The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-17

stantly commands the attention of every
person In the hall. He can make the SIM
plest and most commonplace of TOPICS
glisten with the reflected light of his d.
vine gift OF eloquence. The marvel is how
he manages always to employ such perfect
selection of words, how he contrives always
to turn his sentences with such irreproach-
able neatness and grace But he does it,
and it is not possible for human soul to sit
within sound of his voice and escape his
subtle fascination.
Amos Cummings Gem Speech.
Perhaps this is the first time Amos Cum
mings was ever accused of being great
orator. AS rule, he does not rise to this
height, but have heard Amos make q
number of the best and most effective short
speeches that were ever delivered in the
house of representatives. If he makes a
long speech, II carefully prepared speech, it
is likely to be something rather prosaic.
Where he is Mt his best, where every man
is Mt his best, if 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.
L remember an occasion in which the
house had spent an hour or two discussing
something or other, 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 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 1t. 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 it to vote. His para
graph had beaten all the editorials 1t 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 a debater. In my opinion,
he is both That lie is the greatest debater
alive there can he 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 n de-
batter, but in the process of debating he
often strikes note that entities him to
rank also as an orator. OF late, however
Reed is falling into all unfortunate habit
of giving attention to but q 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 Qinbbling
on technicallties or a 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 dcbater in the
present house, they are Cochran and Bur
rows. The former needs n few more years
| of experience, and then he will be at least
the equal OF any man save Reed Burrows
| Is Il great debater, and when he is stirred to
| action. which unfortunately is but infre-
Quently, can and does make q genuine ora
tor of himself. He and Reed are rivals for
| leadership on the Republican side, and if
the Republicans ever gain control of the
house again you will see n pretty fight be
tween them over the speaEership. A great
er debater and much greater orator than
| either OF them was lost TO the Republican
| side when Ben Butterworth retired to pri-
| vate life. He is II remarkable man, and
it is II pity Ohio doesn't send him to con-
| gress again.
| Silver Tongue.
| Another remarkable orator is w c. P.
| Brec kinridge, or willy" breckenridge, as
his friends call him TO distinguish him
from his cousin, Clifton Breckinridge, from
| Arkansas. He is justly called the silver
haired and silver tongued orator In Il soft
and pleasing voice, with graceful gestures
and his white head nodding like the plum
age of Il lily, he produces a flow and
rhythm such as no other man in the Amer
lean congress can approach. His speeches
are poetry. He is Kentucky song bird
remember one speech of his i'll which he
| pictured the harmony that should exist
always between the two sections Of the
Countrywide north and the southland in
which he spoke OF the horrors OF war rs
things that he hoped would never again
be seen in this country. Many of his listen
| crs We're i'll tears.
| Wholly different is Boutelle Of Maine
| He is Il sharpshooter. Sometimes he more
| resembles gatling gun One of the most