Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-28
CAPITAL CHAT.
The Indiana Congressman Who
Will Be in Portland.
Good Speeches Which Will Be Used
tor Campaign Material.
River and Harbor Matters-The Grid.
iron Club.

| Representative Jim WatSon of
tushVliie, Ind, who is scheduled to
Visit the Portland republicans in
fecruary, was laying i'm wait all last
week for chance to go out after"
| Mr. John Sharp Williams. the minority
| leader on the tariff question. Mr.
Watson, Il most fluent speaker. is very
| much at home on the tariff discussion
and he likes to go in against the
Southerners. Probably he will give the
Portland boys a few rousing IDEAS on
tariff when he gets up there on Lin
lcoln's anniversary. There is no sinh
ject under discussion now in National
politics, on which the Republicans are
more willing TO meet their antagonists
than on the subject of tariff Mir.
Williams is easily the most capable
debater on the Democratic side of the
House. Some of the younger Re
lpublicans like an opportunity to cross
lswords with him.
| The two parties are much more
leyenly matched as to fighting strength
IN the Senate than in the House. In
the latter body there are several
younger men coming up SO that in the
course of q Congress or two there will
be able debaters on both sides. But it
takes years to develop a finished and
ready debater in Congress. Uncle
Joe" Cannon, now retired from the
field of House oratory by reason of his
leXalted position as Speaker, Col
Pete Hepburn, of Iowa, and Gen.
ICharles II. Crosvener, Of Ohio, repre-
IGent the finished product on the Re
publican sides. Democrats have no
men of their years and experience to
lpUsh out as champions when a field
day of debate comes. But they have
lsone young men, who flesh their
lswords occasionally. Representative
Burleson. of Texas. a friend and ad-
mirer Of Gov. Burleigh, is one of these
but his experience is more in straight
AWAY speaking than in rough and
tumble debate Representative
COwherd, of Missouri, is another. He
is very able young man but generally
holds alOof from debate. Representa-
tive Champ Clark, of Mo-, q stalwart
figure end one of the best road men in
the House. is still another. He can
take care of himself when the dialogue
gets rapid and pointed. II was he who
went up to Bangor a year or two ago
and addressed the Maine Democrats
in their state convention.
Most sessions of Congress develop
some notable speeches. This session
has not done SO thus far. although
there has been an unusual amount Of
fdchating on both sides. Mr.. Williams
of Mississippi. has made the best tariff
speech from the Democratic stand
point. The party will probably Circu-
late it as campaign document. Most
of the really interesting discussion has
been in the Senate. AS a rule the
Senators are more experienced and also.
las rule, ADLER men. At that end Of
the Capitol Senators Spooner and Hale
have delivered the most notable utter
tances for their party. Mr.. SpOOner has
spoken extensively on the Panama
canal and allied questions. He is the
lablest lawyer in the Senate, barring
Ipossihly Senator Bailey. of Texas. and
has stood forth as the Republican
champion when Democrats made u.s.
saults, involving law points. on the
Republican position. 1t is very rare
that Senator Hale makes q long speech.
He sums w what he has TO say very
briefly. compared with some of his col
leagues. But his speeches on the Reed
SmoOt case, on the PostOffice in
IVestigatiOn, and also on the numerous
appointments of the President. which
some have termed recess" appoint
mentS, but which Mr.. Hale says are
not recess appointments. have made
decided impressions in the Senate. 1T
is quite probable that Mr.. Hale's Post
Office Department speech will be
utilized in the campaign, as it sets
forth so concsely and correctly the
| Republican and the administration
ipoSition.
Senator German. the minority leader
ut that end Of the Capitol. has spoken
lat some length several times this ses-
sion. but none of his speeches thus far
have proven Of special note. Senator
f'aileys argument against the Cuban
tariff bill was a very able speech and
gave additional promise of his becom-
ing. if he is not already. one Of the
foremost logicians in the Senate.
| A great deal Of material for the pres
| idential campaign has already been
made by the prolonged debates in Con-
gress. Scores of members and Sena-
tors have delivered utterances which
will be printed in pamphlet form and
mailed to their own constituents. Tons
of such material have already gone out
/! in the Washington mails and tons and
] tons more Of speeches will be distrib-
uted before the session ends. Many of
! the younger members of the House
like to get at least one speech in circu-
lation before their nominating conven-
tons are held. The older members and
those in Strong districts. where the ma
jority for one or the other party, is
large. are less concerned about such
methods of political advertisement.
Their constituents do not expect it of
them and prefer that their Representa-
tives should devote their time and en-
ergies to something more material and
Of more direct benefit to the people at
home. Almost none Of the Congress
men from New England pays any at
tention to such business of distributing
formal speeches. When they have
something to say they say it and gem
orally send few copies around to their
districts or states.
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