The Republican journal., 1907-02-21

nearest approach TO an orator of anv
man who has gone to the White Honse
III our day. He was not regarded 40 80 3
brilliant talker in the Senate. for he
was overshadowed by the traditions of
the place. Conkling had left the
chamber years before; yet he was re.
membered. So was Ingalls,. But Har-
rison, while in the Senate never at
tempted an oratnrical flight; he did not
'raise his voice" or speak with impas.
stoned feryor. He always was cold
calm, calculating as a ratchet wheel
ne was the same when President, and
after he retired to private life. In
gersoil understood him and told Harri.
son the steely truth about himself
Thurman, who was on the ticket with
Cleveland, had record for oratorv VIZ ',f
the old school, but he went to defeat
Candidates were reversed in 1900
when Cleveland was chosen over Har
rison, renominated, but oratorv snch
as it was, got black eye that time.
| William Mckinley wasn't an orator
in any of the senses that Tnpersoll
Blaine or Conkling was. He prena red
his speeches with elaborate care and
when addressing the House ALWAYS
chung to his notes. In my press gallery
experience between 1887 and 1890 +
probably heard Mckinley speak at
length dozen or more times. I heard
his speech of acceptance at Canton
he always impressed listener with
his earneStnesS and that is the best that
can be said for his oratory.
But, opposed to him, was born ora
tor. This country hasn't known in our
generation anything exactly like Bry
ans wonderful mastery of the human
voice. 1ngersoll had spurts of elo-
quence; Blaine had much of the SYM
pathetic quality of voice; but neither
man can stand comparison with BRYAN
as an orator. l listened to the Grown
OF Ihorns'' speech at Chicago-a mem.
orable Outburst from a dull sky that
drove nearly every delegate in the Con-
ventlon Hall to him as a shower in an
open field sends crowd scurrying to
the nearest shed for shelter. And vet.
during trip made with Bryan in his
car. L heard many finer specimens of
true and emotional oratory than was
that great and compelling rampage at
Chicago. Although a Republican I'd
prize as one of my choicest possessions
a stenographic copy of ten minute
speech Bryan made from store box at
Logan, GA Wretched mining town in
the southeastern section of the Buck
eye State. 1t touched the hearts of
every man, woman and child in the
crowd.
But, Bryan the orator has twice
walked the political plank
The President is a Speechmaker, be-
yond question. IL is improbable that
he'd call himself an orator He sptaks
with extreme, energiZed force. HIS
gestures are tremendously forceful.
HIS speech at Philadelphia, seconding
Mckinley's nomination, was marred by
the fact that it was largely read. Had
he found time to memoriZe it, that adj
dress might have been described as
oratory. However, President Roose-
velts record in that art may be made
in the Senate Chamber, to which he
confidently hopes to go when his term
as Chief Executive shall have expired.
The list of orators who aspired TO the
Presidency hasn't been exhausted by
any means; but with the exceptions of
Clay, Webster and Lincoln, have only
talked about men | have heard speak
or have personally known. To this
class must be added the ponderous,
now jolly, now aggressive, Thomas B.
hCCu LINZ SOlll6 VI Utlc VI
the present hour, Reed thought he
could talk and hammer himself into
the v hite House. He didn't give din
ners to get votes, because he hadn't
any confidence in culinary campaign.
But Joe Manley never could convince
him that he couldn't get delegates by
dragooning the House of Representa-
tives or by putting another man in his
Sneakers chair that he mjpht on unoD
the floor and ISLAM things" with his
ponderous voice and not less terrifying
fist
Reed got his lesson at st. Louis, on
June 16, 1896, when Warwick Hanna
''allowed' 81 2 votes to be cast for
Reed after McKinley's nomination on
the first ballot was assured. 1t is
doubtful if Reed ever knew how Hanna
did the Mckinley trick.
Oratory didn't do it.-Julus Cham
berS in the BROOKLYN Eagle,