New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1895-08-07
SOME CATCHY PHRASES.
Many Of Them First Uttered IL the Halls
Of Congress.

gress.
There is no reason why, if good
thing is said upon the floor of the Senate
or House the country should not know
it in twenty four hours. With a press
gallery thronged with correspondents
who are always ready and eager to pick
up the novel phrase or the apt descrip.
ton, with the great press association
distributing the debates from one end OF
the country to the other, and with news
papers only too anxious to give curren
cy to the latest expression, man who
Says good thing in Congress one after
noon may wake up the next morning anC
find his saying in everybody's mouth
There is something in the atmosphere OF
Congress. too, that develops the latent
wit and inspires repartce. If q Senatol
or Representative has anything in hl1n
at all, it is bound to come out IN d rough
.and-tumblc debate with Il political oppo-
ncrt. Many of the Corgressmen have al
ready had their genius IN this direction
tested upon the stump, and know how to
}Iold their own in the face Of all comers.
1t does not always follow, however, that
I statesman who is good in debate will
achieve fame by uttering q phrase that
becomes popular. Take Tom Reed. for
instance. No one is better equipped than
he for the fortunes Gf debate. Expert
cncc, sarcasm, irony, a keen Yankee sense
of humor. drawl that gives point to
each shaft of wit-all these has Reed,
and vet not one of his sentences ever
passed current from lip to lip, as the
humble nickel slips from hand to hand.
Without the least intention Of making
himself famous, Representative Cobb, of
Alabama, until that moment practically
obscure, achieved in an instant notor-
cty which Mr.. Reed has never been able
to attain. 1t was on an April day three
years ago that Mr.. Cobb essaycd to cham
nion the cause of Mr.. Noyes, the Demo-
Hrut who was not given his seat. The
case was full of interest, and the floor
and galleries were thronged. Mr.. Cobb
started IN early in the day. He is man
Of square build and dyspeptic counte-
nance, and weak, s1ueaky voice. AS he
progressed with his remarks he partook
of some liquid from small cup upon
his desk. and the more he talked and the
more he drank the further he drlfted
away from his subject and the more en-
barrasod did he seem to become. Mem
.bers began to interrupt him, thereby add
ing to his confusion. Finally, after at
tempting to answer one of the numerous
questions hurled at him. he turned around
to the presiding officer, and with a most
pathetic appealing tone, inquired:
MI. - I)CttkCl, WIClC was l. dC.
The tremendous shout of laughter that
greeted this forlorn query has not ceased
yet. ''Where was | at?' and it's sister
phrase. Where am | at?" are still echo
ing along, even though those who repeat
them may have forgotten all about the
man who originated it and the circum-
stances that gave it birth. The question
was SO funny and SO expressive that it
has taken it's place in the characteristic
literature of the day.
Another ten-strike was made IN Con-
gress by Senator Morgan. the veteran
Democrat from Alabama. Senator Nor
can does not lack fame. He is one of
the most fluent orators in the Senate, as
we'll as one of the most learned men in
that dignified body. He needs no ad-
ven:itlous helps to public attention, and
yet he gained more notoriety by single
phrase than has been given to him by
columns of able speeches. During the
debate on the repeal of the so-called
Sherman silver law, in October, 1898,
the President was at times very bitterly
attacked. TO his defense invariably
rushed Senator Villas, of Wisconsin, man
with a deep, cavernous voice, and hab-
it of thrustlng his head forward to en-
phasize his words as he laid mantle Of
oush upon the belabored Administration.
It was Just after Mr.. Villas had given one
Of these exhibitions that Senator Morgan
said:
"The trumpet had sounded, the forces
were marshaled, the clock had struck at
the White House, and the cuckoos here
in the Senate put their heads out of their
boxes and responded to inform us the
time of day. 49,.
And ''cuckoos" have they been called
ever since!
But Senator Morgan was not the first