Evening journal., 1914-10-09
New News Of Yesterday
How David B. Hill Pre-
pared His Speeches
BY Holland.

Upon the invitation Of David b.
Hill, then Senator from New York
at Washington, / called upon him one
evening in his modest apartment. /
found him busily occupied with what
/ presumed was the preparation OF a
speech. His sitting room, which with
the bedroom adjoining constituted MS
apartment, was that Of scholar or
student. Documents, books and all
the accessories of writing were in
abundance in the little room anG
there was scarcely space for visi-
tor. To the public Senator Hill was
not known as a student. His reputa-
ton was based upon his political ac-
tivity and by a great many people he
was judged to be only "A clever and
somewhat Machiavellian politician.
His friends, however, had good op-
portunity to know that he was not
only thorough student of the prin-
ciples and philosophy Of the science
of Jurisprudence, but also of the
political history of the United States,
using the word political net in its
partisan sense.
Il am going to make a speech in
the Senate in opposition TO that
clause of the tariff bill which pro-
vides for the imposition OF an income
tax without levying Il in accordance
with the census. as the Constitution
provides an income tG1 must be
levied" said Senator He'll.
"As a Democrat" l said. 81 should
think this attitude Of yours on the
| floor Of the Senate might be some
! what embarrassing
"Oh, the question is a national one
and not a partisan Cne, and yet
think that a protest against the i'm
| position of this tax would have more
effect if it came from n Democra
than from a Republican, since we arI
in the majority" said the Senator.
ventured to ask Senator Hill how
| he prepared his speeches. I remin-
1 ded him that when James ]. ingalls,
was United States Senator from
Kansas he was regarded as the
greatest master of English in that
body. I said that Senator ingalls,
had admitted that he never spoke al
any length until after careful pre-
paration, polishing his sentences, per-
! fecting his English and, having done
that, memorizing his speeches.
"Oh, / never could do that said
\ Senator Hill "I am after two things
when l am getting ready to make g
1 speech, especially one which is likely
to create opposition. First, want
to be thorough master Of my subject
want TO know the general princi.
pies and all the details of the ques-
tion. When l get a thorough mastery
of principles and the facts and hav,
laid down the line of argument to bC
made, my speech is prepared. never
bother myself about the diction.
believe that If a man thinks straight
he is pretty sure to speak under.
standingly. If he has been fairly
we'll educated he will know how tC
use the English tongue.
'In the second place, ] want t.
know, if possible, who is going to sup
/ port me and who is going to oppose
me. Now in this income tax speech
know / shall be fairly well sup.
ported by the Republican Senator'S
but l should like to know whether
any one on the Democratic side Of
the Senate will also come to my sup
port. I presume I cannot find oui
until I have delivered my speech"
A week or two later, Senator Hill
delivered his now historic speech tC
the Senate in opposition 10 the in.
come tax clause in the Wilson tariff
bill, And when the United States Su.
preme Court declared that this meas
ure was unconstitutional il practic.
ally adopted Senator Hills line OF
reasoning. If he were not supported
by any Democratic Senator he haC
the satisfaction at least Of knowing
that he was supported by the Su.
| preme Court"
Copyright. 1914. by z. J Edwards.
All rights reserved.l
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell OF
''An Experience Which was a Perfect
/ Cnpo