Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-30
SENATORIAL DIGNITY.
Deliberate Speech and Courtly Bitter
ness-Features of the Tariff Debate
In the Senate-The Contrast in the House-The
Graceful Retorts OF Edmunds and
Vance-0ther Keen Debators.
Washington Star

DdtSS. lney ABUSE et3cn OtneF III tHe INOSt
decorous and courteous manner possible.
The heated controversy over the tariff the
distinguished senators are now
engaged in furnishes unique
and interesting entertainment to the
galleries. The contrast between it and
the similar controversy i'll the house last
session Is striking. 1t is conductedin tue
most calm and placid manner, and the
sharpest retorts and most bitter assaults
are made in language of the couTier,
classic in its purity. OWN the senator
| pardon me?'' one of the distinguished
dIsputants will say in sweetened tone,
bowling attention to his antagonist.
"'Will the senator yield!' asks the
chair.
with pleasure, - the other replies,
and the first proceeds: eff the senator
will pardon me, the statement he has just
made so positively is not ut all true. 1t
is entirely without foundation. Though
we have the distinguished senator 5 word
for it, it is entirely out of harmony with
| the facts.
| Thus they interrupt and deny each
others statements. During the famous
| debate in the house either some one
| was reading q long speech to which
no one paid the least attention else
| there was hubbub of excitement.
| During the five minute debate fifty men
would at times be trying to talk at once;
| the speaker was not addressed, no per-
mission was asked for an interruption,
and members Here~taken from the floor
! whether they liked it oEnOt. No man
| thought it necessary to measure and
| weigh. his words When heewanted,,tO con-
tradict the statement of another. Con-
| tradictons and charges were hurled i'll
! confusion at the heads of the disputantS,
and often fists were shaken III the air
menacingly.
IN THE SENATE
| the debate is as pungent and the points
| as well made. The deiiberation and the
close regard for Formally gives emphasis
| to the taunts and sarcasm, and renders
! effective the repartee. Some of the
ieemest wit is displayed in this debate,
and the point is never lost i'll confusion.
| While the whole senate may be present
the contest is between few men on each
side. The recognized quality of Il good
debater is complete mastery over self.
! The man who becomes too earnest or
shows excitement is at once at Il Gisad-
| vantage.
| THE SENATOR FROM VERMONT.
Mr. Edmlmds cuts n classic figure in
this contest There is a dignity and self
contained grace in his bearing, and
calm, courteous bitterness i'll his deliber-
ate speech There is an affabiity in his
most cruel thrusts, and he smiles amia-
| bly, upon his victim as he withdraws his
! keen blade. His dignified and diStn-
guished appearance COMFORTS so well with
his speech. His humor is subtle and ele-
| giant, and he is as merciless as he is po-
| lite. He never shows any undue haste
! or exaggerated earnestness. The tits
| between him and Mr.. Vance furnish
! delightful entertainment to an audience
| of delicate perception.
The other day when the Vermonter
| asked an embarrassing question of his
! southern colleugue-one he appeared not
| prepared 10 answer-the latter replied by
! asking another, Gas you do i'll New
! England. - Then there was delay, and
the Senator from North Carolina forgot
the terms of the question.
eff the Senator will have the kind
ness he said, ito ask his question, as
it has escaped me, viii try to answer
! him. -
~ do not know but that the question
! has escaped the Senator, - was Mr. Ed
mund s prompt retort. 81 thought the
! senator wished to escape the question -
Again, i'll the same debate, Mr.. Ed
| munds apologiZed for an interruption.
- thought, - he said, ''my honorable
! friend had finished. - MIR. Vance, who
! fen that he had been giving his antagOn-
! list the worst of the discussion, replied a
/ little pompously: 81 have no doubt the
/ senator hoped so. -
~ rather think l do, - Mr. Edmunds
replied with q slow, apologize WEAKNESS
! Of expression.
Again the North Carolina senator re-
cited series of economical disturbances,
winding up with the declaration that no.
! body blessed nth gift of good hard
! common sens would be satisfied with it.
| ''That would be true, Mr.. President, -
! replied Mr.. Edmuuds, elf it were true,
| but unhappily il is not true.''
Meanwhile the argument is being con-
! Quoted with the most determined antag-
| onsm, but always i'll that calm, deliber-
| ate tone, the most careful courtesy being
shown by each TO the other. The grace
| full smile, the polite selection of words,
the bow of the head and wave of the hand
all add TO the effectiveness OF the re-
| torts.
OTHER DEBATERs.
The laugh is not always with the dis
tinguished New Highlander. Mr.. Vance,
though not possessing that GOODNESS pecu-
liar to Mr.. Edmunds, is gifted debater,
! not lacking in ready retort himself, and
! replying often to those witty salles with
! equally telling logic. He is little more
| ponderous than Mr.. Edmunds and has
not that delicate bantering way about
! him that is so marked in the other. He is
! . student and man of culture, and is
| generally ranked with Mr.. Beck as the
| best informed of the Democrats on the
| tariff question. He and Reagan, with
the eloquent and earnest Mr.. Vest, have
| 10 stand the brunt of the attack by such
men as Edmuuds, Sherman, Allison,
| Aldrich and Hiscock, and their antagon-
! lists have the advantage OF a better aver
age support in the ranks behind them.
Mr.. REAGAN
| is at better advantage in the senate de1
| bate than he was in the. house, where thea
| peculiar characteristics of his voice made
| it difficult fsEststfA TO be heard amid the
| confusion. He is heavy in his style, sell
| dom indulging in the subtle and delicate
| humors, He hammers out hard logic at
| the forge of thought. He assemblies facts
| and YIELDS them together for his chain of
| argument. 1t may be log chain when
| finished, but is suited for the purpose
for which it was designed. He stillsfe