The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-01
THE LEADERS In THE HOUSE.
Three Men Who Weld Large Influence in
the Affairs of the American Nation.
Personal Appearance, Methods and Peculiari-
ties Of Speaker Carlisle, Hon. Samuel ].
Randall and Hon. Thomas B. Reed.
new York sun.

New York sun.
Mr.. Carlisle is one of those unfortunate men
whose pictures libel them, When he gets before
the camera his face somehow loses its expression
and tie result is the representation OF very
plan-featured, smooth-shaven, clerical-looking
gentleman with no particular expression OF coun
senance or suggestion of remarkable intelligence.
He is not remarkably ine-looking man at best.
but when he is speaking in public or is engaged
in private conversation, his blue eyes kindle, and
his manner becomes so earnest that the plainness
of countenance disappears. and he becomes almost
handsome, Mr.. Carlisle is man of more deli
cate physique than the average Kentuckian. He
lie about five feet eleven inches tall and weighs,
perhaps, 160 pounds He is slightly stoop-
shouldered. His face is always pale and gives
token that his health is not of the irmest. He
the House when he talks from the Speakers
chair or from his place on the floor. 1t is not
the voice of the trained orator. 1t is rather
harsh and mechanical, and its intonations are
monotonous. He speaks with very little gesture,
usually holding piece of paper or crumped
envelope in his right hand and swinging it slightly
when he becomes warmed up with his subject In
all the years Mr. Carlisle has been in public life
he has never INDUCED in personalities, either IN
the House or on the stump. The writer stood
beside a prominent Republican politician at
Columbus, o., in the campaign or 1884,
when Mr. Carlisle addressed o large meeting
there Carl Schnrz and other speakers were
then roaming about the State pouring out tor
rents of invective against Mr.. Blaine as man,
and saying very little about the underlying
principles of the two parties that were contend
Ing fer supremacy in the government. Mr..
Carlisle spoke for perhaps an hour and half
without once descending to personalities 1t
was a lofty and statesmanlike presentation OF
the reasons which, in his opinion should lead to
change of administration. There was not
word in his speech to which any honest Repub-
lican could take exception, and yet it was mas
terly arraignment of the shortcomings of the
Republican party and fair and just statement
Of the reasons why every patriot should be
Democrat Tho Republican politician, who is
himself campaign orator of some note, listened
70 every word of the speech from beginning to
end Then he turned and said:
''That was one of the greatest speeches / ever
heard. There was not sheer, or a false state
ment, or a mean sentence in IL. 1t is one of the
most dangerous speeches for the Republicans
that could have been delivered. take excep-
tions to its deductions. but it is mighty hard to
answer such arguments The evident candor
and sincerity Of the man carry conviction to the
hearts of his listeners. Had he attacked Blaine,
as the rest Of the Democratic orators have done,
we could have charged that it was the speech of
q politician; but when man gets an intelligent
audience like this, and knows how to appeal to
his side, / tell you we have to look out. [ am
glad they have not the time to take Carl all
over the country, for he would be more destruct-
I've to US than any dozen men the Democrats
could turn out"
On the stump or off, in public or in private,
Mr. Carlisle is always the same His convictions
are 6eep-rooted, and he gives utterance to them
apparently without thought as to what the con-
sequences may be. Any one desiring to know
his views on any public question can get them
for the asking. He never talks for effect, and
never DISCUSSES his true sentiments In temper
he is cool and unrufied. In the most exciting
scenes in the House he is as calm as May
morning At rare intervals some wild Southern
or Western member of the House loses his head
and grows angry at some ruling of the Speaker,
but Mr. Carlisle never notices any harsh word
that may be spoken about him, and soon has or
der and good feeling restored.
Mr.. Carlisle will be ffty-0ne years old on the
9th Of September next He was born in the dis
trict that he represents in Congress He re-
ceived only a common school education, and af
serward became teacher in the public schools
Of Covington. He is a man of studious habits
and his range of reading has been wide. He is
master of good English style, and his speeches
are models of clear and concise statement. He
is happily married, and his wife, lady of rare
intelligence and sagacity, is as much of a help
meet to him in her way as Mrs Logan is to the
Illinois warrior. When Mr. Carlisle was first
O candidate for Speaker friend asked Mrs.
Carlisle what she then thought Of her husbands
chances
ibid you ever know John to fail in anything
he undertook was the spirited reply.
At the beginning of every session for the past
four or five years, it has been the fashion for
new Western and Southern men who do not like
the great Pennsylvania commoners tariff views,
to get together and tell how they are going to
get along for the future without Sam Randall
In the first thirty days Of the session Mr.. Ran
dali Is read out of the party great many times.
He accepts the discipline with unruf1ed temper,
knowing that before the svss.s- M. cone ms
fellow-D Democrats, of all shades or opinion, Will
come to him and ask him to lead them out of
the wilderness. Who would have thought six
months ago. that when the Democratic Repre-
sentatiyes met in caucus to pool their issues
Sam Randall would be of the
men chosen to determine what legislation
should be had In the closing days of
the sessions He is the most powerful individual
member on the floor of the House to-day, as he
has been for the past fifteen years. Even Mr..
Morrison, backed by the Speaker and by the en-
tire organization OF the House. is not so power
full to-day, either in debate or in parliamentary
management, as this leader of the Democratic
minority in the House. Opposition has made
Randall the man he Is He never showed his
powers to so good an advantage as back in the
DAYS when the Republicans had two thirds
majority in Congress, and he led the forlorn
hone. He was great fighter in those days, and
the Republicans who could keep up with him in
a contest of endurance were very few His fight
against the infamous force bill will long be a
memorable page in our congressional annals 1t
is only now and then in these latter days that he
is pressed hard enough to show out his old fire.
He is COOL phlegmatie and imperturbabe on or
binary occasions, and keeps his powers curbed
in. He is listened to with more interest than
any other man the floor when he rises to
speak. There is consciousness of reserved
power in his manner Everybody knows that if
he gets stirred up once he will make somebody
dance When he is little bit excited he has a
way of tossing his head slightly back and his
eyes fash with unwonted brilliancy. His voice
on such occasions is at its hast, and rings out
over the House as clear and strong as bugle
When he is downright mad he is terribly in earn
est and everything goes down before him. In
ordinary speech he gestures very little. He
usualy stands with one hand resting upon his
desk, aud, if be makes any gesture, it is slight
emphasis with his clenched right hand. He has
mana Of the art of tha orator. He NAYS no head