The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-03
0KLAH0MA'S BLIND ORATOR
Hakes Speeches ia the Democratic
Campaign

The drawing card Of the oklahoma
campaign was T. p. Gore of Lawton the
democratic nominee for the territorial
senate IL the district composed OF Caddo
and Comauche counties, both thrown open
for settlement a year ago
Mr. Gore is blind and has been since he
was eleven years of age. when he acct
dentally, with an arrow gun. shot his
right eye out at Jackson, Miss. At that
time he was page in the senate Three
years before a playmate. while in d
boyish passion. had blinded his left eve
with stone.
The reputation of the blind orator has
become such that he was travelling with
AIr. Cross. the democratic nominee for
delegate TO congress. during the cam
paign Just ended, over Oklahoma alr
Gore delivered two speeches a day and
great crowds came out TO hear the
man who handles the english language
as Blind Tome did the piano.
The sighuess young man won laurels
in politics before the recent campaign.
= page at eleven. nominee for the legis-
latur at nineteen, populist eIector-aC-iarge
in Mississippi three years later. unanim-
oUsly selected in 1900 Tor congressional
standard bearer by the same party in
Texas, while absent i'm 5. Dakota speaking
FOR the fusion ticket-such is the political
history of Thomas Pryor Gore. But al
ways he was defeated, never having held
Office since his pageship.
His character is best portrayed bv
three instances. When told by his father
that he must prepare to attend "a schoo.
Tor the blind, he replied
I viii 50 TO the school here. y blind
school viii furnish neither the books nor
the opportunity l seek.
And he did. Charles Pitman read his
books to him in the normal school and he
took FIRST honors in his class r. T.
Lamb was his amanuensis in the law
school. both graduating at the same time
Ali trough the normal school and uni-
versity memory was youns Cores re-
lance.
That acute memory defeated Congress
man Money. now United States senator
from Mississippi The congressman was
90 speak in Hohenlindcn, small rural
town. Mr.. Gore. twenty and blind. re-
quested a division OF time. Mr. Money.
who had heard Of him. rudely replied.
u VIII speak as long as ] please. YOU
are at liberty To do the same
He harangued the voters for three
hours. never dreaming that Young Gore
would reply But he reasoned without
his host. The younger man waited patti
emily until his time and then entertained
the rural crowd for four hours lie quoted
the congressional record. page by page.
of his celebrated antagonist. ridicullns
him uumercifrliv At the close the
enraged congressman insuldngly re
marked.
IF YOU were not blind I would debate
with YOU in another way
Quick as fash came the reply:
Congressman. hliudfold Yourself and
march ont. I VIn defeat vou in that way
Che same as 1 have On the rostrum
l}ut the challenge went unheard
His frst forensic effort Of LEGAL
natare was the defense Of his boy.sh
fl,erd Reuben smith. who was charged
win murder ~ that time ar Gore
was attcraing Jaw school Hearing thar .
lis neiehbor and friend was in serious .
trouble he wrote.
~ trus1 ] mar defend him. re IS too +
,cnle To haze murdered anybody
and stranger than fiction Is tho fact
hat The Same day Young Gore wrote this
letter tho boy n jal far away had said
10 the father ~ chat student.
-T asns Tom must speak fo~ me- Hls
,loqiierce VIII save me-
trd i- sifd Kansas Cits S'ar