The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-11-02

speeches That were ever delivered In the I
house of representatives II he makes a |
long speech, carefully prepared speech, it
Is likely to be something rather prosaic, |
Where he is at his best, where every man
is at his best, II he only knew It, Is in rush
ing in, without generalization, without |
preparation, and dashing off few burning
sentences that come right from the heart, |
and which are sure to reach the spot for |
which they were intended.
/ remember an occasion in which the
house had spent an hour or two discussing
something or other, l forget what but the
more men talked the more confused every
one appeared to be. They only managed
to fill the air with fog. They had editorial
lied, and from my perch in the press gal
lery | saw that Amos was anxious to get
into the arena with a paragraph. Present
ly he found his chance and sailed in. He
spoke about two minutes. But every word
was gem Every sentence had lightning
in it. In these two minutes he cleared
away the mist and fog. He went right to
the heart of the whole business, and when
| he had finished there was nothing more to
| be said The house voted, and voted. the
way Amos wanted 1t to vote. His para
graph had beaten all the editorials. II had
been an italicized paragraph, and it won
the day. This two minute speech was an
Grafton, and better orations are not often
heard in our halls of congress.
Tom Reeds Idea.
Some people may say am wrong in put
ting Tom Reed in my list of great orators.
In truth, it is difficult to tell whether Reed
is an orator or debater. In my opinion,
he is both. That he is the greatest debater
alive there can be no doubt. He has not
his equal in the house or the senate nor in
the British house of commons or the French
chamber of deputies He is always a de
batter, but in the process of debating he
often strikes note that entities him to
rank also rs an orator. OF late, however,
Reed is falling into an unfortunate habit
of giving attention to but a single idea.
Parliamentary law and the rules of the
house may be fine topics with which to i'm
press his ability and his learning upon
those who hear him, but he cannot make a
great national reputation in that way. The
people want something besides quibbling
on technicalities or lawyers sparring for
courtroom advantages. 1t is high time for
Mr. Reed to drop his one idea role and use
his magnificent talents in battling for some
thing higher and nearer the hearts of the
people
If Reed has any rivals as a debater in the
present house. they are Cochran and Bur
rows. The former needs few more years
of experience, and then he will be at least
the equal of any man save Reed Burrows
{ is great debater, and when he is stirred to
, action, which unfortunately is but infre-
e quently, can and does make genuine ora.
@ tor of himself He and Reed are rivals fol
e leadership on the Republican side, and il
0 the Republicans ever gain control of the
4 house again you will see a pretty fight be
= tween them over the speakership. A great
er debater and much greater orator thai
either of them was lost to the Republican
side when Ben Butterworth retired to pri
vate life He is a remarkable man, ant
it is pity Ohio doesn't send him to con
gress again.
A Silver Tongue.
Another remarkable orator is w. c.
Breckenridge, or Willy Breckenridge, a
his friends call him to distinguish hin
from his cousin, Clifton Breckenridge, fl on
t Arkansas. He is justly called the silve
haired and silver tongued orator. In a sof
and pleasing voice, with graceful gestures
and his white head nodding like the plum
age of lily, he produces a flow ant
t rhythm such as no other man in the Amer
lean congress can approach. His speeches
are poetry. He is a Kentucky song bird
/ remember one speech of his in which b,
: pictured the harmony that should exis
always between the two sections of thu
-country-the north and the southland il
which he spoke of the horrors of war a
7 things that he hoped would never agar
|. be seen in this country. Many of his listen
: ers were in tears.
Y Wholly different is Boutelle of Maine
j He is sharpshooter. Sometimes he NOR
o resembles a gatling gun. One of the mos