New-York tribune., 1901-02-24
A JOTIAL ASSEMBLYM4N DEMON
STR4TES THE USEFULNESS OF
THE ROOTER TO Az ORATOR
DETOID OF IDEAS.

Albany, Feb. % CspecaD.-A Democratic Assem-
blyman who represents district not more than ten
miles from the city Hall OF New-York was relating
TO a Kings County Senator the other night how he
had happened 10 come TO Albany this Wikter. The
two were comfortably seated al one Of the
round black tables in the grillroom Of the Ten
Eyck Hotel. drinking from glasses half fun Of
what appeared to be ginger ale.
Fact OF the matter was" began the Assembly
man. my election just a of pure luck.
Went 20 Europe last summer for my wfe's health,
and when returning 1 walked down the gang
plank, my district leader grasped me by the hand
and shouted:
Congratulations old mani
Congratulations said /; why. I've been
ried ten years
oh, no said he. 1 don't that You've
got the nomination
y ominationr said I; what nomination.
Nomination for Assemblyman,' said he
Well said l. YOU never owed me anything
No: but you may owe some of US something
before YOU get through. said he, and eXcusng him
self 10 my wife who az the while holding on TO
her baggage ss IL she thought my friend was a
customs official he took aside and added:
Now IN tell YOU how you got the nomination.
We wanted fellow that could put up a good stiff
blum: somebody who could talk, talk lot, and not
give the people chance TO think what he's talking
about
no NEED OF IDEAS.
But what am ! going to talk about:' said L
Island museum"
What 10 talk about?' said my leader: why.
that's the simplest part of H. I'm cali at your office
tomorrow and give you fun directions There's 20
he a hiC meeting nest Saturday night. and We want
TO blow hig horn.
'.weu, the next cay my leader dropped in at my
Office
Have you picked up a subject for Saturday
night yetg he asked. pulling up his chair 10 my
desk
subject No said l. See here. Jim chats
what ! called him when I wanted favor Of him).
you said YOU would furnish the subjects. am
not going to talk unless I have something worth
talking about I tell YOU it's the most difficult
thing in the worl5 getting a congenial subject
''Wen. do you krow that old truck horse Of a
politician broke right out laughing. Finally, he
said:
...As I said first all you have got TO do is to
talk Get the words and the thoughts will come
after them You could never have heard Julius
Hamburger talk. and make the statement you just
made. Now. Tor instance. il you're talking TO get
the poor peoples vote, you want To talk about
parks and recreation piers and appropriations Tor
free coal and % cent gas and cent telephones
and so on Tell 'em if you're elected 20 Albany
YOU viii lay park in the middle OF your dis
trict, that every poor mother can sit there and
enjoy the fresh air. Tell EN- youn have the city
build a couple Of recreation piers where father.
mother and child on hot summer nights and
hear the hand
But how about the reform clubs and the busi-
ness mems associations said l. These fellows
viii he on 10 me- won't they@
HIS OPINION OF REFoRMERs.
Why these fellows are the easiest of them
all said my leader with chuckle- Tell them
that YOU stand for economic government. both In
city and State. Talk about municipal corruption
and all that kind Of business. Say a good word
for the vice crusade Tell 'em that you will intro
duce a bin cutting down the salaries OF half the
clerks in the different departments and discharg-
ing the other half altogether Have your bill es-
peciaIy provide that all city employees shall work
eight hours a day. thus accomplishing about eight
times the work now done.
Then there's a subject continued my political
chief with increased enthusiasm, which Is the
most important Of them all. and which will win
the OF all classes. that's the ferries Our
people almost entirely dependent the ferries.
you know. TO get TO and from business and shop
ping. Tell en- then. that we've got have better
ferry service 10 have ferries, operated
with the most modern propellers with looking
glasses I'm the women's cabins and barrOom for
the men. Tell EN- that you will introduce bills 10
provide for fifteen minute service up midnight
and five minute service after that TIL morning
BE sure and the fare in and make the
corporation build new stations and employ hve
times as many men
Well said l. at last, you've emphasized these
local issues. How about the National issues: how
about Bryan
Bryan shouted my leader. For the love OF
Heaven. don't talk Bryan. The people down
wav got all they wanted Of Bryan in 1855. The
only man TO talk about Bryan is Bryan himself.
OF course when ne comes 10 town, and the Boss
puts him up for exhibition al the street corners
like some long haired Indian medicine man. why,
Just say he's here but Bryan a dan
gerous subject. One Of our men I'm uptown
district was talking Bryan. telling what an