The Anaconda standard., 1898-01-29
THEIR RAp,plrY OF urrERAHcE.


~0e
Words a Minute.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
David Wolfe Brown who has served
the longest term as official court re-
porter IN the house of representatives in
washington, and who has taken down
IN shorthand the speeches of all the
noted orators, has written a signed ar
ucle, giving the full particulars con-
cerning the interesting subject. He
says:
The fastest speakers in the house of
representatives. with their estimated
as follows:
Mr. Johnson Of Indiana. exceeding
often 200 words a minute; Messrs
Lewis OF Washington, Northway of
ONO and Cochran of Missouri, each of
whom,at times, reaches the 200~words-
minute limit. Messrs. Pitney of New
! Jersey and De Almond of Missouri
! o1ten attain to or exceed a rate of 1S0
| words. Messrs. johnson of North Da-
kota, Catchings of Mississippi, Lacy of
Iowa and Doliiver of the same state,
with any of whom a speed of no words
a minute is not uncommon.
A glance at the biographies of these
gentlemen, as given in the congress
sional directory, will show that all of
them have had training as speakers in
the courts of law, than which there can,
probably, be no better. school for the
effective speaking required in the TO-
rum and legislative hall. 1t may be
said that each of these gentlemen. in
his manner of public speech illustrates
the decadence of the stilted, spread
eagle style Of oratory, which was con-
sldered the beau ideal of public speak
ing, until. perhaps, within a generation
or two-that pompous, labored style so
much cultivated by the Pinckneys the
Everetts and others.
direct conversation method of
N ~ la
most effective with courts and juries
where results in dollars and cents de-
pend upon the proper presentation of
ones case. And this effective style has
extended to the legislative assembly
Thus we find, in such gentlemen as we
nave named, a clearness of thought a
directness of expression, clean-cut
utterance, which, while effective with
the nearer, is at the same time most
acceptable to the reporter, who, if prop
erly versed in his profession, breads
not mere rapidity of utterance. but the
dinuse, unconcentrated and pointless
style of the man who is justly eharac-
terized as having more words than
ideas, and whose wordy inanties the
reporter to protect his own reputation,
must dc his best to present in intelligi-
bic and effective form.
1T has been said in the newspapers
that Representative Lewis of Washing
ton talks at the rate of 800 words
minute. He does not. No man could
speak in the house at that rate of speed
and be reported | doubt whether he
could be understood. | mean of course.
such words as occur in debates. OF
course, in taking routine testimony
where frequently occurring phrases
such as What is your name? and
Where do you liver are expressed by |
brief arbitrary signs, stenographer
can write as fast as a man can think |
1t is very different matter when a |
congressman talks. He uses words /
with many syllables
Representative johnson of Indiana |
once talked for an hour and a half |
when discussing a contested election /
case at an average rate of 220 words a /
minute. That is rapid work. If a man |
talks $50 words in a minute he is very |
swift. l have noticed one thing, the |
fast takers slow up after being in the
house little while. The vastness of |
the air space they have to fill with
their voices gradually makes its i'm
preston upon them and they do not |
talk so fast.
Senator William " Allen of Nebras-
ka is the champion long-distance talxer
at present. He can get on the floor,
with no previous preparation for a
speech, and crate for hours without any
apparent fatigue and without tiring his
listeners.
The scoffers have termed the popu-
ilstic party the windy party. but it is
a fact that our fastest and longest
takers i'll congress belong to that faith.
Congressman Lewis, in addition to
being one of the record breaking talk
ers, is the best dressed man in Wash
ington to-day, and, moreover. he is one
of the most popular representatives,
not only among his fellow members, but
socially as well"
|