The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-27
Theodore Bells Efforts All
Right on Surface But
Are Not Very Deep
CLARK CONVINCED
BRYAN BEAT HIM
Can Never Feel Same Cordiality That
He Felt Before the Memorable
Incident at the Baltimore
Convention
nv C. E. STEWARD

washington, April Zb.-lSpeleal.) )-The-
odore Bell from the Pacific coast, came
all the way to Washington, perhaps not
altogether for one purpose, for the situa-
| ton In California with reference to the
| Japanese had something to do with his
| business, as probably did the distribu-
| tion of federal pie-but one of the things
he had In mind was to play the role of
pacificator. He longed to be the medi-
ator that brought together two of de-
| mocracy's greatest champions-William
J. Bryan and Champ Clark-who have
been estranged since that memorable
night in Baltimore when the great COM
moner took the platform and threw the
harpoon into the political prospects of
the speaker, SO far as the nomination for
the presidency was concerned, alleging
as his reason that Mr.. Clark was receiv-
ing and accepting the support of Tam
many.
Champ Clark believes that this act of
Bryan's lost him the nomination. He
believes as firmly as he ever believed any
thing at all, that had this incident not
occurred that he would today be in the
White House. There are many others
who share his views; there are others
who believe that he had reached the
zenith of his strength in the convention
before Bryan made his announcement
and that at the best he would not have
received many more votes than he ac-
tually did get on the ballot preceding
Mr.. Bryans change to Wilson, even had
Bryan stuck to him.
Broke Up Close Relationship
Anyway that incident broke up a long
and close relationship between the two
men. The speaker has been exceedingly
bitter toward Mr.. Bryan and Mr.. Bell ar
ranged his little dinner for the purpose
of getting them back together and in
ducing them to smoke the pipe of peace.
The Secretary of State submitted his
statement denying any intention upon his
part of rejecting upon the speaker per-
sonally or bringing into question his po-
litical integrity. Mr. Clark issued his,
in substance saying that Mr. Bryan did
not have the power-no other man had
the power-of undoing the damage he
sustained at the hands of the Nebraskan
at Baltimore-but, for the sake of har-
mony. etc, etc.
So they shook hands around the festive
board amid the applause of the few fay-
ored spectators, and Mr.. Bell silently
shook hands with himself and murmured
inwardly, Il guess as a pacifier, there
luuSL Dc some claSS TO me.
Cheer in Large Packages
Thereupon everybody took a seat and
the conversation took on about as cheer
ful a turn as the meeting of the creditors
OF defunct band when they are in
formed that they may get 10 cents on the
dollar. Mr.. Clark was urged to tell fun
ny story, and consented to do so-t was
probably as humorous as a broken leg,
but every one present made a heroic ef-
fort to burst into unrestrained and mirth-
full laughter From all accounts sitting
up with corpse would undoubtedly have
come under the head of pleasure in
comparison to that dinner The speaker
thawed out and was about as warm and
cordial to everybody as a piece of gas
pipe at the North Pole. and everybody
present was like the man who goes to
get tooth pulled, mighty glad when It
was over
The current opinion is that the recon-
ciliation between the Secretary of State
and the speaker of the House cannot be
handed down to posterty as one of the
great events of the Wilson administra-
ton Odds could be had against the pos
sbility of Bryan and Clark doing the
Damon and Pythias act for the next four
years. The net result of Mr.. Bells purely
altruistic endeavors are that in the flu
ture the speaker will probably say '.How
do you do. Mr. Secretary" In cold and
distant and How / would like to soak
you tone of voice and get a response
from the secretary in the same friendly
and sincere vein, on occasions when they
are thrown together.
The truth of the matter is, that try as
he may, the speaker can never fully for
give Mr.. Bryan, and believing as he does
that Mr.. Bryan is alone responsible for
the defeat of his lfe's ambition it would
indeed be remarkable If he did On his
part Mr.. Bryan has little to forgive the
speaker for. Clark was always devoted and
faithful to the commoner in all his cam
paigns, and until Mr.. Bryan struck him
"below the belt In Baltimore never had
aught but praise for the peerless one.
The Secretary OF State is urging world
wide peace and he may be able to bring
about this most happy consumma ton In
the end, but the disarmament between
himself and the speaker will always be
a mere matter of form and will never
reach that cordial and friendly stage
where they will slap each other on the
back and say, Hello. Champ" and "TTel-
10, Bill unless the slapping is done with
a ten pound sledge.