Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-11-17
COL. WATKINS CAMPAIGN.
One of Civil Service Commissioner
OberIY's Yarns.
From he Philadelphia Record


From the PAtladelDAiG Record.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13.-Civil Service
Commissioner Oberly is a good fellow for
he knows lots of good stories land some
bad ones) and only needs little persua-
sion TO tell them when the circumstances
are favorable. The circumstances are
always favorable when he is sitting
around Widespread table with a we'll
| picked company. Then it Is that he can
! tell the Col. Watkins story-or rather
trilogy-for Col. Watkins is a motif rather
! than character. He was a character
! though-a large, pompous Bardwell SlOte
| OF an Illinois statesman. He had been In
the State Senate of Illinois, and was
anxious to 90 again. He had not spoken
! for some time to constituent Oberly, who
| was then running the Bulletin, power
| full organ OF public opinion at Cairo, Ill.
! But Col. Watkins found his fight for re-
| domination harder than ever before, and
| he began to be afraid. One day he walked
| into Oberlv's office the picture Of woe.
He had secured the delega alton from only
one county, Hardin to-wit: This delega-
| ton was enthusiastic and unanimous-it
consisted OF only one man-but it was
not enough by Jugful, and Watkins felt
the need of a few of those eloquent
speeches for which Col. Oberly was even
then famous. Let bygones be bygOnes,
only come out on the stump and help him.
Well, Oberly said he would, and he did.
AT the first town they came to Watkins
spoke first. He pictured Morton, SheT-
man and the other Republican leaders
sitting around table drinking blood from
great goblets in order TO feed their wrath
against the South. This speech was en-
tirely too "Dluggy." II nauseated even
the most stalwart Bourbons. The man
ayers of the Watkins canvass came to
Oberly and begged him TO prevent Wat
klns from speaking at all at the next
town, the county seat, which was re-
garded as a pivotal point. "You must
speak first. It's Saturday night. If you
can manage to keep on talking until mid
night watkins won't be able to say
enough to hurt him, and we may pull him
through" But" said Oberlv, "pm not
enough of taiker for nat, and, besides, |
don't want to offend Watkins" sob, wen
risk your talking enough" they replied,
land We'll shout go ON whenever you
want to make believe to stop" So 7
O'Clock found the court house filled and
Oberly standing behind the judges desk,
while Col. Watkins waited his turn in the
front row. Oberly talked for an hour.
Then he put forth some signs of stopping,
which called forth cries OF "gO on, 20 on"
from the claque. He went on for another
hour, and then upon reiterated cries of
''more! morel 60 on. go on!' he went on
for another hour. This brought him to 10
O'Clock. He was really quite talked out.
He had absolutely nothing more to say.
But ne saw Col. W atkins preparing to
mount the platform, and he saw the Wat
kins managers trantIca ly gesticulating
and heard them fiercely shouting Ego
on! go on" so he staggered on for an
other hour, going over much the same
ground as in the first hour. When it got
TO be IL O'Clock he could see that Watkins
was getting excited, so he said by way OF
conclusion: but | am sure, fellow
citIzens, that you are impatient to hear
your representative in the State Senate,
and SO will Withdraw" Watkins rose
to mis- feet. But his managers were al
ready on Their feet shouting $50 onp'
''Go OnW and the crowd. catching their
thusiasm, shouted $50 on" more
vociierously than ever. So he went right
on. He struggled through lot of nom
sense until it had got TO be five minutes
OF II. Then he came to final stop. He
had allowed himself, he said, through
their indulgence, to abuse their patience.
He knew that they wanted to hear their
Senator, and so he would give way. This
time there were no cries of objection,
and Oberly descended from the tribune
weary. but Satisfied. AS he went down
Watkins went up, and as they passed
| watkins scoWled at him with liVid fierce.
| once and SAID in his pompous, measured
way: Ladies and gentlemen, if you will
| excuse me while 1 take little fresh air
| will come back and talk to you for the
balance of the forenoOn;" and then he
walked down and out of the court house
and into his hotel and up to bed, while
the people, seeing no sign OF his return,
| quietly dispN sed to their homes. Next
mSrnIng Watkins scarcely spoke to Oberly
| till they were Jogging along in a buggy
to their next appointment. At last Wat
| kins broke forth: "Oberly," he said, ''you
used me mean last night. You took my
time while the people were just dying 10
hear me and | was just dying to talk to
| them, But must say L think more of
your ability than l ever did before. Why,
! you re great surprise to me. The first
hour | listened to you with no particular
| interest, the second hour with impotence,
the third hour with annoyance, and the
! fourth hour with indignation, but the rest
| of the time with positive admiration.
don't see now how you could talk SO long.
| You're a great orator.