The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-02-26
News of the Kansas State De-
partmentS.
Secretary Ed Little on Parlia-
mentary Orators.
THINKS j. j. INGALLS,
The Finest of All Americans in
That Category.
Compares Kansas Orators With
Some English Ones.

John ]. ingalls, is Ed Titles ideal of
a parliamentary orator.
Mr.. Little has held this opinion for
several years, but has never given ex-
preston to it before The statement
that he considered John J. ingalls, the
greatest parliamentary orator in the
world was made while discussing
President Mckinley and William Jen-
nings Bryan from an Oratorical stand
point today.
7 have listened to speeches by the
most prominent orators in both houses
of congress at Washington" said Mr..
Little, Il have been present at de-
bates in the English and French parlia-
ment as well, have heard all the
prominent men of the present day and
know of no one who in my opinion is
equal to John j. Ingalls, as parlia-
mentary orator. There is no man Hv-
ing that in my estimation can handle
good English as well as can Ingalls,,
and believe him to be the greatest
parliamentary orator in the world.
ingalls, is different from either Nc
Kinley or Bryan" continued Mr.. Lit
tie from the fact that they are both
more of platform orators Both Nc
Kinley and Bryan are very dignif1ed
speakers, they make no attempt to Sc
cure the good will of their audiences by
Vulgarity, both are fOrcible takers, but
in my opinion Mr.. Bryan is more of an
orator than President Mckinley. Pres
ident Mckinley does not attempt the
Oratorical flights that Bryan does, and
has never shown that he has the same
ability in that direction.
of English orators I admire Lord
Rosebery and Arthur Balfour more
than any of the others 1 have heard
One is apt to form the opinion that
Lord ROsebery's speeches are COM
mOnplace when he first starts out, but
after you listen to him little while
you find that his talk is anything but
commonplace His style is more like
that of Mckinley than any American
[ know of. BalfOur mixes considerable
pointed wit with his speeches, and when
he alludes to anyone in his talk that
person is liable to feel a Smarting SEN
sation and look about for the place he
was hit. But he does it in such a po-
lite way that it is impossible to take
OffenSe.
but speaking about orators, I want
to say that I am confident I could pick
six from this state and go into a con-
test and defeat any six from any other
state in the Union We have some of
the best speakers in the country right
here in Kansas. Dave Overmyer and
John H Atwood can make as good a
speech as one would wish to hear, and
so can ]. R. Burton. Mrs. Lease is an
other great orator, and although she
has been laughed at in one way and
another a great deal,it's true that there
are few her equal in moving audiences.
I would be willing to stake any amount
on Kansas winning out in an oratorical
contest.
THE speech that John W.Leedy made
at the Abilene convention was one of
the strongest speeches I ever heard in
this state. I didn't know who John w.
Leedy was up to that time. was sit
ting on a soap box outside of the con-
vention room, talking to jeff Hudson,
when roars of applause started to go
up inside the hall. I said to Hudson,
What do you suppose is going on in
there?' and just then one of the dele
gates came out and answered:
John Leedy is making a speech and
getting excited, and the convention is
cd him
I went into the hall and the air was
simply sitting. It was a hot summer
day and practically all the delegates
were there in their shirt sleeves. Leedy
was on the platform, and he was max
ing one of the strongest speeches that
has ever been made before convention
in Kansas. Drops of perspiratiOn rolled
off his face, but neither he nor his au-
dience thought of the heat. His speech
was full of pointed expressions that set
the audience wild, and every sentence
was answered with a peal of applause.
That was my introduction to the pres