The Washington herald., 1920-03-28

Under the antiquated two-thirds
rule. 725 Ia were required to
nominate. That rule was the de-
vice of the pro-slavery propa-
gandists to enable them to nomi-
nate Democratic candidates for
the Presidency in whom they
could trust and in whose hands
they felt that their interests
would be safe. The pro-slavery
men could not muster a majority
of a convention, but they con-
trolled more than one-third.
Hence the two-thirds rule. Un-
der that two-thirds rule the pro-
slavery men secured friendly
Presidential candidates Tor a
quarter of a century. II they
could not get Southern candidates
such as James K. Polk, which, of
course, they preferred, they Sc
cured the nomination of Northern
men with Southern principles"-
Van Buren,, Cass, Pierce and
Buchanan-whom their political
opponents scornfully denominated
Northern dough-faces." OF course
the raison d'etre, as our French
friends would say-the reason for
being-of the two-thirds rule
passed away with the slav-
cry system and should have been
repealed in 1865; but it was re-
tanned and used in 1912, a half
century, to gouge me out or the
Presidential nomination, notwith-
standing the fact that / led on
twenty-nine ballots and received
n clear ma iorfty on eight.
Perhaps stepS will be taken at
San Francisco to annul the two
thirds rule. On the other hand
there may be those who, in view OF
the world-shaking events since 1912.
may hold that it's application at
however unjust, accom-
pIished an end which operated to
the general good. Mr.. Clark can
complain IL today there be
q certain feeling that his Is scarcely
the character needed to conduct the
nation through a foreign war. 1t.
Is noticeable, however. that his
stop short of the war Pc
Rod.
"Undercurrentso Are Explained.
The undercurrents of political
movements are intensely interest
ing when described by one who has
been a part of them and Is able to
sxplains causes and motives obscure
10 the ordinary citizen Champ
Clark has done this with an extra
ordinary degree of journalistic skill.
1t Is in volumes of this nature
that real history is to be read. The
academic historians take them,
squeeze the life and personality and
out OF them, combine them
In a dignified compilation and bore
the world with so-called histories.
To get a vivid and lasting picture
Of the forces which dominated the
government in the last
twenty-five years, such a book as
that of Mr.. Clark's is worth q libra
ry full of ordinary histories. 1t
stands well with Blaine's Twenty
Years of Congress" and like that
book is Invaluable in any library OF
politics.
Champ Clark, four times Speaker
Of the House, a record which he
shares with Uncle" Joe Cannon,
stands to most Americans as the
veteran Democratic statesman OF
The day. Cannon has served longer
in the House than he-twenty-two
terms, but not continuous. Speaker
iillett has had a longer continuous
service - fourteen terms. Clark
ranks third with thirteen terms. In
point of age Gen. Isaac II. Sherwood,
Of Ohio, Nestor of the House, with
his IS years, outstrips him by fif-
teen years.
Many readers will learn with sur
prise that w. ]. Bryan, though ten
years Clark's junior. Is his senior
in national political life, having
been a member Of the Fifty-second
Congress-, while the Missourian took
his seat first in the Fifty-third.
But -Clark's twenty-five years OF
public service have been crowded
with incident and activity, and he
gives a good account of them in
these sumptuous volumes.
Chapter ON the Gold Plank.
The book lends itself readily.
even too readily, to quotation. Be
more convention, that on the gold
plank Of the Republican platform
Of 1896 is a real contribution to
history. The literary style is that
Of a man with a sound foundation
on the classics. The reader VIII
not be surprised to know that this
American politician once taught
Greek, and. though he confesses
TO have forgotten the language, he
avoids the common error of pull
ing the English definite article be-
fore the Greek phrase "hoi polioi."
Yet now and then he falls into the
Missouri vernacular. He Is never
In the White House, but always
down to" IL. still there are read
srs who think he might have been
there more that he was.
Nowhere In the world Is there q
chamber in which re-
partee plays a greater part than
in the House of Representatives. In
the rough and tumble debate there
the ready wit of the American finds
play in q fashion to amaze our
more stolid or ceremonious cousins
beyond seas.
Clark Preserved Quotations.
No mean wit himself. Champ Clark
has preserved many of these re-
torts courteous and quips direct,
some Of which are we'll worth quot
ing:
"when John J. o'Neili. of st.
Louis. was making a speech he
was interrupted repeatedly by a
noted far more for his BIT
.ernesst of tongue than for his
luantum Of brains. At last o'NeIll
~ 49,.