The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-08
HISTORY BUILDERS.
A Senator's Opinion of His Fellows
Oratorical Powers.
(written expressly for The Herald)
by DR., Il. J. EDWARDS.

| tApIcbSiy tca 49,
by DR., Il. J. EDWARDS.
! About a week before the retiremen
from the United States Senate OF william
w. Eaton. of Connecticut In the sprini
! OF 1881, / passed an hour or Two VIII
I him in reminiscent and kindly qhat re
lating to his experience with Senators o
distinction who were his colleagues II
the single term during which he served
The conversation drifted TO the subtec
| Of public speaking, and ] said to Senate
/ Eaton that / knew he greatly admired
Senator Roscoe Conklings brilliant gitt
! as an orator. The Senator said that III
! had once had a conversation OF consider
able length with Conkling at time wher
| the latter was in mood TO chat aoou
some OF his experiences In the Senate
/ think, from something the Senator
said, that he was disposed to regard witt
| high favor Senator Matt Carpenter OF
Wisconsin, as an orator
| Senator Eaton said to me that II was q
| little singular that several men VINO
gained great reputation, and deserved IL
as orators were educated at the Wes'
Point Military Academy. There Is. he
| said, mo classical education. as We I'M
derstand the term. at West Point; yet
some of the great students OF oratory
have insisted that no man Is SO per
-@a
orator possible II he have the other
qualifications unless he has learned the
classics and keeps up daily association
with them"
He spoke of Senator Carpenters beau
tiful voice and Of the peculiar melodious
quality which was in II that never de-
generated into sing song or monotony. lie
told me that Senator Carpenter was well
equipped physically for triumph as an
orator and that he always listened to
the Senator's speeches with admiration
because his diction was mastery.
He told me that he regarded Senator
Thurman as a more telling speaker. from
some points OF view. than he would have
been had he possessed oratOrical charm.
There was always the note Of sincerity
in Thurman's speeches. He was never
obscure His words reflected his clear
ness OF thinking. l don't think Senator
Eaton cared much about any Of the
orators upon the Republican side OF the
House mean by that men who had
gained regulations for brilliant oratorical
gifts
asked him il he read the classics.
and he told me that he rarely turned to
them excepting that he now and then
read some of the great English drama
lists and writers. He had never con-
tried TO obtain mastery over his voice
so that he could, by reason Of infection.
convey his meaning. lie told me that
he had discovered that il a speaker took
care Of his consonants. the novels would
take care of themselves.
He summed IL all up by saying that
II he had gained any success a "A speak
er II was chiefly due to one principle.
from which he never deviated Not at
any time had he spoken in violation of
his sincere convictions. Not one Of his
speeches reflected anything but sincerity
of purpose. and he declared very earnest
ly that he had long ago come to the
conclusion that the first qualification for
the oratory which is to convince s'that
It must represent and voice absolute sin
cerity Of thought
lCopyriEht, 1914. by Dr =. Edwards All rights
reserved