The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1890-07-16
LODGE AND HEMPE.l.l.
Pen Pictures OF the Leaders III the Elec-
ticNS Eli Contest

tions Eli Contest.
There is striking contrast be-
tween Nlr. Lodge, the leader Of the
Republican forces in the contest ove:'
tie federal election bill. and AIr.
Hemphill, who by virtue OF his posi-
tion on the committee on the election
OF President and Vice-Presidcnt. is
at the head Of the opposition Nh.
Lodge has more contradictory traits
of character than any man l krow Of
in the House. He is curious com
bination Of liberalreformerand dema-
gogue; of broad intelligence and bit
ter partisanship. In his character as
partisan he is admired by his col
leagues and has a considerable fol-
lowing. As reformerle has scarcely
any following in the House and is
sneered at by those who are his as
sociates and admirers ill his other
character. His associates ale of two
classes. Those who follow his lead
on the federal election question call
him a political dude when he talks
civil service reform. When he ap-
pears as reformer of political meth
DDS he is superb but ineffective, but
in party intrigue he will go further
than some Of his less intellectual and
less enlightened associates. He is
clever however, IN the assumption Of
high motive in his partisan action,
and is too shrewd to use denunciation
instead Of argument The best pre-
sentation of Lis side of the Federal
election question that has been made,
and the best that can be made. was
that which was made in his opening
argument. He is not IN orator ana
never rises to the point Of .loquence.
His speeches are finished literary pro-
ductions, and he delivers them with
an appearance OF ealnestness. He is
fair representative Of the intelligent
but bigoted young Republicans of
New England, still retaining the
strain of Puritan blood.
Nh. Hemphill is a good represen-
tative of the progressive young men
of the South. If Mr.. Reed, in a
spirit Of magnanimity, had so de-
signed it, he could not have done bet
ter for the Democrats than he did in
the appointment of Mr.. Hemphill to
the head of the minority committee
which was to consider this bill. He
is not a fire eater. He is calm, dis
passionate, logical and goodlawyer.
It would be much easier to throw
Mr.. Reed, Nh. Lodge or any other
cold-blooded New Englander into a
passion than to provoke an indiscre-
ton on the part of this young South
Carolinian. He is fair and frank.
His speech is slow and somewhat
halting at first. There IS never any
thing in his manner to provoke an
tagonisrn; he never forgets to be
courteous to his opponent, however
bitter that opponent may be. He is
not as graceful writer as is Mr..
Lodge, his periods may not be quite
as well rounded, he does not attempt
as much effect with his voice, but as
he advances with his argument, feel
ing what he says, as he did on open
ing the.case for the South in this dis
cussion, he ebecomes eloquent without
effort and without knowing it. There
is frank ea1nestness inwhat he says
which impressess MS hearers. His
voice, his manner and his speech ap-
peal for fair play, and give promise of
fair play in return. Hisspeeches are
the work of lawyer rather than
literary man, but he is a scholarly
and as able as is the young statesman
from Massachusetts,. The contrast
between the two men is such as to
make them suitable antagonists.
Neither side could have been repre-
sented by any one who could present
the case at opening better than the
men selected
An expression of arrogance is
stamped on Mr.. Lodges face, and
one naturally expects some bitterness
in his speech. But he is never dis
courteous either in language or man
ner. He maintains an air Of superi
ority, however, which is sometimes
offensive. Nj. Hemphill is extremely
modest and is one of the most amiable
men in the House. During the eight
or ten years 7 have known him have
never seen him lose his temper in
debate.