The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-08
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The evident agitation of Mr.. Clay
ton gave rise to the suspicion that the
gentleman from Alabama without
doubt had been the recipient of news
of some character which greatly per-
turbed him. 1t was evident that he
was laboring under great mental
stress, and it was also evident that
Mrs. Clayton was attempting to rea-
son with him, and beseeching him to
calm himself. No situation like this
could escape the lynx-eyed members
of the press without thorough at
tempt at probing. Developments must
come of this that will be interesting
they all agreed. Mr.. Clayton was,
therefore, duly interrogated, cross-ex-
amined, and "paragorically" turned
inside out for information as to the
cause of his disturbed condition, and
the reason for his excitement.
Why" gasped the future trust an
meyer of the Wilson administration
WHY what do you suppose? There is
a movement back in that hotel among
lay friends to wish the nomination for
vice president on me and my wife
wants me to fall for it. [ don't want
the nomination. declared the excited
Mr.. Clayton.
Representing the people of the
Third congressional district of Ala
band in the House and being chairman
of the judiciary committee are honors
enough for me. Under no circumstances
will ! accept the nomination for vice
president"
So emphatic was Mr.. Clayton In his
protests to his friends that the move
40 ffao 70 h. A L.. -.
dropped. Mr.. Clayton was fully ap-
preciative of the high honor his party
would be paying him by giving the
nomination a s vice president, but If
there is one essential characteristic
possessed by the representative from
the Third district it is his thirst for
work. The office of vice president of
the United States carries with it lit
lie to enlist the sympathies of an ac-
tive man who has spent his time in
doing things as has been the case
In the life of Henry Clayton. The vice
president is a presiding officer who
has little power and still less oppor
tunity to take a part in the great con-
structive work of his party.
Withdrawal From Senatorial Race ,
A great many people are disposed
to sneer at the manner and circum-
stances of Mr.. Clayton's withdrawal
from the senatorial race in Alabama.
Attempt has been made to use his
loyalty to his party and his compliance
with the wishes of the leader of his
party as political capital against him.
That Clayton was beat" and it was
a frame up in order that he might
gracefully retire from an embarrassing
situation has been charged by people
wholly unacquainted with the situation
and who underestimate the President
of the United States when they vir-
tually accuse him of being party to
such a transaction. Whatever might
have been the true situation and what
ever others might think with refer
ence to the chances of Mr.. Clayton's
election, certainly Mr.. Clayton believed
that he had splendid prospects of be-
ing elected to the Senate, and it was
with genuine regret that he gave UP
the contest upon which he had engaged
TO onter only after careful consider
alton and consultation with his polit-
ical friends all over the state of Ala :
bama.
Mr. Clayton could not have done 9TH
crwise than accede to the wishes of
SO his loyalty TO the democratic party
have been questioned on the stump in
ignated as one who declined to serve
his party when his help was needed
and asked for by the party's leader,
and enc who was unwilling to lay
aside his own selfish ambitions to per-
form a real service for his country.
Mr.. Clayton served many years in