The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1909-03-26
JACK HARRIS LETTER.
Washington, March 22nd.

somewhere Shakespeare has
spoken OF "the voice of all the
GODS" which makes heaven
drowsy with the harmony" By
no possible stretch of the imagin-
alton could this have had refer
ence to the individual voices or
collective voice of congress. In
concerted action it is no more
conducive to droWsiness than a
passing freight train. Individu-
ally II covers the entire gamut of
human expression. 1t roars, thun-
! ders, bowls, walls, sobs, murmurs,
cackles and peeps: Every states
man has an individuality in word
of mouth which fits in nowhere
and harmonizes with nothing. The
House in eruption, as it generally
is, is simply an indiscriminate and
abstract roar, unmeaning and dis
tracing. Occasionally some shrill
note can be heard above the boiler
shop reverberations, and at very
rare intervals somebody is per-
mitted to deliver an entire speech
in comparative silence. By this
latter is meant such a degree of
disorder as would elsewhere be
accounted somewhat subdued
roar.
The House is never in order. The
speaker frequently asserts .vehe-
mently that it will be, but that is
weather bureau bareback. The
promise is evidently made with
out authority, and is never kept.
nquestionably it is the most dis
orderly body in existence which
makes pretense of parliamentary
government. To the onlooker it
is an amazing thing that any in
telligent result can possibly come
from such a bowling mob. A
black Friday or blue Monday or
any other colored day on the
stock exchange is Quaker
prayer meeting compared to it.
And yet, it does things. In such
babel of sound there is no more
opportunity to acquire individu-
atty of vocal expression than in
storm at sea. Oratory cannot
be fostered or developed there.
Success in making one self heard
consists solely in superior ability
to emit vociferous and discordant
yells. There are orators there, but
their regulations were acquired
and must be perpetuated in other
fields.
In the senate it is different.
Very much SO, indeed. Often too
much SO. AS compared with the
rampant House the senate is as
quiet and serene as a hole in
space. 1t is composed and digni-
fled, and usually makes a pretense
of listening when some senator is
addressing the chair. Sometime
the quantity and quality of his re-
marks leaves him with scarcely
anybody except the chair to adj
dress, but he has order, quiet and
all the time which he may care to
consume. When he concludes the
brethren wander back in from the
coatrooms and resume their seats
as if nothing had happened. Very
often this is all that has hap
pened. But a few in the galleries
have listened, and the orator
knows that he will appear, suit
ably self-revised, in the Record
tn next orning.
Members of either house are
careful to revise any and all re-
marks made by them in impromp-
tn debate. Even a written speech |
is often carefully gone over. |
believe Senator Daniel of Virginia |
is the only senator has taken part |
in a debate one can usually see |
him sauntering carelessly toward |
the rooms of the official reporters
as soon as they have had time to
transcribe their notes, where he
carefully examines their version
of what he said and often practi-
cally re-writes it. Anything point
eddy said which has impressed
itself clearly on the minds of his
hearers of course cannot be eradi-
Gated, but it may be toned down
by adroit revision and possibly be
made to admit of a different in
depreciation.
Senator Eugene Hale of Maine
never makes a speech, and his re-
marks are so deliberate and care
fully considered that nothing can
add to or take from their force
by revision. Whoever may be the
leader of the senate, Mr.. Hale is |
it's unquestioned and absolute di- |
rector. | might have said that he |
was the leader of the senate, but |
that implies rather less authority. |
1t might be written dictator and
not be far wrong, but that is too
harsh a word, however applicable.
Aldrich may in a sense
lay out the general course of the
senate, Hale governs it. In rela-
ton to it he holds the undisputed
position of monitor and general
superintendent. 1t is very rarely
that it gets away from him. With
the small details of the days work
bows can have ali the fun they
IN II III /
begins to look as if they were
getting so far away that they
would not get home at night Mr..
Hale dri Is in an / surveys the out
lit for a few oppressive moments.
Then he rises in MS seat near
the central aisle and not far from
the mid lie of the republican side,
and in a modest voice submits a
few brief remarks. With chin
drawn in and head inclined for
ward he begins almost inaudioly,
but soon such a great calm falls
On the multitude chat every sy.la-
de falls on the attentive ear as
,learIy as a ri L. shot. There is no
more oratory about it than in the
sentence of a Judge in a capital
rhine. Nothing under heaven
could be more evenly and Jelly
Every word falls
On political friend and foe like an
edict of the Holy See which car
-ies the indisputable authority OF
truth. In a mono
ogue of possibly three minutes
he straight and narrow way IS
out, after which the BUSH
ness of the senate starts off on
another tack.
Senator Hale's mace, mascot and
emblem of authority is his in
avitable and invariable eyeglasses.