Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-22
..crce KNOTS GREAT SPECIE.
,pssh;noton correspondent O,

.ncroe KNOTS GREAT SPECIE.
4 Washington correspondent Of the
run,.Isnd Leader gives the following as
CCoreosnan Knott's own account OF
Sr he came to deliver his humorous
Ins.ach in Congress on Duluth: MY
Ts;ush speech was partially prepared,
~. r,ast of il came to me while / was
ps .ho Aoor. The speech had some
~ .s;ro No.. ~ history. The land subsidy
sorns !m ,sas 40 mn in the House. It was near
% .ha close Of the session, and when l had
,,stnrned from Kentucky, where had
tssn suddenly called by the illness OF
20 brother Dawes, and several mem
ss,s came to me and told me they want
- ma TO mako speech upon it, re-
sS;.d that I had had trouble in getting
~ foor, and it was 80 near the end OF
sSs ss session did not want to prepare a
srscch " on the subject, without knowing
s.,cs;tiyely that I would have a chance to
II.i;ver Il. They assured me that they
.scnId urovide the chance. They would
sr,onoe the matter with the speaker,
srd I should be recognized. l then
~snt 70 work, investigated the subject,
md spent DAYS in preparing an elabor-
~ ~ spsech upon it. The subject at last
osme up in the House. / tried to get
shs noor several times, but some one
slUays got the speakers eye before me.
Ioain I was ready, and the subject
failed 70 come up, and ct last, when it
Sd come. Mr.. Holman Of Indiana got
!" ahead of me, but at this time the
Honss adjourned without hearing him,
a;vino him the right to the floor when
ths I'LL next came up. then went to
M. Holman, told him l had prepared
sneech on the subject, and at whose in
stauoe had prepared it. asked him
20 Give me his right to the floor, or at
Last p,rt of his time. To my surprise
hs refused to do 90. / was then in de-
sair. and was feeling very blue as l
1nlked down through the retunda Of
The capitol. Here met Mr.. Kerr, and
hs. seeing that was out of sorts. asked
cne what the matter was. told him.
IA then said he would see Holman and
would, he thought, get me a part OF his
time al least. This was ON Friday.
aOn the noxt Thursday morning a
very polite, pleasant gentleman came
into NV room and told me that on the
following Wednesday bill would come
up TO improve the harbor at Duluth.
tIrned to him and said, with an honest.
Questioning smile: My friend, will
vou please tell me where Duluth ISL
Of course / knew its situation, but |
vented him to understand that did
mot think much of his bill, and thus the
easier refuse his request. He did not
eee the irony of the remark, but put his
.cs.. h,o hvoo OF vDOOkat md nn1IaA
out map and handed it to me. As
coon @ looked at it saw that here
was the finest field for funny
spseoh that had ever been
presented in the country. No
one can rightly appreciate that
speech without having seen that map.
On its face tho whole civilized world
vas drawn in circles. These circles
became smaller and smaller, until they
terminated at a dot in the center, and
at that dot was written the word 'Du-
iuth.' On the different circles were the
words, ono hundred miles from Duluth,
two hundred miles from Duluth, three
hundred miles from Duluth. one thOus-
and miles from Duluth, four thousand
miles from Duluth, and 90 on. ALI the
great cities of tho country were noticed,
and their distance from Duluth given.
Chicago, 1T. Louis, San Francisco. and
New York on that map looked like ham,
hts compared with Duluth, and the dis
huces from Liverpool, London. and
Berlin were given, as though Duluth was
coeuual with them. Below it were
peinted numerous statistics, showing
6at there were two million square miles,
aii tributary to Daluth. looked at the
map while the bland young man deliv-
cred his eulogy Of this prospective
metropolis, and "a he closed, l said.
Would you have any objection to leav-
ing me this map? must consider the
matter. live in the interior of Ken
tucky, in defile way up at the head Of
. little creek, and most Of my constitu-
ents have never seen q ship. have to
b very careful in my conduct in Con-
gress to not displease 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 turned back and said: Mr..
Knott, after you have studied that map,
! hope you will 90 for our BILL
"Yss," said !, IN 60 for it." never
sav him afterward. On going to the
capitol could not keep the fun out of
my mind. Il took entire possession OF
me and staid with me. ! then saw Mr..
Ken. He told me that Holman had
consented to let me have the half hour.
Il then occurred to me that as Superior
City wss near Duluth, and almost con-
neotsd With it, that could make some
funny remarks about Duluth in the in
troduotion of my speech on the land
nbaidy, get the good will Of the House,
and have my time extended indefinitely,
- that could deliver my prepared
speech. sent for Fridays Globe, and
bv the lsxt day had thought out many
things which used in the speech. But
The great part of il came frcm inspiration
Of the moment. Tho situation was pecu-
fally favorable. Every word seemed TO
b appreciated, and the mind Of the
audience responded in perfect harmony
With mine. After l had spoken out my
half hour, I was forced to go on in the
Ame strain or to risk q failure in tho
eaddAn change TO my sober and care
fally prepared subsidy speech. l saw
ny danger and wound up - l began.
The other speech, over which had
sPant days OF labor, was never do
"Were you not xstonished at the re-
seption Of your speech BY the country"
laeksd.
sYss," WAS the reply, ~ was never
more Astonished in my life. Il Was de-
hversd late in the evening, and the
house adjourned Immediately thereaf-
~. The next morning the journals OF
H. country were full of it, and at the
capitol everyone was laughing over It,
md conRratulatin2 me-"
DRITIsu COLUMBIA RlsuRRIES.