The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-25

ato has brought to the front n number
OF now orators. Among oil those who
spoke on tho resolution recognizing the
delinquency Of Cubn perhaps Senator
Foraker of Ohio achieved tho greatest
success. Before Mr.. Foraker came to the
senate he had the reputation of be-
ing an cxcitable man. Every one knew he
was eloquent, but his fame was that Of
fire Alarm of man who depended
largely upon rhetoric and noise for his i'm
pressiveness How unjust this was to the
Junior senator from Ohio his first set
speech in tho senate amply demonstrated
do made an address which for solid argu-
ment learning, research and effectiveness
had not been cqunlcd throughout the de-
bate. MIR. Foraker apparently was not I'M
mindful of the gossip that had placed him
III the lire alarm category, and he evidently
set out to show how much good stuff there
was in him. He succeeded most admi-
rably. 1t is now said OH all sides that the
former governor of Ohio has taken high
place In tho senate; that he has at one leap
become member of the littlo cotcro of o
or IL senators who aro the real leaders of
that body. This is quick work, and tho
eloquent senator from Ohio may congratu-
late himself upon his success.
He "RoIIed" In.
Senator Mason of Illinois made ono of
the most sensational speeches of the Gu
ban debate. Mr.. Mason is a man of re-
mnrkablo appearance. Ho is short and
rat and almost as big one way as he is the
other. He has smiling face, n swarthy
countonancc, and n big, bass voice which
rolls through tho senate chamber whenever
he lets it go. Speaking of rolling reminds
me that ono of Mr.. Mason's follow SEN
ators tolls me they never ask Mason in tho
cloakrooms, where the grave and reverend
senators dearly love their Jokes, how he
came to the capitol or where no has been.
Ihcy invariably speak of him as rolling"
up to tho White House or as rolling"
across the floor .
When the jolly and rotund senator from
chicago made his speech on Cuba, it was
with tho determination to shake things up.
Ito loves to DO iconoclastic He has n
prejudice against traditions and such old.
coDwebby things as tho courtesy of tho
senate. international law no called can
ancient barnaclc," and the scnato itself ho
spoke of ms body in which tho minority
always ruled. Mr.. Mason is really a very
eloquent public speaker, but ho loves to
close his most eloquent passages with what
the literary men would call bathos. For
instance, ho shouted ut tho top of his voice
u
Cuban pledge in it's national platform.
Inns was very impressive, but queer turn
was given to tho thread of his discourse
when ho paused, looked Mark Hanna, who
sat near by, straight in tho face and said
That was when wo wcro looking for
votes"
little later Mr.. Mason most clouuently
pledged himself to support the platform of
tho Republican party concerning Cuba,
RI wit \,
could not resist the temptation to indulge
in ono of his littlo qups at tho finish like
the cracker on whip. 81 will stand by
the PLATFORM" he shouted, Gas long MS
am on the pay roll" OF course the SENATE
had good laugh ut this confession.
Needed No Coaching.
There was ono feature of Mr.. Mnson's
speech which escaped the observation of
most of tho spectators. 1t was his coacb
Perhaps 1t is not generally known that
senatorial speechmaicrs have their coaches
But they do. New senators who nro any
1ouS TO mako record on the occnson of
their debut get some obliging fellow soma
TOR to SIT near them and prompt them, to
make suggestions to, them sotto voce, to
help Keep their papers in order and occn
sionally to remind them 'whorc they are
at" i'll case they become nustcrcd. MIR.
Mason had such n coach, and u very good
ono he proved to be. TWAS Senator Chan.
dler, the wasp from New Hampshire.
'Tako 1t easy, Billy" whispered Chan
der when Mr. Mason became too much or
cited and was trying to lift the rafters off
the senate chamber with his voice. "You
arc doing splondidly, old man, but don't
speak quito SO loud. Now you are all
right. Don't 10 in n hurry. Take it easy.
That's right This was the way in which
L. Ia
hours of stirring debate Tho coach was
expected to help ont when it came to in
terruptions by other senators and To sup-
Scst repartec in case the actor appeared to
need help. But, bless your soul" said
bir. Chandler aftcrward, BILLY was so
quick L couldn't get word in cdgcwisc
when they were intcrrupting him. He is
hair trigger chap, and no mistake
Newspaper Reports.
During the senate debate there was n
great deal to say about the newspaper re-
ports from Cuba. Senators, as a rule. do
not appear To put much confidence in
newspaper reports. In this case, however.
the fact remains that tho reports of our
consular officers in Cuba have confirmed
everything that tho newspaper men wrote.
ana disclosed much more. There is
altogether too much of this business of
discrediting newspapers, and am sorry
to say that some newspapers are en-
gagged in bcfouling their own nests.
My observation is that newspaper mon
almost invariably do their best to get
at the facts. TEoy prefer the truth
to any cxaggerations. Errors creep in. of
course, hut there is littlo excuse for this
wholesale and carping dcnunciation of
newspaper statements as false and mis-
leading
One senator was neatly caught in his