The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-21

dent that he struck a popular chord. and
that his speech was far too short to satisfy
the audience
nized as the gentleman from Jay" much
TO the amusement OF the floor and galleries.
presented for the minority the name OF
Mr.. Shively. The seconding speeches Tor
the majority were made by Representatives
V. w Van Fleet, ElkhaTt; James T.. Stutes-
man. Peru. T. l.. Lewis. Brazil: l.. +.
Branch Martinsville: lie Stansbury Will
Transport: o. p Lewis. Covington. and J.
It. Hume. Stilesville; for the minority by
Representatives Jackson Boyd. Greencastle,
and Zach ~. Sellers. Salem.
WHAT HARRINGTON SAID.
Mr.. Tarkington's speech in full was as
follows:
Mr. Speaker:-That we approach the
election OF a United States senator with a
majority whose will and strength are un-
divided. unimperiled by the remotest hint
of contest, a ma jority. solid. friendly, so
blended TO a common interest that II
means for US. to-day, peace and certainty:
this and the extraordinary size OF that
eral conditions OF the last campaign, but
TO the belief of the people in a mantle
man we were sent here 10 elect
Through that belief he has come to
stand beyond contest beyond challenge
How did he win it? BY service TO the
State. That is the fact the sharp signifi-
canoe of which | would press upon you
the people by a usefulness of that splendid
quality without which no politician--ln
spite of all the machines on. earth-nay
permanently endure, and by the pracuced
exercise of which a politician becomes a
statesman.
His has been the ability to create that
respect for his State and himself in the
national capital, to make those affiliations,
and to find from among the powerful that
following. which have made him strong
not only In Indiana. but In Washington,
and a power in the United states. For he
possesses, not alone the pursuasiveness of
words, but the infinitely more compelling
eloquence Of action. In a word: he is a
1T is a notable genius from which he
springs, the governing men Of the Central
States. the ndly-nannered. strong heart
ed, far-see1ng, tail men OF the Middle
west, the pioneers grandsOns and farmers
sons. in whom common sense has amounted
TO genius. the inheritOrs-for here the two
tides OF emigration met-the inheritOrS OF
the fire and pluck of the Virginian house
of Burgesses and of the GOODNESS, shrewd-
ness AMI honesty of the Connecticut
militiamen who adventured into the wilder
This is fusion which has created what
We would fain call the American spirit;
and IL is in the hands of such men as
these inheritors that our government shall
most safely rest, both in prosperity and in
times of crisis; for they have been, and
are, the backbone Of this country.
A MISUSED WORD.
''Mr. Speaker, it is a truism that no word
has been more misused than greatness.
The specialist misuses it, an entymologist
calls Prof. Staeffer the greatest man of
the twentieth century-Prof. Staeffer
made a classification of butterflies; a
chess-player says that Steinmitz is the
greatest man OF this century; at Yale they
say that Glass, the right guard is. Lit
erary people and romancers misuse the
word, and even the solemn historian is
known 10 do So TO name, for instance, as
great, men who. by supreme intelligence
and an extraordinary capacity for crime
have merely achieved criminal personal
ambitions, like Alexander and Napoleon.
IT Is the modern spirit that proclaims
such appellatiOn misuSage, for, more and
more, men have grown toward a concep-
fton OF greatness which places usefulness
first OF all-service, ideal of Christianity
and OF common sense, spurned and de-
spised in the darkness of the militant mid
die ages, and by the poetic and cruel, mis-
conceived age of chivalry, service
slowly and evitably approaches it's
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
And, while 1 realize, Mr.. Speaker, that
such words as greatness should find in
the discreet only the very rarest use, vet
sir, / hazard the declaration that there
have been-have been-great Democrats.
For. sometimes. great men have made
errors greater than themselves. But great
ness in the service of mankind has shown
only when "A great man has stood for a
sound doctrine. Hence, IL the continuance
by the people, of the party in power is a
witness TO anything in the world-and il
surely is--it Is an attestation to the fact
that until present political conditions and
faiths. and the leOpard's spots shall change
you may not look TO find political greatness
In that fine sense OF utility elsewhere than
In the Republican party. Mr.. Speaker we
OF Indiana have looked and have found
That was six years ago.
That We found what sought is