The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-01-17

racy Would March Forward ts
Presidential Victory.
[Mr. Hamilton Holt. the editor. OF The
| Independent. asked Colonel John Temple
| Graves. the eminent editor or The New
| York American. 10 write for The lnde
| pendent a statement ON the presidential
| II Is full OF meat and wisdom thai
| IL IL deemed worthy or reproduction here
in fuii.l
Ii is perfectly certain that the Demo
cratic battle OF 1912 must be fought
upon the record and achievements OF
the Sixty-second congress.
The landslide which elected six gov
erhors and forty-seyen congressman in
1910 was not an expression OF conf
dence In tho Democratic party. II was
essentially an expression of disapprov-
al and distrust of the Republica, party.
AS a result. the Democratic party came
measured by it's achievements, to be
reckoned upon its worth. To be reward
ed for its fidelity or TO be con
demned for it's failure to meet the pop
ular will
The record of the house majority in
the Sixty second congress is without a
superior in our modern legislative an
nails for unity. conference. definitepess
and practical achievement. The DEM
ocratic party has never had such an
effective lighting machine. AS a re-
suit OF the extra session, called by the
president to pass the reciprocity bill.
the Democratic majority passed swift
ly and smoothly, and yet with perfect
fairness and deliberation, every single
bill that its platform pledges promised
&c the American people AS fighting
platform for the campaign of 1912 it
is fiaw;ess and complete. No party
ever went with better record to
ask the ballots of the American peo-
pie.
And this coherent and effective Dem
ocratic majority is as much or more
the product OF Champ Clark than OF
any other single individual 1t is
quite true that Oscar Underwood. as
chairman of the ways and means com
mittee. has conducted the cause OF the
majority on the floor with consummate
balance and skill. He has won and
deserves golden opiaions for his cour-
age. his calmness. his discretion and
his ability
Champ Ciark's Splendid leadership
But 1t is also true that the Demo
cratic majority. for two preceding
years. wien IL was minority, has
been conducted with equal skill and ef.
fectiyeness by Champ Clark. Since
John Sharp Williams withdrew from
the Democratic leadership. Champ
Clark has led the parliamentary for
tunes OF the party He led II, too, In
the DARKEST and most despairing days
OF Democratic history He has been
fearless aggressive, undaunted and
clear. He has fought the Republic
an leaders upon the floor OF the house,
upon the hustings. and upon the Amer
lean platform-the ablest and best
OF them-a and has sustained the prnci |
In every field OF intellectual conten.
tion.
Moreover, il was under the leader. |
ship of Champ Clark that the despot- |
ic Cannon regime was destroyed in |
the house OF representatives, and that i
the rules We're reorganized 1t was
his own signal judgment OF men that |
elevated Oscar Underwood 10 the |
Craftsmanship of the ways and means
committee. Not measure has been
considered or decided upon in the all
powerful caucus of the Democratic par
ty without the concurrence and CO
operation Of the speaker of the house.
Not legislative sparrow has fall
en- TO the Democratic soil without the
knowledge and cooperation Of Champ
Clark.
Neither Oscar Underwood, nor any
other Democrat, can or will attempt to
deprive Champ Clark of the just lau-
rels OF the titular and actual leader
ship OF the greatest and most effec-
tive fighting machine that the Demo
cratic party has ever known.
If the Democratic party, by its
achievements, shall deserve the suf-
frages OF the American people in the
election of 1912, then Champ Clark log
cally, by his perfect record, richly de-
serves 20 lead that party to victory at
he polls.
Strong Claim on Democrats.
In another way, the speaker of the
louse of representatives has pc
:uliar claim upon the appreciation and
suffrage OF that great body of the peo-
ole whose political faith is expressed
n the Democratic party In the re
:ent strong and powerful arraignment
which Mr.. Clark has made OF the Re
publican president for his veto of the
tariff measures, he has
gathered to himself the aggressive
leadership of that fundamental prin-
iple OF representative government in
act against executive usurpation
President Taft went into office un-
Ter distinct pledge OF tariff revision
downward. The people voted him into
'fice upon the strength OF thai pledge.
Id his election was AIN EXPRESSION