Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-02-03
PROCTOR KNOTTsS DULUTH
SPEECH
He Tells How He Prepared II and
Delivered Another One.

He Tells How He Prepared II and
Delivered Another One.
Washington Correspondence Of the Cleveland Leader.
The other day, while visiting Congressman
Proctor Knott, Of Kentucky, referred to his
speech On Duluth which created 80 much
laughter over the country some years ago, and
asked him If it was prepared one or whether
all of its wit had been the offspring Of the spur
of the moment. Mr.. Knott said: ''My Duluth
speech was partially prepared, but most Of it
came to me while was on the floor. The
speech had something of a history. The land
subsidy bill was up in the House. 1t was
near the close of the session. and when /
returned from Kentucky, where had been sud-
denly called by the illness of my brother, Dawes
and several members came to me and told me
they wanted me to make a speech upon it. /
replied that / had had trouble in getting the
floor, and 1t was so near the end Of the session
that did not want to prepare q speech on the
subject without knowing positively that would
have chance to deliver it. They assured me
that they would provide the chance. They
would arrange the matter with the Speaker,
and l should be recognized i then went to
work, investigated the subject, and spent
days in preparing. an elaborate speech upon
1t. The subject at last came up in the House.
/ tried to get the floor a number Of times,
but some one always got the Speakers eye be-
fore me. Again l was ready, and the subject
failed to come up. and at last when 1t did come,
Mr. Holman. OF Indiana, got In ahead OF me,
but at this time the House adjourned without
hearing him, giving him the right to the floor
when the bill next came up. then went to Mr..
Holman. told him that had prepared speech on
the subject, and at whose instance had pre-
pared it. | asked him to give ME his right to
the floor. or at least part of his time. To
my surprise he refused to do so. l was then
in despair and was feeling very blue as walked
down through the rotunda Of the Capitol. Here
l met Mr.. Kerr, and he, seeing was out of sorts,
asked me what the matter was. / told him. He
then said he would see Holman and would. he
thought, get me a part of his time at least. This
was on Friday
ION the next Thursday morning very polite,
pleasant gentleman came into my room and
told me that on the following Wednesday bill
would come up to improve the harbOr of Du-
luth. l turned to him and said with an honest,
questioning smile, My friend, will you please
tell me where Duluth Tsp Of course, knew
its situation. but wanted him to understand
easier refuse his request. He did not see the
irony of the remark, but put his hand into his
breast pocket and pulled out a map and handed
1t to me. AS soon as l looked at it l saw
that here was the finest field for funny
speech that had ever been presented in
the country. No one can rightly appre-
cate that Duluth speech without having
seen that man. On it's face the whole civilized
world was drawn in circles. These circles be-
came smaller and smaller, until they terminated
In dot at the center and at that dot was written
the word Duluth On the different circles
were the words 100 miles from Duluth 200 miles
from Duluth. 300 miles from Duluth, 900 miles
from Duluth, 1000 miles from Duluth and so on.
All the great cities Of the country were noticed,
and their distances from Duluth given. Chicago,
st. Louis, San Francisco and New York on tn at
map looked like hamlets compared with Du-
luth. and the distance from Liverpool. London
and ConstantinOple were given, as though Du-
luth was cO-equal with them. Below it were
printed numerous statistics showing that here
were g. DOC. 900 square miles all tributary to Du-
| iuth. looked at the map while the bland young
man delivered his eulogy of this prospective me-
tropolis, and as he closed said: Would you have
any objections to leaving me this map? l must
consider the matter. / live In the interior of
Kentucky, in a detile away up at the head of a
| little creek, and most of my constituents have
| never seen ship. l have to be very careful in
| my conduct In Congress to not dispease them
and went on for some time in this manner.
! Strange to say, he suspected nothing He not
| only cheerfully lent me that map, but he gave it
| to me. AS he left my room he looked back and
said: Mr.. Knott, after you have studied that
map hope you will go for our bill YES said
| /, I'll go for it, never saw him afterward.
On going up to the Capitol could not keep the
fun out Of my mind. It took entire possession
| Of me and staid with me. / then saw Mr..
Kerr. He told me that Holman had consented
to let ne have the half-hour. 1t then occurred
to me that, as Superior City was near Duluth,
and almost connected with it. 1 could make some
| funny remarks about Duluth in the introduce
| ton of my speech on the land subsidy, get the
goodwill of the House. and have my time ex-
| tended indefinitely. 80 that l could deliver
my prepared speech. I sent for Fridays Globe,
and by the next day had thought out many
! things which l used in the speech. But
the great part of it came from the inspiration
Of the moment. The situation was peculiarly
favorable. Every word seemed to be appre-
ciated. and the mind Of the audience responded
| in perfect harmony to mine. After had spoken
out my half hour, was forced to go Oh in the
same strain or to risk failure In the sudden
change to my sober and carefully prepared So
briefly speech. 1 saw my danger and wound up
| as began The other speech, over which had
| spent days of labor, was never delivered
"Were you not astonished at the reception of
! your speech by the country" asked.
eyes" was the reply. 81 was never more as
tOnished in my life. It was delivered late in
the evening. and the House adjourned immedi-
ately thereafter. The next morning the Jour-
| nails Of the country were full of it, and at the
| Capitol every one was laughing over 1t and con-
graduating me-"