Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-02
CAPITAL CHAT.
Political Debates Occupy
Attention Of House.
Attention Is Not Easy For
Younger Members to Secure.
Salary Of Hon. W. H. Wing Of Man.
chester, Me-, Advanced.

Washington, D. c., March 1-(Spe-
ciaD.-A great freightage of hot air.
has been carried upon the backs of
supply bills i'll Congress these days.
Every time a measure of that kind
shows it's black headlines on the read
ingy clerks desk, the orators scram-
bic FOR place. 1t is as much fun as
q snOwballing match early in the sea-
son when the gentle flakes have first
descended upon the mother earth.
In some respects congressman are
very much like boys. They vie for the
very enjoyment of it. One orator gets
up and makes high sounding speech
That is sufficient to start the phrase
makers. There are several master build
erS in both parties as represented in
the House. The appearance of the ap-
preparation bills, which since time i'm
memorial have been considered for a
season under general debate is the
signal for these craftsmen. They have
been collecting ideas for several
months clipping out paragraphs that
caught their oratorical fancies, pur-
Joining anecdotes from joke books and
funny papers, and running sentences
and paragraphs over in their mind.
OF such materials the i'm
promptu speeches, shot off now
adays in the House of Rep
resentatives are made. The bat
tie Of words has been going merrily on
for several weeks and apparently the
end is not yet Every one of the old and
tried orators Republicans and Demo-
Gratis, have been trotted out. 1t has
been in a way great national debat-
ing contest. First one takes the plat
form, then another and then another
and SO on. 1t is not an affair of a sim
gle evening but a sort of continuous
vaudeville performance. with inter-
walls when Congress gives serious at
tention to legislation. The tyros and
novices get no consideration. Time is
allotted them but as soon as they
are on their feet the House bursts into
conversation so loud as to engulf re-
marks or it goes down stairs to lunch
con or hikes away to the new office
building and forgets that there is any
national debating match in progress.
But if any of the old men, who won
their spurs years ago and wear the
scars of many victorious oratorical
conflicts, are billed for a performance,
how the galleries fill and how the con-
greSsmen flock to their semi-circular
mahogany seats. They clap their hands
with delight quite like children, one
might say. Sentiment rises high. The
orator is spurred on and oh, my, how
he goes it.
Sometimes n new orator appears on
the scene. He has to fight like grim
death to get the attention of the
House. but when he once gets it and
is able to hold it, his reputation is
made. The only necessary thing for
him to do then is to make q second
successful speech. After that if he
falls down occasionally, the House
will forgive him. If he falls down the
second time, however. the House is
likely to judge his first effort some
thing of an accident. The great body
of representatives comprise an exact
ing jury. But when q new conner
measures up to the stern requirements
he is given Il tremendous ovation The
reward is well worth the striving.
This years political debating in the
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