The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1905-03-30
GREATEST LIVING ORATOR.
Julius Chambers Says Bryan
Has No Equal in the World.

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After listening for more than thirty
years to every orator OF national
fame in this country, France, Eng
land anfSpsin, my candid judgment
is that William Jennings Bryan is
the most eloquent speaker to-day.
Webster, Clay, and Everett were be.
fore my time, but l went to Washing
ton in the winter Of 1874 when the
Senate retained traditions OF Charles
Sumner and had among its members
Conklin and Schurtz. Ben Butler
was the leader Of the House end ab
solutely dominated 1t. Ingalls, came
to the Senate in the eighties and so
did Wolcott.
Wendell Phillips, in my opinion, was
the most natural orator this country
has ever produced In our time but his
eloquence lay In the choice Of words
rather than the indescribable sympa
pathetic qualities OF tone and vote,
essential to true eloquence. Blaine
had that marvellous capacity to
thrill his hearers by the tone in which
he uttered q common place phrase.
Beecher had the divine heart-t thrill
ing voice but rarely employed it.
Talmage strove livery hard iorit but
never quite attained it. Gladstone
was insuferably dull as a parlia-
mentary speaker but some OF his
campaign speeches and his arraign'
ment Of "Ths Unspeakable Turk" "
approached eloquence. Disreali new.
er attempted 1t after bis frst speech
and failure. John Briget l have new
er heard, but Parnell possessed the
marvellous quiver In the voice that
stirs ones heart strings. Ingesoll
had acquired eloquence as he had
nicety Of phrasing. His greatest ad
mirers will admit that he lacked
spontaniety and was not eloquent
without preparation.
Gambetta was the most eloquent
Frenchman / ever heard in the
chamber Of deputies. Rochsfort is
vehement, passionate, but not elo.
quent. Clemenceau reminded me ol
Blaine in his mannerisms, but not
in figure, handled his voice superbly
and didn't appear to care much for
a choice OF words. There are some
who like Cochran but there ISN'T a
real eloquent man In Congress to
day. Teller is the nearest approach
to a great orator in the Senate, and
] he is far cry from score Of names
that adorn the roll OF that body.
In thus deploring the decadence
of oratory In the country, the name
OF Mr.. Bryan is revived because ol
his marvelously tender, sympathetic
speech at the Henry George dinner
on Tuesday night. No printed re
port of that address conveys true
impression of man ymerits. Some Of
Mr.. Bryan's phrasing was exquisite
but the magic OF his voice through
out was indescribable. In speaking
Of the social reforms inaugurated by
Henry George, Mr.. Bryan suddenly
exclaimed, almost in an aside: 'Hif
lie was q constant spring, and be
never asked where the water flowed. u
This new variation Of an old phrase
had impaired to it q sweet, almost
pathetic tenderness by the orator.
do not know q living man who could
have wrung the emotions OF love iol
Henry George and regret at bis un
timely death by such simple words
Twas present at the grave Of Walt
Weitman and heard Ingersoll't
matchless eulogy. It had been pre-
pared with patience and care. every
sentence had been beaten into shap,
tho edges Of every word milled anew,
fbat its effect did not equal the brie'
tribute TO bis friend George.
I am not . political partisan Of Mr.
Bryan but an humble admirer.-Jul
ius Chambers In Brooklyn Eagle.
Stone and DeArmond