Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1891-11-26

w AhhlNJION, -. W. NONeHlDc - --
The writer's Of speeches have sharp
ened their pencils. They are ready for
the new crop OF statesmen. Speech
writing is a vocation in Washington.
/ There are men who have followed ii
for years. They are prepared to turn
out, on short notice, speech OF any
length and upon any subject-and at
any price, might be added. one OF the
most notable speeches delivered in the
senate last winter was composite.
Portions OF IL were printed far and
wide. The senator who delivered IL
got great fame. This fame cost three
checks. The speech was the work OF
three men. These men worked inde-
pendently OF each other. They turned
in their products and were paid. The
senator put the three speeches togeth-
or and got the glory. AS one OF the
speech writer's came down the hotel
staircase he met another going up.
Where have you been?', asked the
man who was going up.
TO see Senator Blank, said the man
who was coming down.
what foryn
ITO give him some facts for
speech"
"Where did you get them?
"Out Of So-and-so's speech in 1871
you've ruined me. q"
'Ilow so?n
I'm just on my way TO Blanks now
He sent for me to get him up a speech.
I've used that Identical speech OF So
and-so's i'm 1872
He is a wise statesman who edits care
I'm A. IN .ah Ia t.sl. h..
When the Hon. Martin l.. Cardv, OF
Missouri, was member OF congress, he
spent many AN hour reading over the
congressional debates OF earlier years.
One day Mr.. Clardy to his amazement,
heard delivered upon the floor OF the
house a speech which he had shortly
before perused in a dust-covered volume
fifteen years old. The speechwriter
who had sold tho production had
simply copied II from the Record,
going back FAR enough he sup
posed to escape detection, But there
was another surprise in stock for Mr..
Clardy. Before the recollection OF the
first incident had faded, he found, away
back earlior than the war this same
speech Whether that was the orig
inal speech he never discovered, but he
did learn that there had been at least
two thefts of 1t, and that it had done
duty for three statesmen, two OF whom
had probably paid well for the mcchan-
ical art OF copying.
There is one speech writer who viii
be missed by the other statesmen. He
has reformed. A few days ago this
man, clad in black, with white nccktie.
and black silk hat and in his right
mind, walked up Pennsylvania avenue
Old acquaintauces stared. The could
scarcely believe their eyes. The re-
formed was for twenty years one OF the
best known men about Washington ho-
tells. When the war broke out he was
at the head OF the higher institutions OF
learning In the southwest. He led
regiment into the confederate service.
he fought through to the end Then
he came TO Washington and lived by
his wits. When those who had known |
him as an eloquent clergyman aud ele-
giant gentleman demonstrated against /
the reckless dissipation into which he |
plunged, he would reply: "There isno |
God. II there was the confederacy
would have triumphed.n And soon |
this eX-clergyman was writing speech |
es for the carpet baggers and negroes, |
who, suddenly elevated in the period OF |
reconstruction, found themselves in |
Washington as senators and represent |
ativos, attempting TO play the role OF |
statesman. Perhaps this man was the |
pioneer OF the professional speech |
writers. He was, at any rate, the bost /
known OF them. Wonderful sentences |
he put into the mouths OF the unframed |
orators. Now and then customer /
came who had the native shrewdness to /
see that such fine composition did not |
iit mis- tongue. Then the speech writer |
would have 10 modify. There was one /
negro from Louisiana who patronized /
the speech writer regularly, but he al |
ways insisted on having changes made. /
'Dat's berry fine, Mistah Blank the |
statesman would say, "but you change /
dat EberybOdy knows dis niggah /
could'n nebber think OF dem things"
The speeeh-writer saw generations /
come aud generations 20 in political 1
life. One day his better nature revolt /
ed against such mental baseness and his /
stomach turned against Washington /
whisky. He suddenly shook off all OF /
the old associations. His disappear |
ance caused temporary wonderment |
aud then the ripple died away. Among /
the Virginia mountains he began a new /
life. He now breaches with great ac-
ceptability TO a large congregation. /
His recent appearance in Washington
was the first visit since regeneration.