The times., 1894-07-18
Washington Letter.

nave his say Ill the senate OH the tarln Dill,
and that the people of Michigan would like
tC have him speak. And so he ignored all
the old and musty traditions and precedents
that man must serve in the Senate for two
or three years before he can 80 much as
move to adjourn, and on the 22d ult., he
made speech that for matter and manner
would have done credit to one of the oldest
or one of the ablest Senators of that body of
which he has been member for less than
two months.
Senator Patton spoke for three quarters of
an hour, and talked with all the freedom, ease
and elOquence of one used to public speak
ing, and thoroughly at his ease in the high
est legislative body i'm America. mo
stranger who heard the young Senator
would have realized for moment that he
was making his ''maiden Speech" or that
he had not been a member of that body for
years instead of having been suddenly
called from his law Office to be a Senator
with no notice and no time for preparation.
Michigan has good reason to be proud of
her junior Senator in his first effort, for he
made an able speech and delivered it in a
most thoroughly creditable manner. He not
only commanded the closest attention of all
the Senators during the entire delivery Of
the speech, but at its close was warmly
congratulated by all the republicans pres
ent, each Of whom went to his desk to shake
his hand. In the House, members of all
three political parties frequently gather
around member and congratulate him when
he has made big speech, but 1t is another of
the Senate traditions that Senators must not
congratulate fellOw-member outside of
their political parties. And that's why
Senator Patton didn't receive any demo
cratic or popuistic congratulations.
Senator Patton is All easy, graceful, nat
ural orator, and his speech was well de-
serving of all the high compliments it re-
ceived. 1t was generally admitted that his
was easily the best iD every sense of
the word of any Of the maiden speeches
that have been made in the Senate during
the past two years, when new Senators have
been much more numerous than for the
same time for many years. The speech was
a strong one for any man to have made, at
any time or in any place, and will not only
help to make Mr.. Patton strong among his
fellow Senators, but will naturally aid him
in his effort to be elected, next winter, as
his own successor to fill out the late Senator
StOckbridge's unexpired term.
Mr.. Patton began by modestly apologize
Ing for taking part in the debate so soon
after becoming member of the Senate, but
said with the cry of distress coming from
every quarter, feel that should be guilty
0fneglect of duty did not enter the pro-
3test of Michigan against this bill, which
means only destruction to those interests
which have made 1t great and powerful" F"
The speech that followed was SO full of
facts, figures and arguments that later In
the day Senator Gallingher alluded to 1t as
''the strong and eloquent speech to which
we have just listened from the junior Sena-
tor from Michigan;" while Senator Chand-
Ter spoke of ''the clear and fOrcible presen'
tstion by the junior Senator from Michigan,
Mr.. Patton"
Coming into the Senate after the debate
on the tariff bill had been running, first In
House and then In the Senate, for many
months, Senator Patton found, as all who
have spoken recently, that 1t was an exceed
ingly difficult thing to say anything new or
the tariff question. And yet. in addition t.
the many good points he made on features
OF the subject that have been fully dis
o,aaod nv thoee who have Drecpded him, ht