Washington telegraph., 1911-07-14
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Great Politician Who Was Afraid
of LinGoIn's Stories.
Stephen A. Douglas Admitted During
the Famous Debate That He
Dreaded TO Hear His Oppo-
nent Begin an Anecdote.
BY E. j. EDWARDS.

by E. j. EpWAnbos
One of the commission that was
sent to Hawaii in 1898 by President
Mckinley to establish a government
for those islands when they were an
nexed to the United States was the
late, Robert R. Hit of Illinois, an in
fuential member of the lower house
of congress from 1881 until year
before his death in 1906.
A few days before Mr.. Hit started
for Hawaii | had an opportunity to
renew my acquaintance with him,
which had begun when he was assis-
tant secretary of state in 1881 under
James G. Blaine. In the course OF
our conversation Mr.. Hit took small
memorandum book from vest pocket
and made one or two entries in short
hand.
81 reported the Lincoln-Douglas de-
bates in shorthand" he explained,
land ever since have used that mode
of writing. It has been of great value
to me. l used it constantly when
was in the state department, and l
expect to make much use of it while
in Hawaii"
"Your ability to write in shorthand
must have been put to severe test
at the time you reported the Lincoln
Douglas debates" said.
mo, it was not very difficult work
The chief thing I had to contend
against was the noise of the CROWDS;
many of the meetings were held in
the open air, and there was con-
tinual noise all about, as is liable to
DE the case in open air gatherings.
Both Mr.. Lincoln and Mr.. Douglas
were easy speakers for a competent
shorthand writer to report. Lincoln,
I think, was a little the easier, for
he spoke less rapidly than did Mr..
Douglas, Both of them enunciated
clearly enough.
81 have been told" continued Mr..
Hit, "that owe it to history to write
my ersonalrecollections of that great
debate, especially as l am probably
the only person now living who was
present at all of the debates. But
was so occupied in taking my short
hand notes that did not have good
opportunity to observe the speakers
or to take much heed of the crowds
do remember, however, one incl
dent which at the time struck me as
very interesting, and of which l have
frequently thought. There have been
occasional reports of Senator Doug
las estimate of the effect of Lincoln
| speeches upon the crowds that heard
them, but so far as l know there is
no report telling of the effect of the
debates upon Mr. Douglas himself
Yet l know from his own lips what
that effect was.
81 think it was after the fifth de
bate-there we're seven in all-whe1
some one asked Mr.. Douglas in my
presence how Lincoln's speeches al
fected him., and whether at any time
he thought that he had been over
matched by his opponent or not.
''Mr Douglas answered that there
had not been moment when he had
been afraid of Lincoln as debater
All through he had been conhden'
Of his ability to hold his own in the
give and take of debate and in the
presentation Of arguments. he hesi
tated for a moment, thinking appa
rently, and then continued:
T. of course, have perceived tha'
Mr.. Lincoln is very strong with the
crowd, but | have felt that have
held my own with the crowd as wei
as he has. There is one thing, how
ever, of which | stand constantly IN
dread When Lincoln begins to tel
a story begin to get apprehensive
Every one of his stories seems hike
a whack upon my back-that Is ex
actly the effect that the allegories and
anecdotes, of which he is master ,haVe
upon me. Nothing else-not any yoi
his arguments or any of his replles
to my questions-disturbs me. But
when he begins to tell a story, feel
that / am to be overmatched.
copyright .s-t- L. =. I Five