The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-02-07
Something About
a Presidential AS
pirant's TraitsEG
DAVID B. HILL

tnC uCSICC Vi otuUDOIHHCSS anu Iltii
is resolute to the point of obstinacy.
Honors were about even in New
York. But with Cleveland Presi-
dent and Hell callow Senator, the
odds were in favor of the former.
In such as, for instance, the Conk-
ling Garfield and similar fends, tn e
Senator had invariably been bested
to humiliation. Hill broke prece-
dents. AS chairman of the judici-
ary committee he chung up" every
New York appointment, which in
cluded some of the richest plums in
the whole orchard, made by Cleve
land, including that of collector of
port, and Hornbacker and Peckbam
for the Supreme bench. A howl
the length and breadth of New York
arose. Cleveland was whipped; he
could bluff England, but he couldn't
chance everlasting oblivion at the
hands of his own party-for he knew
not where the obstruction and Hills
power would end. So he surren-
dered. 9.~'
This gave Hill prestige, to which
was soon added that attained as a
debater and opponent on the floor.
The choleric old gentleman from
Tennessee, Senator Harris, first had
a bit of his bark sawed off. Nor
gan of Alabama, an able man, next
essayed lt-and Jared worse. He
went into the question of New York
election methods and characterized
Hill as a "machine politician," ETC.,
The opening sentence of HilPs re-
ply, given with stinging sarcasm,
contains the keynote of one of the
rarest fagelations-albeit brief-the
Senate had heard In a decade:
"Down in Alabama there are no
politicians; they are all statesmen" :"
He astonished Morgan and the en-
tire Senate by the comprehensive
grasp, the intimacy with minutest
details, the array of facts and sta
tistics with which he presented his
views on Southern election methods.
And owing to conditions, it appear
ed as if the reply was &c temb0re and
without preparation. L asked him
later as to this. "It was er femb0re
only in that | didn't know just wnen
it was coming. But l knew it was
liable to come, so | got ready"
Which is of value IN that it uncov-
ers two of his chief strengths: in
tense ability for and willingness to
do any work, and the prescience for
preparation.
Vest, a veritable tarantula in a
fight, did no better. In six months
Hill was recognized as man whom
it was m ,st unwise to attack on per
sonal grounds, but who was ever
ready to run an open tilt with any
man on the great questions. He is
earnest, forcible, logical, and an
untiring student. His weakness, if
such there be, lies in prolixlty and
disposition to detail. A story illus
tra:ive of the former is told, to the
effect that when young lawyer he
had what to him was an involved
and important case. He well-nigh
exhausted the patience of judge,
jury, combatants aud audiencetby a
three hours speech. When he had
ended, the opposing counsel arose.
and said: "Your honor and gentle.
men of the jury: Like my youth
full opponent shall make no argu-
ment," and sat down. Hill lost the
case.
David B. Hill will never be Pres
ident. He couldn't be if he were
nominated by the Republicans after
being a life long Republican. He
has undoubted power, he is in many
points that which ninety nine of
hundred of our national figures are
not-a constructive statesman. He
is honest. He is unselfish, in that
he seeks the best final good of his
party; witness the rejection of the
Bryan olive branch just before the
Kansas City convention. But he
can never be President, nor even
the nominee of the Democratic par
ty; first, because of his views, and
second, because of certain peculiar
ities and individualities. Both of
which | shall end.avor to outline in
a succeeding issue. F. G..