.
In Charge of Harmon Headquarters.
Robert B. Gordon. who was yesterday
placed In charge OF Harmon headquarters
In Washington, comes from st. Marys,
Ohio. and was a member Of the House
not many years ago. A man of independ-
ent means. Gordon rather startled his
friends when he accepted a minor place
on the House pay roll, but It now appears
that he was looking ahead for the Har-
mon cause. Ever since the House or
ganized last April Bob Gordon has been
watchfuI in behalf OF Harmon, and there
was general approval among the Ohio
members OF the House when Hugh
Nichols, the Harmon manager-at-large,
announced that Bob was TO be chief. The
good health and activity OF Gordon to-
day Is a matter OF remark, but some
years back, as a lad in his fathers -FOUR
ing MILL Bob fell sick and the doctor
gave him up to die with consumption.
Thus advised. Bob Gordon got busy. He
sold his little property. drew out his saw
ings from the bank, and declared that II
he had TO die In a few months he was
going TO have a mighty merry time while
life and money lasted. He hastened to
Atlantic City and Eastern cities, spend
Ing money rather lavishly for a country
lad, but sad at heart. He envied the
healthy men and women he saw and
lamented that In a few weeks he would
be laid in the grave and miss so much
happiness.
Then one day he ran against a weigh
ing machine and thought to find out how
much weight he had lost since given up
to die. He nearly tainted when he saw
that he had gained dozen pounds and
tried every other scale to make sure. All
agreed, and Bob decided a man dying
with consumption does not gain a dozen
pounds in a dozen days. He went home
and prepared TO run for Congress. also
to live fifty years longer
May Run for the House.
Oregon gains a Congressman this year
and will have three members in the next
House. This statement is not near so
startling as the information that John
NJ. Gearin. once United States Senator,
does not-stand so much on his dignity
that he will refuse to be n candidate for
the House. II Is not often that one who
has served in the Senate cares for a
nomination TO the coordinate branch,
but Gearin may accept even II the dis
trict Is considered Republican and he is
a Democrat
Not much has been heard OF Gearin
since his Senate service, but he has
kept carefully in touch with Democratic
Politics all along the Pacific Coast, and
Il he goes into the Congressional fight
may stir things up for his young friend,
Lafferty. the Republican incumbent, who
promises to be the candidate OF his
party. Now that a third district has
been formed, Ellis, who dropped out two
years. may decide to come back and
will have less trouble in getting the
than before. Gearin will
have a few precedents for accepting a
TO the House. the notable
enc being that OF John Quincy Adams,
who came to Congress after a term as
President
1owR's Candidate for Governor.
Iowa Republicans and Democrats in
and out OF Congress are not exactly per-
turhed but thew ara pafxziad ovar fha