El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-02

evening OF repose and a good book
He is an OmnivOrOus reader, deYOur1ng
everything in the literary way that he
can get hold of, from fiction TO MS
tory Not long ago he sat up all night
reading Great EXpectat TONS, though
be had read it twice before Hardly q
week passes when he does not get sew
eral books sent as gifts by the au-
thors.
Champ Clark's real home. however.
In the little town OF Boiling Green,
Mo. he thinks it is the greatest town
on earth. Every man, woman ana cnlIu
there is his personal friend, and at
election time he gets every vote On
such occasions the G. A. R. post meets
at its hall and marches with flags to
the polls TO vote as one man Tor clark .3-r-
"a Democrat Somebody the other
day said to the speaker: You have
been in all parts of the United states
what In your opinion. is the best place
10 i've To which Mr. clark instantly
Mo-
Is Tree Planter.
When he is at Bowling Green, his
1aVor1te amusement is planting trees
and watching them grow But Tor
such outdoor sports he has little time.
He never takes a vacation. When his
work as congressman let's up, he
starts on a lecture tour, which may
merge into a political speech-maklng
campaign He likes TO lecture ABOUT
ture, and favorite topic of his IS
Pecultartties of public men L nave
known"
Mr.. Clark proudly calls attention to
the fact that no region has produced
so many able public men as the sec
ton of central Kentucky in which he
himself was bOrn-Within radlus OF
100 miles from Lexington. Lincoln
and jefferson Davis we're both among
the number. So, likewise, was the late
justice Harlan, and Gov. Stone, Of MIS-
souri, that brilliant political strate-
gist, halls from the same neighbor-
hood Curiously enough, the grand
fathers of Champ Clark, Underwood
(the Democratic floor leader ana
Mann (the Republican floor LEADER
were lawyers in the same Kentucky
village.
A story quoted by Mr. Clark was
told him by the late senator George
vest, who was a graduate OF center
College, IN DanTflle, KY vest, taking
with Dr.. Turner, who had been preSi-
dent OF that educational establish
ment for nearly half a century, said;
Can you tell by observation Of q boy
at college what he is going to amount
Was in Dull Class.
Well" replied Dr. Turner, Il
thought the class in which you grad
uated was just about the dullest ana
ter college. Yet it produced one vice
president Of the United States CBreck-
enridge), four United States senators
and 10 members Of the house of repre-
sentatives Only two boys in the
class seemed TO me especially bright
One Of these is now a teacher IN a
school for the blind and the other was
drowned in q millpond."
The withdrawal of the privilege OF
appointing committees has deprived
the speaker OF much Of his former
power But it was Champ Clark who
was chiefly instrumental in bringing
about this reform, which, he says, has
restored representative government TO
the people"
For the loss Of power there is ample
compensation in the removal OF oppor-
tunity to make enemies A speaker en-
doWed with authority TO appoint com
mittees OF the house cannot fail TO ere
ate q multitude of personal animosi-
ties. and these, in the long run, have
a cumulative effect-Which. in fact,
got" uncle Joe Cannon eventually. For
this reason is is that the speakershtp
has not hitherto been q stepping-stone
to the presidency.
On one occasion, several years ago,
uncle Joe gave a lunch to a distin-
guished visitor from England As they
were leaving the table, the visitor
said: Mr.. Speaker, I have been glad