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Show Praise For Speaker Clark In those dhys of strenuous political activities It is cheering to know that wo havo men who can spoak well of thoso to whom thoy nro politically opposed, op-posed, and It Is still more cheering to have men do It. Wo refer In particular to some words of praise Congressman Mann, of Illinois, the distinguished minority lender of tho Houso of Representatives, recently uttored In favor of Speaker Champ Clark. It was upon tho question of providing for nn automobile for the speaker and other officials. Congressman Congress-man Fowler had just finished making an attack on the resolution using such words as these: At each extravagant stei, I Imagine Imag-ine I can hear the Treasury of my count-y shouting "Bankruptcy! Bankruptcy!" "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of llborty of theo I sing." Mr. Speaker, If, tills Houso votes for this extravagance I hope It wilt be known to every voter In this land. Every man who votes for It will havo to go on record unless there Is a quorum hero or unless I should fall to get a sufficient number num-ber to stand up on my demand for the yeas and najs. It was then that Congressman Mann secured tho floor and uttored these words: Mr. Speaker, two years ago about this tlmo thero was gathering over nt Balttmoro tho ndvnnco guaid of tho Democratic national convwit'on. Among the great won who weio being considered for tho nomination for tho presidency by that convention was tho then, nnd present speaker of this Houso. Kveijono knows that at ono tlmo In that convention "Champ Clark had received a majority of all tho o(es In the convention, nnd that majority continued on nlno roll calls. Under every other circumstance except tho peculiar rule of tho Democratic convention that majority maj-ority would huvo nominated Mr. Clark for tho presidency, and If nominated ho would havo been elected.. I do not propose to draw aiy comparison botweon our speaker speak-er and tho present president of tho United States, for both of whom I entertain profouild respect, but It is fair to Bay that If Champ Clark had been nominated nnd elected president of tho United States wo would nil hao been prlmd of Win In that position. Ho was defeated for Uio presidency by tho old fashioned and to mo peculiar pe-culiar ru'o of tho Democratic convention. con-vention. Hut It Is not my lnten-I lnten-I tlon to cypress any oplnton con-! con-! cernlng the merits or demerits of tho rule that Is for tho Democratic Democrat-ic party to determine but It was n peculiar thing that after tho great majority of tho chlofs of tho party, with almost a certainty of succoBi in advance, I think, that the man who could secure a majority maj-ority of the votes, ballot after bat-lot, bat-lot, was in tho end dofoatcd for tho nomination. This Houso mado what reparation It could In tho ro-oloctlou ro-oloctlou of Champ Clark n3 Us speakor. J tw,,1 ll0 makca R Kroal speaker; that ho considers tho duties du-ties of his office Impartially, nbovo partisan ndvantago; that ho brings to that oil. o great ability, great 1 ntlence, great good nature nnd great statesmanship. I believe we ought to make him a slight recognition recog-nition of h's great ability as Breaker Break-er of this House, remembering ,as wo may, tliat but for a chance he would now bo the president of the United States, enjoying the privilege privi-lege Of many automobiles and privileges pri-vileges In many other dlrect'ons, I think the people will be prouded of us If we show our faith and our prldo In him nnd glvo him nn hu-tcmobllo. |