The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-30
ORATORSANDORATORY
Where an Unpretentious Speech
Was Most Effective.
SENATOR PROCToR's TALK ON CUBA

Correspondents In Cuba Are Discredited
and II Takes United States Senators "a
Confirm Their Statements.
WASHINGTON. March 29.-[Special. /
During the last ten days the United States
senate has heard three remarkab speeches
on the Cuban question. The first and
most important of these addresses was
that OF Senator Proctor of Vermont, though
the efforts Of Senators Gallinger and
Thurston attracted much attention. 1t Is
aqueer fact that the speaker with least
claim TO powers Of oratory or ability to
make pleasing statement was by far the
most impressive. Senator Thurston Is an
orator He has fine voice, which he
knows how to use. His manner Is superb.
There was In his speech, too. the note of
pathos on account of the death Of his wife
In Cuba but ten days previous to his ap-
pearanoe In the senate chamber as cham
pion OF Cuba's cause. Few more dramatic
incidents have been witnessed In the SEN
ate chamber than Mr.. Thurston's perora-
ton. He was overcome with emotion as
he referred touohingly to his dead wife,
and sank into his seat scarcely conscious
OF the applause which rang through the
galleries and upon the floor.
Senator Gallinger, too, without being
an orator, is "a most forcible public speak
er. He massed his facts in martial array,
charged down the line with glittering rhet-
ORIG and literally swept everything before
him.
Proctor's Plain Story.
But neither of these eloquent speeches
produced one-half as much effect upon the
senate and the country as the cold. calm,
matter of fact statement made by Mr..
Proctor. The Vermont senator is typical
Yankee. He refused to get excited about
anything. He told his story in the sim
plest possible language Moreover, he read
1t from typewriter sheets, and read It,
too, in droning sort of voice, without the
slightest effort at gesture or emphasis.
But he was exceedingly effective. Men
said to one another that here at last was
an observer who had not permitted his
sympathies to run away with his reason;
that here was narrator who needed only
facts for his story. The effect upon the |
senate and the country was unmistakable. |
This speech prepared the way for interven-
ton by this government. 1t made it i'm |
possible for the American people to permit |
the dreadful condition of affairs in Cuba |
TO continue much longer. 1t clinched the |
a. lIhNt ny llOst WHO nave dTRueu
the United States had a duty to perform
in Cuba, and that this was a duty which |
could not be much longer neglected
In this connection the writer may be
pardoned for calling attention to the state
ments made long ago in these dispatches
the relations between Spain
and the United States and the predictions
made that sooner or later the United
(fafpS would intprpana hot Gnain nd !
Cuba. / have repeatedly said in these
dispatches that President Mckinley had
D policy of leading up to the freedom of
Cuba step by step, putting first strong
and then a stronger pressure upon Spain,
and prepared to go the whole length in the
end II necessary. Notwithstanding the
sneers of few persons who knew nothing !
about the facts, your correspondent know
ng the truth about the situation, held his
ground. Every subsequent development
has confirmed the news long ago given
he readers of your paper and all over the
country it is now admitted we are upon
he eve of Intervention in Cuba.
Correspondents In Cuba.
There has been much comment here
lpon the fact that all the information con.
erning Cuba brought out by the three
enatorial speeches to which have referred
lad already been given to the public by |
newspaper correspondents in Cuba. Per-
laps score Of the best men on the Amer
can press have been in Cuba during the .
asst year or so. Mention might be made OF
Richard Harding Davis, Karl Decker,
durat Halstead, Sylvester Scovel, Charles |
d. Pepper, Crittenden Marriott, Walter
;. Stevens, Stephen Bonsall, George
Bronson Roe, Edgar j. Gibson, William
;. Curtis and others. Without exception
hese newspaper correspondents have told
be same general facts as those which
Tere seen and reported later by senator's
nd representatives in congress.
But the public did not give full credence
D the newspaper reports. These were :
My newspaper stories" They were not ;
fficial statements and therefore were open 2
D doubt and suspicion. AS soon, how 2
yer, as United States senator returned /
rom Cuba and told what he had seen-and s
is observations were not tenth part as {
Extensive nor a whit more accurate than ,
bose OF the newspaper men who had pre-
eded him-the public was ready to pin &
S faith to the very descriptions IL had be- 9
IRE received with incredulity. Z
Why Are Correspondents Discredited?
Why are not newspaper statements re- ,
lived by the people with greater conf
snceS The fault is not with the CORE
,ondents. They take their lives In their
snds, submit to all sorts of privations
I'D hardships In order to learn the truth. Z
hey want the facts and they will GO to 9
ouble and incur risks In getting them : :
hich no senator would think of hazard ?
u. When they get them, they tell the !
DRY succinctly, brightly, truthfully. All 5
onor to the capable, earnest journalists G
no have given the world the truth about
ubal $
The weakness is not with the newspaper E
en who 60 into the field. In the opinion
the writer. 1t is with . small but pestif- :
'ous class of editors, who sit comfortably i
|, their sanotums, knowing nothing ex- g
'pt what they read from the pens of men e
no are In actual contact with the worlds I
fairs This small but pestiferous class 5
editors think It smart to cry "fake" at
10 work of any man with whose conclu- :
ons they do not happen to agree. They Z
,ser and cavil, forgetting that thoy are
sfouling their own nest.
The public cannot be blamed for grow
,1 suspicious when journalism attacks | .