Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-07

CHAMP CLARK.
Copyright by G. v. BuckD
When Speaker Clark, gavel in hand,
hurried into the House today on the
stroke Of noon his democratic and re-
publican colleagues jumped to their feet.
and with handclapping and cheers gave
him riotous welcome. 1t was Mr.. Clark's
sixty-second birthday. and none Of his
friends had overlooked the fact
After the House had gone into commit
tee of the whole, and the Speaker had
turned over the presiding officers gavel
to a colleague and left the floor,
Representative Rainey of Illinois, Mr..
Clark's nearest congressional neighbor in
district sense; former Speaker Cannon
and Representative Austin of Tennessee
paid high tribute to the Missourian, who.
some folks think. stands an excellent
chance Of being his party's standard
bearer in the next campaign
Rainey Did the Talking.
The Speaker didn't respond to the de-
monstrative welcome that greeted his
appearance, save by a very brief nod.
But after he had left the hall Mr.. Rainey
rose and secured unanimous consent to
talk for ten minutes.
Ten years before the war between the
states" said Mr.. Rainey, lin a rural COM
munity in the great border state of Ken
lucky. a man child was born.
His advent into this world was unher-
aided, and attracted no attention except
In the town where he spent his boyhood
days. Today in this capital city, in noun
tain hamlets. in the great cities of the
east and on the shores of the western
that in the journey of life the Speaker of
the House has reached his sixty second
milestone.
The sreat Lincoln was born on a farm
there came to him the call of the west.
the land of the free, where the great
Mississippi rolls down to the sea. where
the humblest may share in the fruits of
the SOIL He yielded to this call of the
west and reached early in life the great
middle ocean of our country, where the
waves Of prejudice from the north meet
the waves of passion from the south.
Just a Workingman.
HE was farm hand, clerk in
country store, a country surveyor and a
country lawyer. He there developed
those qualities of leadership, of mind
and of heart that finally placed him in
the highest place within the gift of the
people. Today the memory OF this Ken
lucky boy is revered in the east and
west. the north and south.
+ Champ Clark, too, was born on q farm
in Kentucky. and to him also there early
came the call Of the west He went
through the preliminary training that
went to give Lincoln his breadth Of mind
and an misunderstanding warmth OF
heart. He was q farm hand, clerk In
a country store. q lawyer and teacher.
He developed in the hard school Of prac-
teal experience those qualities which
have placed him in the second highest
position under the government.
Speaking as Friend.
To-day as his lifelong personal friend,
representing the district which for 100
miles ad1oins his, as his nearest con-
gress:onal neighbor, I have the right, l
think, to speak in this place of his quail
ties as a man and his capabilities as a
to the youth of the United States.
Mr.. Rainey, who was frequently in
terrupted by applause, then reviewed
Mr.. Clark's life and achievements.
Champ Clark's rise in life..' said Mr.
Rainey. cannot be attributed to
complimentary notices in newspapers
and magazines. He has grown from
obscure. place and small stature until
he looms high. principally as result
of the confidence reposed in him by his
Through all the dark years Of demo-
cratic defeat and humiliation he remained
SteadfaSt to the principles TO winch his
party stood pledged. He worked on all
occasions for the principles every demo-
crat in this country holds best. He never
shirked his duty as democrat In all his
public life He has been tried in the
fire and has been found not wanting.
Is Liked by Many People.
To-day hundreds Of thousands of people
all over the country are organizing to
confer on this country boy, schooled as
Lincoln was schooled. the only Office In
the government greater than that he now
holds. He stands today before the coun-
trv in the prime of his mental and physi-
cal yigor, at just the age when a man
can best claim the right to be candidate
for the presidency OF the United States.
Representative Austin OF Tennessee
spoke briefly, declaring that il 1t should
be that a democratic President Is to sit
in the White House after the 4th OF
March next then he hoped that democrat
would be Champ Clark. The republican
side warmly applauded.
Former Speaker Cannon himself re-
ceived a round of applause when he took
the floor. He paid high tribute to Mr..
clark as a man and a leader of men, and
to his fairness and justice as Speaker
OF the House.
II hope" he said, that Champ Clark
may live to celebrate his Tooth anniver- |
sary. and that may be here to see It,"