Evening journal., 1914-06-24
New News Of Yesterday
Senator Ingalls, and His
ExtempOre Speeches
b. Holland.

When John J. ingalls, was a mem
Der Of the United States Senate, rep
resenting In part Kansas IN ;hat body.
as he did for eighteen years. he was
sure OF gallery filled audience when
II was announced that he was going to
speak. No one ever regretted hav-
ing gone to the gallery to hear Sen
ator ingalls,. His voice and his man
ner OF speaking, particularly the mar
Velous distinctness of his enunciation,
seemed to be in full sympathy with
and perfectly characteristic OF his
physical organization. No man in the
Senate Of his day stood more erect
than did Senator Ingalls, His atti-
tude was that Of a man who had been
trained at West Point and his bear
Ing was thought to be more soldierly
than that of some of the graduates Of
West Point who in his day were
members of the Senate.
He possessed a voice OF singular
penetrating powers not exactly harsh
for he had mastered the art of thor
oughly modulating his tones-and yet
resonant. II was a barytone voice,
not a rich, deep instrument like the
organ voice of Senator Conkling or a
peculiarly sweet and liquid voice like
that OF Senator Matt Carpenter. whom
as an orator Senator ingalls, greatly
admired.
Senator ingalls, was often spoken
of as possessed OF the best of taste
in the selection OF his garments and
especially of the manner in which he
clothed his neck. He always wore a
frock coat, usually closely buttoned.
and yet he did not seem to be dressed
for especial ceremony nor at any
time was he overdressed. He was
punctilious about the polish OF his
shoes. There was some quality asso-
ciated with his Senate addresses
which seemed to suggest intellectual
I refinement, as his customary garb al
ways suggested refinement Of person.
The Senator's manner of speaking
was that of man who trusted TO the
! impulses of the moment. He was
sometimes regarded as the best ex-
tempore speaker in the Senate prob
ably because he had wonderful skill
in making IL appear that his address
dresses we're thoroughly prepared.
I met the Senator on the train be-
tween st. Louis and Kansas City In
the summer Of 1882. He was then on
his way home for a summer vacation
l spoke TO him rather venturesomely
OF the common impression that he al
ways spoke extemporaneously or on
the spur ON the moment.
That is an erroneous impression,
he replied Il never speak unless
know my subject we'll The man who
speaks extemporaneously or i'm
promptu will make a dismal failur,
unless his mind is saturated with hi
subject. A well-trained mind car
formulate into orderly arrangement
the general outline of a speech, ant
II a man have any faculty Of dictiol
he can easily and appropriately ex
press the thought
II have taken heed Of some dis
tressing attempts at extemporaneou
speaking upon subjects of which IN
speaker had little or no knowledge.
would no more think or speaking {
the Senate upon any question Q
which ! had no knowledge than
would Of attempting TO fly from M
seat in the Senate TO the press gal
lery. presume that there is NJ
member of the Senate who speak
with more careful preparation thai
that which lies behind all of my ad
dresses. But the man who knows hi
subject can speak If he be master o
himself at any moment even thoug
he becalled upon suddenly. That ha
occurred to me several times. ar
profoundly persuaded of the fact tina
all species of knowledge may
sooner or later, Of avail to a Unite
States Senator"
Copyright, 1914. by f. ]. Edwardl
: All rights reserved)