The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-04-27

SENAIOR
NJ the United States today there are to be
found quite as worthy examples of excel
lent literary style as may be discovered in
books Senator Lodge is one of those COM
paratively few members of congress whose
names are familiar 10 university students
He is known to them not so much as
public man. or even as IA htterateur who is
taking an active part in national legisla-
ton as he is as writer of the biographies
of distinguished Americans.
When Mr. Lodge entered public life,
some curiosity was manifested by those
who had admired his literary work respect
ing his ability to adapt himself to that
form of public speaking which is necessary
for a man who appeals for suffrages to
adopt, and the best opinion of literary
men now is that if the young senator's
public addresses have any fault it is that
they are better fitted 10 be read than to be
pronounced
Mr. Lodges friend, Theodore Roosevelt
of New York, has had a career somewhat
like that which the senator has made his
OWE since his graduation from college.
Roosevelt is a man of inherited wealth, like
Lodge, of very strong literary inclination,
who plunged into politics almost immedi-
was speaker before he was writer. His
speeches in the New York legislature, in
the Chicago convention of 1854 and when
he was candidate for mayor of New York
had all the quality of colloquialism short
incsive sentences and plain diction which
are perhaps most potent in such emergen-
cies.
Afterward Mr. Roosevelt took up the lit
erary pen and, like Senator Lodge, became
historian, although his histories relate to
the development of the western country,
whereas Mr.. Lodges are mostly biograph-
ical. Mr.. Wolcott, the junior senator from
Colorado is man of highly cultivated
literary tastes, but that has only been made
apparent in public speeches, for he has writ
ten nothing for publication. Wolcott was
in college at Yale when Lodge was a stu
dent at Harvard some 25 years ago. and the
two lads who were afterward to meet in
the senate chamber did meet on the occa-
sion of the college games IN friendly III
valry then.
There has been in literary circles a
good deal of comparative examination of
the speeches of Senator Lodge and Senator
Hill One was man born to luxury and
with every advantage at his hand. He
could have lived a life of peaceful literary
delight, but he felt that young American
ought to do something more than that
Therefore he went into public life The
other was born TO hardship. He had but
little schooling. The vice president of one
of the greater railway systems of the Unit
ed States, who, as young man, was in
business in Mr.. Hills boyhood home. re-
members him as bright eyed. industrious
lad. who used occasionally to sell apples
and who now and then brought flowers to
the office in which the young man was en-
ployed. There never was time from the
day that he was 10 years old when he did
not have TO work for his own support. He
determined, like Lodge, upon public ca
reer and began exactly like the more for
tunate Massachusetts youth in the legis-
iativ: caucuses. He trained himself TO
speak not by study in the closets or much
study of the books, but by standing face TO
face before little groups of his fellow citi-
zens.
That being the training of these two
men, those who are fond of making analy-
ses OF public speeches will find indications
OF that training by comparing the speech
delivered by Senator Hill. which has oc-
casioned so much comment with that one
delivered by Senator Lodge the day follow
ing. The literary charm of one is matched
by the logical development of ideas sug-
gested by the other. One shows the highest
polish and perfect literary form; the other
revealing few of those embellishments, new
srtheless Is a speech which viii probably be-
come traditional. 1t is very doubtful wheth-
er Senator Hill could write a biography
which would have the literary charm and
permanence which Mr. Lodge has given TO
his books. 1t is also doubtful whether SEN
ator Lodge could prepare speech which
would appeal so potcntly to plain spoken
men as that one Of Senator Hill OF course
IL must he understood that reference is
now made solely 10 the literary form of
these speeches and not to the arguments
which they contain upon the tariff cues
hon
Both of these orators married their ora
lions in the delivery Of them by reading
them Senator Conkling used TO say that
no man should address the senate with his
sermon in his hands No matter how long
aspeech Conkling prepared, he always care
July committed il to memory, especially
Studying the art which made it appear that
the speech was entirely impromptu MIR.
Depew recently said TO the writer that
Conkling told him that it required three
weeks OF patient drudgery for him 10 COM
init 10 memory the four hours speech de-
hvered In the Academy of Music in New
York at the opening OF one of the national
campaigns. + J. EDWARDS