The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1907-01-25

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was to speak, and everybody
pushed, jammed, crowded and
surged in to hear him attack the
negroes and the president. Then
too, there was always the fascin.
ating possibility that he might
say something obscene or indie
cent, or hit somebody over the
head with a club. Why this sort
OF thing has an attraction for
Well-bred ladies, as is often noted
in the trial Of a particularly dis
gushing case in court, is one of
the mysterious fluctuations of the
human mind.
But Tillman always draws a
crowd. He will not speak unless
the crowd is present. Then the
curtain comes up, and the play
runs the whole gamOt from hippo
drome with one sawdust ring up
through light and heavy comedy,
seriO-cOmedy, meIOdrama and the
highest and deepest tragedy. The
possibilities of what he may say
and the uncertainty of what he is
going to say is the attraction to
the nearer, combined with his pc
culiar and entirely unique man
ner. 1t seems, in listening to him
that he don't know himself what
he is going to say, and certainly
not how he is going to say it. 1t
comes hesitatingly, spasmodically,
jerkingly often, as if he was fran
ticallv clawinG in the recesses of
his brain to find the desired ex-
preston. At other times his flow
of expression, mentally rough
shOd, rising from the depths OF
buffOOnry to the sublime heights
of pathos and tragedy in a mo
ment and as suddenly falling, he
necessarily keeps an audience
keyed, with himself, to the highest
tension.
Above and beside all, he is a
plain man, honest and sincere
above and beyond all things else.
Often amusing to his colleagues,
he has their cordial respect and es-
TEEN for this reason. OF all men
of this generation in public life, it
is the most difficult to assign to
Senator Tillman his true position
as a public man. To cOntem-
porary believe it to be impossi-
BILE. His is the species of mind to
which only pOsterity will be able
to do exact justice. Long after he
has disappeared from the public
arena and only then will it be pos
sible to formulate a correct esti-
mate of the value of his public
services. AS long as he is alive
and clicking, he is continually
disarranging and SCATTERING any
estimate which may be formed.
While he is incarnate in the flesh,
lie is just 11llman.
A strong fight is being and is to
be made against the confirmation
of CortelyOu as secretary of the
treasury. The opposition is at
tributed to the democrats of the
Senate, who can defeat him if
they care enough about it, but it
is susT ected that they have at
least the passive and quiet assist
ance and support of sundry prom
inent republican senator's in their
opposition. AS a member of the
presidents official family, COrtel-
you has never been a senatorial
favorite. There is a sort of unde-
Unable air about the breed of
young men which Roosevelt
adopts politically that renders
them particularly obnoxious and
offensive to the Senate. The sad
dle-hOrse and golf breed and the
old fashioned senate breed do
not mix at all. BY the way, 1t is
thought very probable here that
Phil Stewart, for some time a res
ident of Colorado Springs and
son of Gov. Stewart of Vermont,
will be a member of the Cabinet
before many months. How much |
of a horseman or golf or tennis
PLAYER he is is not known, but 1t
is known that the president has
formed a violent political attach,
ment for him and is determined
TO draft him into the public serv-
ice in some capacity. Well, this
is Pills good luck, and he is
sure to make good in whatever Is
given him to do.
In the senatorial elections IN
+be yariousI states thus far, three
of the House have been
promoted to the Senate. Con
FRESHMAN Dixon of Montana will
,ucceed William A. Clark, Con
FRESHMAN William Alden Smith
If Michigan will succeed Russell
4. Alger and Congressman Chas.
yurtis of Kansas will succeed Sen
for Benson. These are those
fright and exceedingly able young
men in the prime of life and yet
With extensive congressional ex-
,erience in the House, and in each
Instance the choice is an excellent
md most happy one. 1t would be
mich better for the senate anO
he country at large if the idea ct
promoting worthy and well quail
led public servants from the
Ions, f. the senatn was more Of