The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1921-03-09

WIFI ledueTS representing the III
terests," held the convention in
deadlock for more than a week,
when it ended in the nomination of
Wilson. Bryan's speech, declaring
that Thomas F. Ryan, August Bel
mont and Charles F. Murphy were
supporting Clark, was a bolt from
the blue which made the Clark
ranks waver. Clark supporters de-
clared afterward that none of the
three leaders mentioned were for
Clark as first choice, but that the
unit rule carried the New York
delegation to the Clark forces.
The breach between Bryan and
Clark never healed, although they
met at luncheon arranged by mu-
tual friends few months later and
exchanged perfunctory speeches.
Goodness between Clark and Wilson
wore off after the President entered
the White House, and on legislative
policies they worked in harmony ex-
oept in one notable instance, the re-
peal of the Panama tolls exemption,
which Speaker Clark opposed I'M
successfully.
The failure of his candidacy at
Baltimore never ceased to be the
disappointmnt of Mr.. Clark's life.
He refused nomination as Vice
President and told the House on
the eve of his defeat that he prefer
red to remain as Speaker.
Native of Kentucky
His election to the speakership of
the House came in the Sixty-second
Congress, prior to the Baltimore
convention, and it was by a united
Democracy in recognition of the
contest Mr.. Clark had made against
the rule of Speaker Joseph Cannon.
Mr.. Clark had served in every Con-
gress since and including the Fifty
third in 1893 except the Fifty
fourth, when he was beaten.
Although Champ Clark was
known as a Missourian, he was born
in Anderson, Ky, on March Z, IS
SO. He was christened James
Beauchamp Clark, but early in life
reduced this to Champ Clark. His
first work was as farm hand, clerk
IN q ooparoI ctora opd m a oo,,tr,,
newspaper.
He was educated at Kentucky
University and Bethany College.
and the Cincinnati Law School. For
short time he was president of
Marshall College and at 90, held
the record of being the youngest
college president in the United
States. In 1875 he moved to Mis-
souri, where he took up the study
and practice of law, and became
Prosecuting Attorney in Pike Coun-
ty. His next step was into the Mis-
souri, Legislature where he framed
the Missouri Primarw Law, an anti
trust statute, and an Australian
ballot law. He was permanent
chairman of the Democratic Nation
al Convention at st. Louis in 1904
and headed the committee that
notified Alton B. Parker of his
Presidential nomination.
Was Giant Physically
He was first sent to the national
forum in 1898. Although then re-
garded as green" his strength in
the House developed rapidly. When
John Sharp Williams left the House
for the Senate, Representative
Clark was made minority leader by
virtue of his seniority on the Ways
and Means Committee which draft
ed the Payne-Aldrich tariff act. His
service on that committee in trying
to keep duties down won him the
speech of five hours against the bill
was one Of the notable addresses of
that Congress.
Mr.. Clark's sincerity, friendship
for opponents and adherents alike,
his fairness as a presiding officer
and his knowledge of history, his
love of clean anecdotes and humor-
GUS stories, and his marvelously re-
tentive memory ranked with his at
trihutas Of Ieadarshin He waIdad |
the minority into a virtual Demo-
cratic unit when he was minority
leader and after the ousting of Can
non, which robbed the Speakership
of many Of its powers, he divided
with majority Leader Underwood
the control of the Democrats in the
House and they formed great
working team.