The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-03-04
RIVALS 7ILLMAN


phR0.t
tout hesitation and In first-class Ian
guage. He had.only got going good
when the debate was cut short by the
expiration OF the time limit. When
he was stopped, the press gallery was
filling rapidly and the public gal
leries were better filled than they have
been in the senate In some time. II
is one of the peculiar things of the
capitol. the way the news of some
thing doing in either end OF the big
building spreads. Before Senator
owen had been speaking long, the
galleries OF the house were deserted
for the senate, and the eyeryalert news
paper correspondents, seeming good
copy. came over in droves. Usually
the house furnishes the fireworks.
senator AIdrich's Tact.
Senator Aldrich Is one of the few
members of the senate who under
stands fully how TO handle Tillman
and his Kind of whirlwlnd debaters.
Senator Aldrich is the exact opposite
of Tillman, being quiet, well-groomed,
both as TO clothes and oratorlcal meth
DDS, and when Tillman Is storming.
he presents the spectacle of the Sphinx
For anybody In the senate to under
take TO fight Tillman with his own
weapons. is sheer folly Becoming
excited Tillmans voice grows In vol
ume. his language Is direct TO the
point OF slang or anything that will
enable him TO get his thoughts out
with the least possible delay. and his
tone has an at-attention quality that
brings all the senators to silence
while the galleries look on with glee
Nothing in the senate can stand be
fore Tillman except just such unruf-
fed methods as Senator Aldrich en-
ploys. Around these Tillman storms
and fumes. but does not sweep them
tside. Tilman Is dynamic. Aldrich
Is static.
When Senator Tlllman first entered
the senate, his reputation and his
rough methods gave him scant atten-
ton from the polished eastern and
northern members, but today 1t Is not
eXaggerat.on to say that Tillman Is
the most Influential member OF the
senate. considering him strictly m
debate No member of the senate
doubts his absolute sincerity, and his
ability to grasp a problem. with his
recognized speaking powers, have
turned the former Indifference into
both respect and admiration. To the
distant eye Tillman presents but one
view, his negro attitude, but to watch
him daily In the senate dlsclsses a
much more rounded figure.
Senator owen promises to take
rank with Tillman. II is to be hoped
that these two, being Democrats, will
never get into a debate. as sparks
woaId fly that might add another en-.
counter to the senate's comparatively
short list Both are so disagreeable
to tackle In debate that they frequent
ly accomplish more than the actual
merit of their attitudes would war
rant. Rather than stir up such a hof-
nets nest, or to quiet It after II II
stirred up. many points have been
yielded TO Tillman that no other SEN
ator could have elected. II Is prob
ably the excess OF this characteristic
that prevents Tillman from taking
the Democratic floor leadership. as IL
is certain that Culberson has nothing
like the power in the senate that
Tillman Yields. Culberson. however.
possesses the poise that is essential in
a leader, though his quiet methods
make II necessary for his propositions
to have real merit to be seriously re-
ceiyed.
With Jeff Davis. Senator owen and
Senator Tillman, and other pictur-
|esque figures the senate is developing
that body is taking on a life more
vigorous than dignifed. and the gal
leries are just American enough to
prefer the rough and tumble to the
decorous. And with the live issues
before the people now and likely TO De
before them for years to come, some
thing like the old-time oratOrical abil-
lty may be discovered. American
intellect Is only dormant and II will
but take some big issue to develop
big men.
WILLIAM II. SCOTT