New-York tribune., 1907-12-12
JEFF" DAVIS IN ACTION.
Those Who Looked for a Great
Sensation Disappointed.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

washington, Dec. 1-"Jeff'' Davis, Senator from
Arkansas, made his maiden speech In the senate
to-day, breaking all precedents by speaking WITHIN
less than ten days from the time he was sworn IN
Mr. Davis had announced in advance that he
would address the Senate to-day in support OF
measure he had introduced providing drastic pun
ishnent for the trusts and their promoters and
managers. and the galleries were filed ana a falr
number of Senators were in attendance
Not since Senator La Toilette addressed the SEN
ate on the railway rate bill has that dignifed body
witnessed an example of the style of oratory when
Mr. Davis presented to-day, while the Arkansas
Senator nearly Stimulates the oldtine exhorter
even than does Mr.. La Toilette Advertised in the
nress as a picturesque and even sensational
sneaker :; sensation was looked for to-day, but
while his style of delivery is different from that TO
which the Senate is accustomed. Mr.. Davis fa1feo
to produce a sensation even to interest the gal
leries which began TO thin out before he had
finished his remarks. At no time did he elicit any
applause.
Taking his stand in the middle aisle. his feet
planted apart and using only one gestuTe-a
shaking of his clenched tst-the ArkanSan appar-
emily relied on the great power of his voice and
cartain trenulousness he is able inject into his
lower register convince his hearers, and at times
he might easily have been heard at the White
House. a mile away, had 1t not been ior the noise
of the traffic in the streets.
The speech itself was largely q rehaSh OF stump
speeches for which the Senator is famous
in his state. After condemning the trusts and de-
nouncing the Republican party. which he always
referred the &c. o. F., for the concentration
of wealth in the hands of the few, MIR. Davis eE-
horted the Senate;
Choose ye this day whether God or Mammon!
VIII We serve the trusts will ye serve the peo-
ple?'' and. with tremendous vehemence, Wake
up" The Senator complained Of the $4,000 which
Congress appropriates TO defray the Presidents
salary and the expenses of the White House. de-
claring that while Mr. Roosevelt had five children
''at home" he Davis had him skinned TO death
he had eight children. and 1T did not cost him
ANY N20.oG0 TO support them.
Sir said the Senator, hasn't the G. 0. p got
this country into a nice mess? The Master says
Go into the vineyard and work but find no
place where He says 60 into the vineyard ana
corner all the grapes" He 1ashed himself into a
fury the New York Stock Exchange the Cot
ton Exchange and the recent money stringeney.
which he declared caused by spectators IN
New York enable them unjustIy TO acquire half
the value cf the cotton crop
Speaking Of the annual appropriation for the ex-
pcnses Of the government. amounting TO s9oo.cN-
GOO. he turned to Senator Beveridge and added:
Pile ii up this floor and let my good looking
young friend. the Senator from Indiana, start to
count it. He would be old as Methuseiah be-
fore he could count half of it,"
THE President" he said has taken off the
dollar the words In God We Trust It's time 10
take it of. I wonder what the grand old party is
going put the dollar?
II am the under dog. Senator McLaurin.'
he said addressing the Senator from Mississippi,
who sat before him Whenever you hear Of dog
fight just say, Jeff Davis IS for the under
dog
He read some statistics the Standard OIL
Company. and. stepping out into the centre aisle,
stamped his foot and said:
The Standard oil IS the old he-trust OF the
try. It IS the trust that has all the paraphernalia
and earmarks OF a trust. | dislike Standard OIL. I
hate the smell Of coal oil. Petroleum makes
sick. Oh, sir. something ought to be done to cur
Rockefeller trIst-the great Standard Oil trust"
Congress should not hesitate In its work of
destroying the trusts because OF any fear OF
Ting business. he continued. He spoke the Shcr-
antitrust law Has II proved effectual?"' he
asked HAS IL destroyed single trust? Under
It's operation have they not grown strong defiant