The Washington herald., 1914-05-31
CHAMP GARk1S
LOYAL DEMOCRAT
Former Member Of the House
Praises Speaker as Man
Of Integrity.
HE SURPRISED EVERYONE
Played Politics Of an Honorable Kind
and Admitted h Demonstrated
His Fitness.
HE SURPRISED EVERYONE
1Nsyy Maven. Conn.

INV h8NChs Sohhs
I I served with him on the noor OF the
House during the sixty-hrst Congress.
OF course, everyone knew him. bnt was
battered to find within . few weeks. that
he knew me; and he did not cease to
know me when he became Speaker.
Prior to the sIxty-second Congress his
service had been. with the exception OF
his first term. entirely a. member OF
the minority. A part Of the time he was
the minority leader, but II 10 doubtful
whether he had given much or serious
STUDY to the rules of the House or to
parliamentary law or procedure IN gen.
eral.
To those acquainted, with the work Of
Congress- this is no adverse reflection.
for many forceful and influential men in
the House give their time and their en-
ergies 10 broader matters and leave such
things to the parliamentary and rules
experts. When It. became apparent that
he was to be the next Speaker. many
members on both sides OF the Chamber
felt and expressed themselves to the ef-
feet that it would be hard work for him
as Speaker.
Made Excellent omeer.
He surprised everyone. He has, in
fact, made an excellent presiding ofhcer
and q great Speaker. He did not know
IL all, and never attempted to give the
impression that he did. II he did not
know, or was In doubt. he frankly said
so. and sought help either from the
books or from other members. or from
both. His broadminded fairness. mani
fest from the beginning. soon gained for
him the confidence and support Of the
entire House, so far as his work as
Speaker was concerned. Not only did
Fitzgerald, sherley, Garrett and other
parliamentarians on the majority side
Of the Chamber freely assist him. but
also those In the minority, and no one
more generously or more acceptably to
the Speaker than the very astute and
resourceful minority leader. popularity
known as Jim Mann.
In his closing speech at the end OF the
Sixty second Congress the Speaker said
NJ Mr. Mann: II have overruled him
more frequently and sustained him more
frequently than all the other members
Of the House put together" In the in |
terest Of accuracy. he might have added |
that he had sustained him far more fire. |
luently than he had overruled him; for |
,ne Of the most frequent speeches by the |
Speaker. as shown by the Record. IL. |
The gentleman from Illinois CMr. MANN |
9 right"
His Presidential Ambition.
At the opening OF the preliminary cam
,aign for 1912 the Speaker became an
,pen and avowed candidate for the Dem
,cratic nomination for the Presidency. I
He made no effort to conceal the fact /
hat he had the honorable ambition to /
- President Of the United States, and he
vent out TO seek the nomination in an
honorable and practical fashion. Presi-
lential ambition 10 q severe test Of char
lctsr. How many men in our history /
I has destroyed or spoiled. How many 1
bee have done things they
many have lodged issues they were
allied upon to face, or espoused causes
n which they did not believe as a result
u this particular toxin. How many
Ives Of really great men in our country's
istory have been soured by the failure
o reach this lofty goal.
Champ Clark was ambitious. naturally
nd properly so. The Presidential bee
uzzed about his ears and aligfted upon
is broad shoulders: nor did any one
uggest that he was not Of sufficient
IA agniture to attract the bee. He crew.
igger from the time his name was men,
oned in connection with the Presidency.
lie was open, candid. frank. He dodged
10 issues and espoused no new causes
Or election purposes. He had been. was.
nd still is, a partisan. q politician, II
ou please. the type Of which Is a credit
} our country.
He had even played politics. Of an
onorable kind, of course. and ad-