The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-03-02
CHAMP CLARK
IS CALLED BY
DEATH TODAY
Famous Democratic Leader
Dies in His 7lst Year and
Within Two Days of Re-
tlrement.
HAD rs YEARS SERVICE

| WASHINGTON, March Chan mn
c'ark died here today at 2:1O D. m.
IN MS list year and within two davs
oI MS retirement from the house M
representatives after service of "a
years
Death was due to an attack of
pieursy and a complication of dis
eases incident to his advanced age.
| up to 10 days ago, however. when
ne developed a severe cold, Mr.. Clark
nao shared actively in proceedings OF
tue mouse as Democratic leader.
House Pays Tribute.
immediately after The death OF Mr.
oidih was announced, the house re-
cessed for 30 minutes Representative
nucker, Democrat of Missouri. who
mace the announcemo said il was
mr. Ciarks wish, as expressed by his
son, that there be no interruption of
congress in its closing DAYS.
m Immediately on reconvening after
oo minutes of recess. the house adopt
ed resolution providing for nav.
ment to Mrs. Clark of a years salary
totaling about $4,000.
Members of Mr.. Clark's family left
the funeral arrangement to congress.
slonal leaders, who expressed the wish
10 nave service Saturday in the
rotunda of the capital before sending
burial ' ioi
In the Democratic national conven.
ton at Baltimore in 1912. Champ
Clark led on 81 ballots for the nomi-
nation as candidate for president and
clear majority on nine ballots. prior
10 the final naming of Woodrow Will
son. The two-thirds rule of the con-
venton alone prevented Mr. Clark's
nomination.
Paid Great Honor.
The honor which his party thus
paid him was the most notable of his
public life. In American political his
tory Martin Van Buren was the only
other man who failed of the Demo
cratic nomination for the presidency
after having received a majority of
the votes in the national convention.
but he enjoyed the unique distinction
! of being elected subsequently.
William ]. Bryan's sensational at
! tack On Mr. Clark at Baltimore. charc
| ing him with being affiliated with
leaders representing the interests"
held the convention in deadlock for
more than week when it ended in
. the nomination of Wilson Bryan's
speech, declaring that Thomas F. Ry-
! an, August Belmont and Charles F.
I Murphy were supporting Clark, was
bolt from the blue which made the
Clark ranks waver. Clark supporters
declared 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
/ Breach Never Healed.
The breach between Bryan and
Clark never healed, although they met
/ at a luncheon arranged by mutual
/ friends few months later and ex-
changed perfunctory speeches Cool
ness between Clark and Wilson wore
} off after the president entered the
white house, and on legislative poll
cies they worked in harmony except
: in one notable instance. The repeal
of the Panama tolls exemption. which
Speaker Clark opposed unsuccessfully
! The failure of his candidacy at Bal.
: timore never ceased to be the disap-
pointment Of Mr.. Clahks life. He re-
J fused the nomination of vice president
and told the house on the eve of his
defeat that he preferred to remain
t as speaker.
Elected Speaker.
: His election to the speakership of
the house came in the 62nd congress.
prior to the Baltimore convention, and
! it was by united Democracy in rec.
, ognition of the contest Mr.. Clark had
: made against the rule of Speaker
Joseph Cannon. Mr.. Clark had served
in every congress since and including
the 53rd, in 1898, except the 54th, when
he was beaten.
Although Champ Clark was known
as a Missourian he was born in An,
, derson, KY. on March I. 1859 He
!, , was christened James Beauchamp
Clark. but early in life he reduced
this to Champ Clark. His first work
was as farm hand, clerk in a gen
eral store, and on a country news
paper.
> Studied Law
, He was educated at Kentucky uni
:. versity and Bethany college and the
Cincinnati Law school. For a. short
time he was president of Marshall
, college. and, at %, held the record OF
being the youngest college president
in the United States. In 1875 he
moved to Missouri, where he took up
the study and practice of law. and be-
| came prosecuting attorney in Pike
county.
His next step was into the Missouri
legislature, where he framed the Mis-
: souri, primary law, an antitrust stat,
ute, and an Australian ballot law. He
4 was permanent chairman Of the Demo
!. cratic national convention at st.
Louis in 1904 and headed the com
mittee that notified Alton B. Parker
of his presidential nomination.
Won Regard
:, He was first sent to the national
:, forum in 1898. Although then regard
ed as green" his strength In the
house developed rapidly. When John
o Sharp Williams left the house for the
9 senate Representative Clark was made
minority leader by virtue of his senior
. ity on the ways and means committee
. which drafted the Payne-Aldrich tarif
= act His service on that committee in
= trying to keep duties down won him
:, the regard of the Democrats and his