The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-26
DAWES OUTTALKED.
How Ex-Congressman W. D. Vincent
Participated in His First Joint
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Ex-CongressmanW w. D. Vincent of the
Firth district in the days of the green
BACK agitation was quite active as
MEMBER OF that party. When he settled
IN Gay Center, his present nome, IN
1873, there were few of his political
faith there and none who made any
pretenSIons to speech-making; but the
rev falthful were very enthusiastic 1t
was not long until Mr.. Vincent was
prompted to criticiSe the financial
policy Of the government through the
columns of a local paper. His friends
assumed that because he was a good
writer ne must be a good speaker ana
proceeded to arrange a joint debate
upon the money question with f. y.
Dawes, then a young lawyer who had
quite reputation as a spell-binder,
without stopping to consult the future
congressman regarding the matter.
Mr. Vincent was very much surprised
when he was informed of the arrange
ment and asked to be excused. Having
had no experience as a speaker he dlu
not feel equal to the task, but when he
was informed that there was no one
else who was willing to plead the cause
OF currency reform he reluctantly con-
sented.
The debate was to be held in a coun-
try school house near the town and
when the appointed time came Mr.
Vincent was promptly on hand, though
not without misgiVings as to his abil-
ity to make a speech.
The school house was crowded and
nearly everybody there expected and
wanted to see the lawyer completely
demolish the man who was kicking
against the best financial system the
world had ever seen. Some time was
consumed with the preliminaries and
the hour was late when the debate com
menced. Mr.. Vincent had the first
speech and there was no agreement or
limit as to the time of the speakers,
the committee of arran gementS aSsum-
ing that it would not take the green
hacker long to tell all he knew, and
that the lawyer would want but little
time in which to do him up. Mr.. Vim
cent started out very mOdeSt1y but soon
warmed up and as his stage-fright wore
off he began to feel more confident.
After Mr.. Vincent had talked an hour
or more the lawyer began to grow rest
less and would frequently look at his
watch; but the speaker paid no atten-
ton to him, apparently forgetting that
he was present. The young orator had
promised early in his speech that he
would prove all his statements by
prominent men of the lawyers own po-
litical faith and he produced one au-
thorlty after another. he quoted from
all the great f1nanciers from Alexander
Hamilton down to John Sherman. Time
rolled on and so did the speech.
At last, when he was almost exhaust
ed. he sat down amid great applause
He afterwards learned that few ap-
plauded because they were in sympathy
with his views while most of them
cneereQ because they IelL renewed 10
know that he had stODped He was
greatly surprised and refused to believe
it when one of his friends whispered to
him that he had talked three hours and
a half. He wonders yet that the
audience did not go home before he
was through and can only account for
their staying qualities upon the theory
that they were anxious to hear the
lawyer who had the reputation of being
very sarcastic as we'll as eloquent.
The lawyer was introduced, after u
O'clock, and when he had talked a few
minutes the people began to go home,
not for any disrespect for him but be-
cause they felt the imperative demand
for sleep. His face was the picture of
disgust and his speech was conspic-
uous for it's brevity. Since this little
incident occurred he has served two
years as attorney general of Kansas,
but he believes to this day that Mr..
,Vincent's long speech was premeditated
that it was prolonged for the express
purpose of talking him out of time.