Imperial Valley press., 1913-09-20

as the man who had saved Secretary
of State Bryan at the critical moment
It was when the Republican senators
instituted resolutions of condemnation
for leaving his post to speak at Cha
tauquas for money. All the Demo-
cratic. senators turned to Lewis. He
had no warning Of Roots speech or
notice that he was to reply, but he
was the Lewis other senator's knew
and in him was confidence The Illi-
nois senator was asked to take the
floor and answer Root of New York.
He arose and got recognition of the
chair. Senator Lewis took Senator
Roots argument just where he had
left off, and in detail entered upon the
answer to Roots argument. Then
came the exhibition of the great
power Lewis was known to have. 1t
was the quality of which his admirers
in the west, particularly in Illinois
knew was in him-the extempore ora
tor, equipped in history and literature,
one prepared in craftsmanship and
fortified with the reason CT govern
ment. He analyzed Roots constitu-
tional argument, and as he crushed
it he capped his arraignment by quot-
ing Root against himself, in one of
the New York senator's previous
speeches, and forced tie senator tc
&C oI'.ndge his lnr conflict Of views.
Then Senator Lewis took up what he
termed was un-American and un-
Democratic position of Senator Root
in condemning the Democracy for
granting exemptions to the poor. In
satire and sarcasm Senator Lewis
withered Senator Root as he destroyed
his argument. Senator Root was Wis
IDLY affested. He sunk nhis chair,
flushed and wrew nervous. Soon he ap-
parently became Indignant. He felt
his humiliation and his side was con
scious that it was vanquished. The
old senators, such as Lodge of Mass
achussetts, Gallinger of New Hamp-
shire and Penrose Of Pennsylvania all
were conscious that their greatest
champion had been vanquished. AS
Senator Tillman Of South Carolina
said, ''the king has been uncrowned.'
! Senator Kenyon, the Republican sena-
tor from Iowa said openly that Lewis
speech was the greatest he had ever
heard in the senate in twenty years,
while Senator LaFollette freely ex-
pressed his opinion, saying, "this des-
! troys Root. He is finished, and from
this time on no senator in this cham
Der will ever challenge Lewis to de-
bate"
| Senator James of Kentucky con-
Quoted a rough and tumble debate
with Senator Bristow of Kansas
James "chewed up Bristow, but it
was the kind Of a performance one
sees on the stump at county fair.
Senator Penrose of Pennsylvania and
Senator MARITIME of New Jersey had
an alteration for hours in exciting
personalities, but this was perform
ance not unlike fight in a justice
court. Senator Reed of Missouri and
t Senator Norris of Nebraska got into
conflict on the agricultural schedule,
and clashed with great noise, but this
had to be squelched by the chair, the
debaters being called to order. 1t was
left to the performance of Lewis Of
Illinois, the Empire state of the west,
and Root, the senator from the empire
state of New York to bring the de-
bate to the high level of oratory and
to the point Of senatorial sublimity
that it had not reached since the days
of Douglas of Illinois and Cass of
Michigan, Ingalls, and Blackburn, and
Dolliver and Bailey Of later years.
Illinois has re-established herself
as first in the United States senate.