The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-04-20
Washington. Letter.
WAsHrseros, d. c., April Is. 1904.

FN~S.OAA
bate in the House the galleries were crowd
ed on Tuesday afternoon. 1t had been re
ported that Burke Cochran, the famous
New York orator, and Gen. Grosvenor
would measure swords. Contrary TO ex-
pectations Cochran did not speak. Judge
Wade. of Iowa, and Judge DeArmond, of
Missouri, spoke for the democratic side Of
the House. and they were folowe., by
that veteran republican. Grosvenor. of
Ohio Grosvenors hair and beard have
turned white. and it is frequently said in a
jocular way that he looks like Santa Claus.
One hostile democrat, after many tits
with the doughty Ohioan in which he in
variably came off second best supplement-
ed this description He averred that his
opponent Looks like Santa Claus and
talks like the Devil However that may
be- he spoke with great skill on this occa-
sion. and presented lire of argument
which greatly discomftted the opposition
One of his old and faithful opponents in
debate, Champ Clark, of Missouri. tried
to harass him during the progress OF his
speech by asking questions. bnt finally de-
spairing of doing SO became excited. and
Grosvenor soothingly assured him that he
need not give himself any anxiety. as the
country would be safe. Col. Hepburn, of
Iowa. and Grosvenor, constitute formid-
able team of veteran republican debators.
Hepburn is expected to answer certain
speeches referring to him when he returns
from Iowa. where he is at this time at
tending the congre sional convention
Perhaps no other man on the floor of the
House possesses more complete knowl
edge of the affairs of Congress and recent
political history than Hepburn. His great
est asset as DICTATOR besides this extensive
knowledge is a rugged force of delivery
and stentorian voice. Grosvenor lacks
the lung capacity of Hepburn as we'll as
ompensed with ready wit and cutting
sarcasm of speech. Grosvenor's manner.
as he saunters about is one of extreme in
difference and nonchalence. He seems
utterly oblivious to mere congressman
who storm and wrangle about him, save
when he condecends to notice one of ma
ny who try to annoy him while he is speak
ing. This imperturbability is one OF his
dominant traits His twenty years of SER
vice in the House have thoroughly famil-
iarized him with every detail of political
policy and debate. No argument surpris.
es; none is new or strange
o The Panama Canal Property is about to
be formally transferred from the old Canal
company to the Uniteu States. The nego
tiations will be closed up at the American
Embassy in Paris on the 25th of this
month. This will practically dispose of a
question concerning which Congresshas for
decades been contending. Senator Nor
gan has spoken for days on this question.
! This week he made two hours speech on
the canal question. perhaps from force of
habit The Canal commissioners are now
in Panama looking over the ground prepa-
II ~.
ratofy to commencing the gigantic under
taking of connecting the Atlantic ocean
with the Pacific at the Isthmus of Pana-
ma. The legal objections recently raised
against the right of the old company of
which De Lesseps was manager to convey
the property will not deter imme diate pro-
cedure with the project.
A distinguished body otm en- banqueted
at the new Willard Hotel last evening.
The banquet was given by the Periodical
Publishers Association of America. and
President Roosevelt was the guest of hon.
or. Men famous the world over as writer.
and publishers met apd fraternized with
congressman. supreme court judges, sena
tors, foreign ministers and the president
Magazine publishers and writer's, newspa
per reporters. and correspondents and
writer's of books we're present in great
numbers. The distinguished company
two hundred strong, will probably remem
Der this event as one of historic interest
DR.. Van Dyke, F. Hopkinson Smith. the
president and several others delivered ad
dresses The brilliancy of intellect ane
the profundity OF scholarship that was rep
resented lend special interest to the occa
SIGN. With that cultured clan of writer.
modern American literature needs but
theme to make this an age of literary mas
terpieces The literature of America is sucl
as tominspire pride in the heart of every
American. In an aga barren of literar,
productions and with an all absorbing
theme of wide spread and vital interes
they would stock the market with Millions
SCOTS and Hugos. The addresses at thu
banquet were gems of wit. tact and WIS
dom DIR. Van Dyke espoused the caus
Of the strenuous life, and ex-governo
Black. of New York, see mingly depricate'
that manner of living. He said: "Spee
should not be gained at the expense Q
safety. 1t is far wiser to arrive safely a
dark than to be brought home mangled a