The Washington herald., 1907-12-11
AFTER THAT VOICE
Race for Reading Clerkship
Begins in Senate.
SEVEN IN FIRST DAYS HEAT
senator DOiIivcr Drops in TO Hear
the Great American Voice on Its
MettIe. but Keeps Near an Exit.
WecdinG-Out Process TO BE Fol-
lowed by Trial Before Senators.

Tile deep bass voices and the rich tenor
ones got busy in the Senate chamber
yesterday, and when the atmosphere of
that historic place ceased 20 vibrate and
the glass ceiling stopped trembling.
seven candidates IN the great Senatorial
readiag-clerE sweepstakes Iwinner %
take alb had run their course Before
the senate adj9urns for the Christmas
recess on December - about thirty-three
other aspiring voices viii be heard. and
the decision as 70 the lucky man viii
probably be announced after the first
OF the year.
The attendance yesterday was "a great
disappointment 70 everybody except the
candidates. They were. for the most
part. nervous enough. and probably did
not wish that the audience might Doe aug
mented. The Senator's were made con
splcuous by their absence. only one Of
their uumNer. Senator Doiliver visiting
the chamber during the test. He sank
into the leaJhered depths Of a couch near
tbe door by which DE entered. and.
doubtless. prompted by sublime sense
OF patriotic duty, remained throughout
the major portion OF the proceedings. but
did not move any farther away from the
exit
Had Very Poor House.
The only other person on the hoor was
Mr. Charles g.. Bennett. secretary 90 the
Senate. upon whose Judgment the choice
rests. Throned in Senator Jen Davis
whereon ne now ana then made myste-
rious marks. he directed the performance
behind the reading desk lie made the
trembling candidates read high and low.
fast and slow. and more than one voice
got of the track In the effort to read
both high and fast together. In the pub
lie galleries light sprinkling-the wealth
Cr man would have called il 4 trace
OF people listened with as grave "a nlicu
as If q had been a regular session Of the
Senate and the chief warriors of the
two sides had been IN the midst Of q ter
rible forensic conflict
Some OF the candidates who have yet
10 be heard viii come from as far away
as the Pacific Coast and others from
States North, South, and East Never he
fore. IN the language OF the famous
''Tody'' Hamilton. has such an astound-
ing aggregation OF elect examples of the
superbb masculine American voice been
brought together under one canvas-tbat
is. under one roof The tests are held
shortly after the adjournment Of the
Senate. and 81 the candidates are al 20
be heard before Christmas. ;hat viii be
every day, weather having nothing 10 do
with IL.
Favoritcs Not Allowed.
From the forty or SO candidates who
are u be heard. half a dozen viii be
selected by Secretary Bennett. and will
face the final ordeal. trial before the
Senate itself. in regular session.
There VIII be no favoritism," said
AIr. Bennett yesterday. The best voice
or the best in so far as am n judge OF
voices-will win. and we have some very
fne readers among the candidates. Every
applicant who has been given an Oppor-
tunlty to enter the contest has been
warned that the victory win not be an
easy one to gain, but every one win have
bis chance.
The contest is for the place OF reading
clerk 20 the Senate, made vacant by a
recent promotion, and the salary Is $500
per year