The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-14
THE LEADER IN THE HOUSE
sERENO a. PAYNE's TRAITS, WAYS
AND sPEECHMAkING.

AND sPEECHMakING.
The Smiling Chairman OF the Ways and
Means a Contrast tn Dolliver of Town
Who First Called Mckinley the Advance
Agent Of Prosperity - His Training.
In a way Serene r. Payne Of New York Is The
biggest all around high tariff man In the lower
house Of Congress. or he wouldn't be Chairman Of
the Ways and Means Com mitee to day. At tho
same time be can hardly be termed a tariff expert
In the sense that President Mckinley is or the late
Mr. Dingley was. and there are now several men
in Congress who might properly DO considered
more accomplished schedule experts than Payne.
But he knows tariff law and tariff history init
matcly, as, indeed, he should. lie has been on the
Ways and Means Committee several years and his
training, begun when Mckinley himself was chair
man and continued under Dingley. has been
thorough and comprehensive.
Nj Paync's smile Is his most distinguishing
characteristic, 1t is aggressive and II never de
serts him. This IS literally true, no matter what
happens or how contrary TO his wishes the course
Of events may be. II has given him the rcputa-
ton Of being uniformly good humored. whereas
there are many days when he doesn't view the
world through rose colored spectaclcs II has
produced the i'm IMPRESSION that he almost always
carries his point, when, In fact, he sometimes
makes a mess Of it, When he really feels Jolly
1t IL an admirable exponent Of his mental frame;
when he is charged with anger OF tense with
anxiety, 1t hides has feelings; when he Is inclined
TO be sarcastic, II adds point 10 his words; when
he is listening TO the dullest story. even. i, lends
an expression Of a~atterlng interest. to his face.
Mr. Payne's body is tall and broad and heavy,
and he knows how 10 make impressive use Of his
size. His voice is big and expansive; in fact, it
has no superior, so far as carrying power Is con-
cerned, among the public men Of the presen, time,
When he speaks every syllable can be heard dis.
tinctly in the remotest corners Of the house, al
the same time his tones, instead Of being harsh
and discordant, are "a ther musical and decidedly
pleasant TO The ear.
MI Payne's countcnancc Is boldly modelled
on ruggcd lines. Deep creases criSs- cross it in
every direction. A thick, gray, full beard covers
his Jaw and lips. Silver hair crowns his head
Were IT not for his everlasting smile he would be
set down at first sight as a person Of undue sever
ity. OF monotonous Seriousness. As IL. who so
beholds his smile takes note OF his amplitude and
listens to his voice, expects 10 learn presently tina,
he is one Of the best story tellcrs alive. Yet Mr..
Payne ism I a good story teller in truth. he never
Affects humorous narration at all, and his friends
say II would be impossible TO worm a story out OF
him In any circumstances. He likes good stories,
though, and 70 SEQ him surrounded by a crowd ot
story tellers, his bulk proppcd against a pillar,
his hands In his pockets, his wonderful smile
playing in a thousand forms over his character
iStc features, is 20 behold n picture not likely soon
10 he forgotten. MI. Payne can laugh as well "a
smile, and, like his voice, his laugh is strong and
full, and round and IL sure 10 set a whole party
int bolstc'ous exclamation by its hearincss.
Mr. Payne doesn't shine particularly as n con.
ycrsationalist Despite his smllc, he is TOO serious
minded tor small talk and is altogether too deeply
absorbed in the political questions T. which he
has devoted a NE Amc oi study. t. care much
him somewhat indifferent 70 the demands Of what
Is termed society. But he is by no means diq-
inclined TO sociablity and he delights TO meet
men whom he considers congcnial spirits. lie
is held in esteem alike by friends and foes. but
the peculiar quality that engenders what might
BE termcd the afectionate nickname is missing
Mr. Payne is not blessed with the faculty Of
phcnomenally rapid cerehration and 50 il not
much OF a success at short, spur of the moment
talks on the floor Before delivering A sneech
he makes a long and earnest preparation, drink.
ing deeply at every fountain Of available informa.
ton and making sure Of every fact 1t IS of record
that Nj Paync's statements have been found AT
fault more seldom than the statements OF almos,
any other man IN the louise to-day. He INDUCES
in no rhetorical houriskes or vivid word painting.
but he iS a past master Of the art Of plain. direct
rarely than is The general IMPRESSION, he resorts
10 i~nvectiye. hen he does his opponents vince
MI DOlliNrr o' IOWA lS one ~ the lest known
orators Of the House Of Representatives a figure
10 be pointed out from galleries. lie is dark
haired, tark-eyed, tuddy Of face, and inclined
q stnutncss lie is magnIhCcntiy healthy. gen
ial, expansive, a teller Of good stories, a man who
By birth Nj Deliver is a VirCirinn. and thcr. |
ise decided on Dominion twsng to the turn Of his
lie il rhct ricnl hc Is Il .rUti nary. lie is a
famous C"mnaigncr He has been Anowut 10 make
on" hunI-rd speeches in one hundred days. out
Of doors, IN fair weather, is whcr' he hikes hest 10
and Is never hoHrSc. During the last campalcn, |
he says, he ran a circus. He carried about Win
him a canvas tent capable II seating 3,5OC
people. and he had II set up in every town
lac visited. In the morning there would bc speak
ing IN the tent Mid day dinner was n picnic
continued. II was like an all day camp meeting. |
Many 81 Mr. uolllvcr speeches lasted three hours
aud longer lie enjoyed II all, but he thinks the |
modern campalgn methods lay a tremendous
BURDEN on n candidate, and tax aim beyond
endurance his physical and mental energies.
lie usually prepares his sc echos fr delivery
in III" House rather carefully, writing them ont
OF debating them TO a stcnuEraph,r lie con.
frssrs TO a degree Il stage fright before every
sp,cch, aud thinks he would have nervous pros
traHgn II he knew 900 long beforehand when he
should address The House.
Whom NJ, Deliver is OF duty he likes to put On
his Oldest clothes, dig a can Of bait, take his rod
pole they call II out in Iowa and 60 fishing for |
bass in III" Des Mnincs River 1t is the lest sport
In the world. he SAYS, the crafty prrSuadlng Of a |
crop a clothcsline into the sea and pull IL up with |
a small whale on il, Is no, 10 BE- compared with the
keen, artistic delight II bass fishing.
Nj. Dulhl"r Is the man who invented and con |
f"rred on Nj Mckinley the tide Of Advance
Agent II Prosperity. lie has been one Of Inc |
4 n,iri.f , "A IInp "a "a arp,. l.u,,t,,. |