The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-05-18

salaries. The Senate Jumps the lob and
gives 1t to Dennis L. Murphy who engages
10 furnish accurate reports of all that is
done for $4,000 year. The
session of Congress lasts from three
10 elght months, SO you see that
the pay is very fair. Out of
this s25, 000, however, Mr.. Murphy
has to hire his assistants and he
has under him some of the most efficient
reporters of the country. His own con-
nectlon with Congress is even longer that
OF McElhone, and he began to report here
In 1913, and as boy he was engaged in re-
porting the debates in the Senate in which
Calhoun, Webster and Tom Benton par
tlclpated. He reported the trial of Mrs.
Surratt and the others who were impli-
cated IN the assassination of Lincoln and
he has more curious "reminiscences packed
away IN his little head than any other man
IN Washington. He began to report for
the Senate when he was only fourteen
years old, ard he has had full charge of
the Senate reports since 1869 He told me
one day that speaking in the United States
Senate was increasing in speed. ''Web-
ster," SAID he. was a very slow
talker,, and he did not average
over hundred words minute. He dealt
in rounded periods and was not a hard
man to report. Henry Clay rolled out
about $50 words to the minute and Calhoun
started slowly but reused up as he went
along, and he frequently spoke as fast as
Mr.. Clay. Jefferson Davis was one of the
fine speakers of the past, Astounding in
classical illusions, and one of the fastest
speakers L have ever known was Sargent.
OF California, who once spoke for two
hours and averaged 200 words per minnie
during the whole time. There was
a debate here some years ago on the
District of Columbia bonds which lasted
about four hours and which by actual calcu-
latloE averaged between one hundred and
ninety and two hundred words per minute
The average OF speaking in the Senate to-
day IS not l think over one hundred and
fifty words per minute. The late Senator
Beck was very fast speaker and he fire.
quently wilted his shirt collar with the
perspiration of his earnestness. One of
the most curious speeches l ever heard was
that of John Bell, of Tennessee, who
roared out his sentiments with all the elo-
quence and earnestness OF a revivalist
preacher, Notwithstanding that the
president of the Senate, himself and I
were the only persons in the chamber. 1t
was night session and all the rest of the
Senators had gone to the cloak rooms.
Bell tore the air and preached awav rs
though Do, 900 people were listening to him.
The perspiration rolled down his face. He
tore off his collar and though the tempera-
ture was at 20 he thrashed himself into
a frenzy OF excitement 1t was very funny.n
blackburn, of Kentucky, is one of tn e
fastest speakers of the Senate He grows
excited and rolls out his words at the rate
OF 200 per minute. ingalls, talks more de
hberately and Sherman does not speak
over one hundred and fifty words per
minute. Senator Hawley is an
other fast speaker He speaks 200
words in sixty seconds and only
the best of reporters can follow him. Sen
ator Plumb moves his Jaws with the same
speed that he does his right arm in ges-
lures and he is another 200 word speaker.
The reporters do not like him. Senator
Morgan speaks very deliberately and he is
good for an hour any time he takes the
floor. kenna is good talker and Cullom
is not hard man to report Anthony
Higgins, of Delaware, articulates every
syllable and Frank Hiscock. of New York.
spouts out his words like a schoolboy de-
llvering an grafton. George F. Hoar talks
at times very fast but his speeches are
usually deliberate. Edmunds has q
very free delivery and Joe Brown.
OF Georgia, speaks as though his
tongue was run by machinery and
could go no faster or no slower
than it does. John c. Spooner at times
reaches 20G words. Leland Stanford talks
slowly. Stewart, of Nevada, averages IT'S
words. George Vest often rises to 200.
Evarts gives out his four-hundred word
sentences at about $50 words per minute.
he Is never IN hurry, and his mind is SO