The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-04-03
4 INDEPENDENTS
CAST VOTES FOR
SPEAKER CLARK

washington. April 3-F'our hundred
and twenty-nine of the four hundred
and thirty three living members of tn
House answered present when tn
roll call was taken yesterday resulting
in the reelection of Champ Clark a.
speaker. The absentees were Repre-
sentatives Capstick, Of New Jersey
Helgesen of North Dakota. ant
Bleakley of Pennsylvania, Republi
cans and Representative Lee O.
Georgia, Democrats. Two members
=Slect are dead. -
Immediately after the calling of thu
roll. Representative Schall, progress
i've Of Minnesota, addressed the HOUSE
saying he would vote for ChamI
Clark for speaker. He prefaced hi'
remarks by declaring the countr.
should stand united in this crisis ane
stand by the President.
II, with my sightless eyes," he said
would be of little use to my countr.
on the field Of battle. but I can cas-
my vote to help it. know OF ne
better way to stand by the Presiden
! than to return his party to the con
troll of the House."
Democrats applauded Schal1, but
Republicans we're silent.
1.-THE gentleman from Minnesota
has placed Mr.. Clark in nomination.
said Clerk Trimble.
81 am glad to- said Mr.. Schall.
Representative Green, Republican
Of Massachusetts,, then nominated
Representative Mann Of Illinois for
Speaker. Representative. Lenroot OF
Wisconsin, seconded the nomination.
Representative Lenroot said that as
q Republican he could not allow to go
unchallenged the assertions of Repre-
sentative Schall.
"He said that patriotism demands
that the organization Of this House
he turned over to the Democrats said
Mr.. Lenroot "I cannot admit that
Republicans are less patriotic than
Democrats. There ought not to be
any partisanship in considering the
great questions that will come before
this Congress. There will be none
on the Republican side Of this House"
Balloting for Speaker then began.
When Martin of Louisiana. pro-
tectionist, voted for Clark, applause
broke loose. A. moment later Rep
resentative London, Socialist, of New
York and Representative Randall,
Prohibitionist, of California. also vot-
ed for Clark A cheer was given
when Miss Rankin voted for Mann.
All Of the Democrats present and
four Of the so-ca1led independents
Martin, ve-protectionist OF
Louisiana; Schall, progressive of Min
nesota; London, socialist of New York,
and Randall, prohibitionist of Califor-
nia-voted for Clark. !
Two Republicans, Gardner and
Fuller of Massachusetts,, voted for
Representative Itenroot Of Wisconsin;
Representative Dallinger of Massa-
chusetts and Gray of New Jersey vot-
ed for Representative Gillett of Mas
sachusetts and Representative James
Of Michigan and Haskell of New York,
Republicans. voted present.
Former Senator Mason Of Illinois
was the only Republican who voted
for Clark.
The speaker was escorted to the
chair by a committee Of which Re-
preventative Mann was the chairman.
He was greeted with loud applause
from both sides of the chamber as
he spoke in part as follows:
II fully appreciate the fact that it
will be exceedingly difficult to dis
charge the duties Of the speakership
in this house. 1t will be almost i'm
possible ITO do so without the hearty
Of the members with
out regard to party affiliations.
win use my utmost endeavor to be
absolutely fair, and invoke the aid
of all the members in doing so.
I'VE afe>all Americans, whether ma
tives or foreign born, as our constis
tuents. On many questions we are
distinct as the pillows, yet I'VE are
one as the sea- when the honor and
safety of the republic are involved.
Politics finds no place in this House
when the general welfare and the
common defense Of the nation are at
stake. Let all the ends we aim at
be our country's, and in the accom-
plishment Of these ends may the God
of our fathers be with us and guide
us in the way which will rebound to
the honor and perpetuity Of the
greatest republic that ever existed in
all the flood Of time
The speaker took the oath at 1850
o'clock and members then were sworn
into office in groups by states.
Speaker Clark's election was eff
fected in exactly one hour and forty
minutes after the House convened, the
exact time he predicted a fortnight
ago.