Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1888-05-17
WEST VIRGINIA, THURSDAY, MAY H. 1888.
Mr.. Wilson's speech.

Extracts from F. d. Ms letter to th'
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, Republican
paper;
once saw two Kanucks swap horses, Z
thing they are as much given to as small
boys are to swapping knives. One Of them
by the trade came into possession Of mare
which, in appearance, was far above the ay-
erage of the old plugs and crowbaits the
Kanucks deal in. When he tried to drive
off with his new acquisition she wouldn't
move out of a walk, and he exclaimed :
"Sacre, c'est horse. She look more'n she
can do.
Wilson is not that sort of horse. The
West Virginia pony can do more than he
looks.
Wilson is not an impressive personally
physically, not much more so in fact than
Senator Spooner, and that is saying good
deal. He is small and slight with plenty
of brown hair, which gets down over his
forehead something after the Spooner style,
and wears a heavy blonde mustache. He
looks the scholar, as he is, and would never
be taken for an aggressive and brilliant or
ator. But that is what he is, the most so
of all the men on his side of the House.
do not think there is any great question
in giving him this position. Some Others
excel in certain directions, but as an all
round speaker Wilson certainly stands at
the head of the Democracy in the House Of
Representatives Wilson does not fritter
away his influence with over-much speaking
and too frequent appearance on the floor.
1t is very seldom that he addresses the
Chair He made but one set speech in the
Forty-uinth, but that stamped him as a
man to command attention whenever be
arose to speak,
Near by Wilson, as he spoke, sat Kenna
and Faulkner and the three looked like
three boys as compared with most Members
and Senators. In fact, the youthyness Of
the West Virginia delegation is remarkable.
Kenna is barely forty, Faulkner is forty-one,
Gog is forty-iye, Wilson is forty-fve, Sny-
der is for.y.one and Hogg is thirty six, and
they all look younger than they are. This
last fact IS a striking testimonial to the
healthfuuess Of West Virginia atmosphere
and purity of West Virginia "moonshine,' %
hand distilled. Oratory, too, is as common
to West Virginia as ginseng, broom sage
and spruce gum.
A West Nirginian who can not upon call
jump up in public meeting, crack his heels
together spit on his hands and make a rip
snorting speech appfopos of anybody or
anything is considered as a rather no-ac-
count person.
But Wilson's native gift Of oratory is
chastened and refined by his scholarship
and education, Though he deals in meta
phor and figures and tropes, q characteristic
OF all Southern orators, he does not oyerdo
the features as others do.
As the score stands in this tariff oratory,
undoubtedly the Two most notable speeches
made thus far are those Of Grosyenor and
Wilson, on their respective sides.
Mr. Kelley says Grosvenor's speech
should have the widest circulation, and il
undoubtedly Will.
So will Wilson's, for the Democrats feel
very proud of it and Of Prof. Wilson.
When he concluded to-day he was over
whelmed with congratulations, members
fairly climbing over the desks to get hold
of him, It was the biggest ovation given q
speaker in Congress in years.