Evening journal., 1912-03-07
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Gifted Senator's Feat iR
SpeeChmaking
By Holland.

Philetus Sawyer, the millionaire |
lumberman, of Wisconsin, who became
Senator from that State in 1881, and |
served two terms, also served ten
years in the House of Representatives |
In all that time Mr.. Sawyer never
spoke on the floor of either chamber;
his voice was never heard except 20
answer a roll call or possibly a ques-
tion asked him point blank During
his decade in the House he gained
reputation for tacitprnity that caused
him often TO be spoken of as the sill
ent Sawyer" and this reputation he
not once showed any inclination to
shatter during his twelve years in the
Senate n
1t was observed shortly after he had
| taken his seat in the Senate that Mr..
Sawyer was fond of strolling yer7to
! the Democratic side of the chamber,
| drawing up q chair beside Senator
John #. Morgan of Alabama, and en-
gaging him in conversation, which
sometimes would continue for an
hour or more. Senator Sawyer was per-
sonaily greatly liked by practically
the entire body of the Senate, but no
one appealed TO him personally as did
the brilliant Alabamian.
Senator Morgan, who entered the
| Senate in 1875 and served there con-
tinuously until his death, in 1907, was
regarded as the fluent speaker upon
either side OF the chamber II was
thought a little strange that Senator
Sawyer should have become so greatly
attached to one who was conspicuous
for his frequent and often long-drawn.
out 'oratory. Once, when Senator Saw
yer was asked why he gave such close
heed to the speeches Of Senator Nor
gan. he replied:
Because he never slips up on his
sentences and his voice sounds like a
running brook"
That remark was repeated to one of
the official stenographers Of the SEN
ate, who said:
"The next time Senator Morgan
speaks / am going to take especial
pains to see whether he makes any
slip of grammar or whether he hesi-
tates. or stumbles over the right
word"
A few weeks later Senator Morgan
began speech upon a diplomatic bill
Upon mis- desk We're "A few books and
some documents he had placed there
tor reference Aside from these aids he
/ had no notes He spoke steadily fol
hours; much of the time Senator Saw
yer sat near him. Not once did Sena-
tor Morgan hesitate So fluent was he
so free from any embarrassment q
I thought, that il seemed almost az
though he were speaking from
memory.
When the official stenographer tran
scribed his notes of the speech hl
could detect no slip of grammar o
misuse of words in il. When proofs o
the speech, as put in type by the pub
lie printer, were sent to Senator Nor
gan at his room in a Pennsylvania
avenue hotel, they came back withou
single correction upon them. Thl
speech as it appeared in The Congress
sional Record was exactly at it wa
delivered by Senator Morgan. Ever,
sentence was perfectly constructed
Not once had Mr.. Morgan showed tn
slightest tendency to employ involves
sentences, a common fault of the ma
{ iority Of public speakers of note. An
the speech when printed filled tei
pages OF The Congressional Record.
, The official stenographer at the frs
opportunity said to Senator. SAWYER
Senator, we have just recorded
I speech made by Senator Morgan abou
S forty thousand words in all, in whic
; there was not the slightest error
grammar. yet in reporting 1t we wer
compelled to drive our pens at prett
nearly the limit of our speed.
"Yes. that is what like about Sen'
tor Morgan's speeches. - Senator saw
3 yer replied.
Copyright. 1912. by T. j. Edward
/ All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell
, "a propouiffon That Didn't Intere.