South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-04
DO WE NEED y NEW SPEAKER OF
THE NATIONAL HOUSE?

TILE NATIONAL HOUSE?
The story that comes from Detroit.
that Champ Clark. speaker OF the ma
tionaI house of representatives. had to
be retired from the lecture platform
in that city Wednesday night. be-
cause he was too intoxicated 10 finish
his address, calls for a pause. He had
been brought there by the Detroit
board OF commerce. II is asserted that
he came TO the lecture late. and be-
ginning his address, staggered around
as If headed for the gutter. After
rambling about for a time with inco-
herent sentences, the audience took
the hint. the disguised began to leave
and those in charge Of the lecture
turned out the lights. spiriting the
speaker away in the darkness. The
secretary of the board then explained
that money paid for the lecture would
be refunded at the door. The Detroit
Free-PTess is our authority.
This is as much as We care 10 say
about the facts Of the case We are
ashamed 10 say even this. Speaker
clark is a democrat. AS speaker of
the house he holds while not the sec
ond highest in rank, yet the second
office IN Importance in the national
government In his official capacity
he Yields an influence over federal
legislation second 10 no other man in
the land, and 10 this, we would add
that he has acted with an ability that
classes him along with the best of his
predecessors. To him all honor for
the good ne has done and his loss to
public life, as the representative of his
Missouri district, would without doubt
be a distinct one. Despite this De-
troit affair, we will not presume to
criticise him as the representative OF
his district. in the least His people
probably know him and wanted him
or they would not have reelected
him, term after term, these many
years. AS a representative of the ma
ton. however. presiding over the
peoples congressman, it is a different
matter
\ new sentiment is passing over
the United States, the evolution of
ages. with regard 10 the example OF
drunkenness. There was time when
such things could be overlooked in
men in high places. but no more.
The democratic party might as Well
take notice. 1t is not question of
prohibition. It is not a question OF
local option. The only argument in
the world against those things, that
has "a leg tc stand on, is the one that
puts u up 10 the individual to be at
least temperate IN spite of the tempta-
tions that the traffic in liquor throws
about him. a man has "a personal
liberty" right 10 make a nuisance Of
himself il he wants to, but we are un-
der no obligations 10 crown him with
glory, and sit him on a throne, as an
example for young America to follow
Speaker Clark's future place in the
house Of representatives. IL the De-
trOit story be true, is down on the
floor. among the mere congressman"
We say this too, despite the fact
that there may be conditions back Of
the Detroit incident that somewhat
excuse il, even at its worst. 1t may
be explained that the speaker was III.
WORKOUT, nervous, and had been drink
ing TO steady himself. Remember
that Champ Clark is a man of 81
years, which means that he has come
up from the age when men resorted to
their "toddy" as cure for pretty
nearly everything The speaker may
have been just a trifle over-ambitious
in his determination 10 be cured. II
is difficult TO believe that Champ
Clark deliberately went and got drunk.
To believe it would be to put him in
class with a number of prominent
republicans. regarding whom we have
heard similar stories. and make us
believe those stories too.
II guilty OF the Detroit mishap,
Speaker Clark. out OF respect for the
democratic party should retire from
the speakers chair when congress
cOnvenes-and no questions asked
A proper respect for American ideals
should prompt him 10 that act No
democrat in congress can afford TO
discourage him in doing such a thirs,
should he decide upon such a course
There will be sympathy for Speaker
Clark. He deserves il. We regard
him highly as a statesman. The dig
nifty Of the nation. however and the
public respect that the democratic
party needs 10 crave, hardly counsels
placing a premium upon his bad
habits.
On the face of it.indeed, yes allow
ing Mr.. Clark every excuse. il looks
as though William Jennings Bryan
surely builded well in his fight at BAL
timore. that substituted the name Of
Woodrow Wilson for that OF the Mis-
sourian. at the head Of the democrat
ic ticket in 1912.
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