Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-04-10
speaker defeated James R. Mann OF

speaker defeated James r. Mann OF
Illinois.
The vote resulted: Speaker Clark,
217; Representative Mann, 205; Rep
resentative Lenroot, Q; Representative
Gillette, 2. Two members were re-
corded present but not voting.
Nominated by Progressive.
The dramatic moment of the house
organization preliminaries was the
nomination of Champ Clark by Rep
resentative Thomas D. Schall, the Pro-
gressive Republican of Minnesota.
The blind member was led to the
center of the house by a page. His
Introductory remarks were of a patri-
otto nature, not disclosing the real OBJ
ject of his speech. He continued:
"A state divided against itself in
time of peace may stand, but today
such situation might be a serious
menace. We should forego party adj
vantages in a time like this.
"The peril of today renders partisan
ship dangerous because it might be
construed as country presenting a
divided front to the world. AS an in
dependent Progressive Republican, I
have no hesitaAcy in saying how
must vote under the circumstances.
"Were my country not in the face
of an international crisis, with the
president and the senate Democratic,
| would as mater of party pride cast
my ballot for the Republican candi-
date. He is able, alert, fair-minded.
l should like to vote for him.
May Be Used Against Him.
Il realize that action 1 am about to
take will be used to attempt my po-
litical death in Minnesota.
with my sightless eyes l would be
of little service to my country on the
field of battle, but can use the light
that God gives me to vote right today.
believe the president should have a
Democratic senate and house behind
MIN.
Under all these circumstances l
shall cast my vote for Speaker for
that Progressive Democratic, Champ
Clark of Missouri"
Does the gentleman place Mr.. Clark
in nomination for speaker" asked
South Trimble, clerk of the house, who
was presiding.
Il gladly do So" said Schall.
Representative William S. Greene of
Massachusetts then arose to nominate
James r. Mann as the Republican can
didate, and the Republicans had their
first opportunity to applaud. Mr..
Greene, however, did not make any
formal speech in naming Mr.. Mann.
Representative Lenroot OF Wiscon-
sin, who has been a keen critic sof
some of Mr.. Mann's acts, received
thunderous applause from the Repub-
lican side when he went into the well
of the house to second Mann's nomin-
alton. He had previously been
brought forward by faction of the
Republicans as a candidate for the
speakership. 1t was a dramatic mo-
ment when Lenroot in seconding the
nomination of Mann, said:
81 cannot let the statements of the
gentleman from Minnesota and the in
ferences they make go unchallenged.
He takes the position that patriotism
demands that the organization of this
house be turned over to the Demo-
Gratis.
Patriotism demands that the Demo
Gratis out to submit to a Republican
organization of the house."
Shouts of NO." from the Demo
cratic side interrupted him.
When he resumed it was to promise
that there will be no partisanship in
the house." so far as the Republicans
were concerned.
What we need in this hour is
united country" he said. 1--WE need
the wisdom, the advice and the assis-
lance of every American. This is no
time to criticize the president, but it
would be far better for the country
| if the president was compelled to con-
suit Republicans as well as Democrats
in this crisis"
Representative Lee of Georgia, Dem
ocrat, who had been seriously i'll, was
| brought into the house amid the ap-
plause of his colleagues on the Demo-
cratic side. He cast his vote for Clark
for speaker.
Mr.. Lee was among those absent
when the roll was called to determine
quorum. He showed plainly the eff
fects of his illness when assisted to
the floor by two attendants. Up until
the last moment it was not thought he
could be present. His presence, and
the fact that four of the five indie
pendents who voted in the early stages
of the roll call cast half their ballots
for Speaker Clark made the Missou-
rian's election a certainty long before
the roll call was completed