The Omaha Sunday Bee
PART THREE
EDITORIAL
PAGES ONE TO TWELVE
PART TiniEE
SOCIETY
PAGES ONE TO TWELVE
VOL. XLEENO. 15:
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 28, 1913.
SINGLE COPY FIVE GENTS.
Omaha Men Who Have Won Distinction as Orators
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YEN aa Qrooco boasts Demosthenes,
who porfoctod bis speech for bis
cbosoa Mold of oratory by h'arangu
to tho mad waves with hlB mputhful
ot gravel, so can Omaha boast of men
who developed oratorical abilities
Jiere in one manner, and another.
Even a Hanover county, Virginia, can boast of
cradling the ambitions of Patrick Henry as thin
luy boy dropped his fish pel on the bunks of the
Pamuakey rlvar long .eeougb te deliver, aa oration
te the audience ot gasping plekerel sad BUnfiah he
had arranged on the bask efeehi. so Omaha t
eB boastof fosterlag the aMtew'1'of afloz'en
Mfca who have become sacre or-lee,;Sa-ewa icr
tilr ready -'tdagua 'rbHR klag.
' Truo'these were not all crjadjed. in Omaha.
True, "a few of1 them may have delivered orations
kb boys to droves o sheep in their father's pen
back in the east before coming to Nebraska,, but it
was the real life and activities ot Omaha that
brought these abilities to maturity;
"Whoro ihyth Made a Start .
Wnn nnt n. t 3mvfh nnitcli r-Anrilntr law on ihn
sly back In 1381 in tho Union Pacific office In
Omaha? To be sure, he was born In New York
-3ity, but he had to come west to give his ambi
tions a chance to swell. So he got a Job aa a clerk
at Union Pacific headquarters' in .Omaha. There
he worked at a high desk all day; Ifiehurrled
through his. work it did no good, for someone was
always at hand to shove more work-upon him. Bo
C, J, solved the problem, Herput ledger before
him on the high desk. That made'it lodk like he
was working on the ledger. Then hV pulled out a
drawer farther down, in that drawer lay a law
book wide open. Just as. beys ,1a, ; the country
gckeolf) sat up a geographyMij1fcelr desk and thea
read "Diamond Dick" beMdHS. covers, so O. J.
Smyth, read law behind his ledger at the Union
Pacific. These' stolen moments were the start that
finally brought the young man to tha bar in
Omaha. Boon his abilities as a speaker attracted
attention. His speech of several hours in the
Ualted States circuit court in Omaha in defense ot
Agnes Frizzeirof Little Hock, Ark.; attracted at
tcntioa and was looked upon by many who hoard
It as a masterpiece. In 1890 Mr. Smyth went to
the democratic convention at Chicago-as a member
of the contesting delegation! ot which John A.
Greighton and William J. Bryan were also mem
hers. Mr. Smyth there made a brilliant speech
placing W, J. Bryan in nomination for the presi
dency for his famous froe silver campaign.
Through the ups and downB of the great commoner
Bmyth has stuck by him, and -has this year been
Rewarded by receiving the appointment as special
assistant to the attorney general, where It is his
business to run down illegal combinations in big
business throughout tho west.
Judge Estelle Some Chautalker
Judge Lee Estelle, now of the district bench In
Douglas county, has long' been known for his ora
torical abilities. Not only Omaha peoplo, but
many throughout the state, have known of. bis '
powenjtor years through hearing him at chautau
quasand at Memorial day exercises. Being a
veteran ot the civil war, he has long been In de
mand for addresses over the graves of the soldiers
at various cemeteries throughout tho state, and
many are thoso who can quote from the fine senti
ments expressed by-him-on such occasions. Years
ago he was an asBlstaut secretary of the Nebraska
senate. There he. acted as reading clerk. That
was back In the early '70a. Reading all the bills,
with their endless verbiage, was no .small task,
Heading thorn aloud, and so that, all in the senate
could hear them, was also no nmall task, Here ho
discovered that he had some powers ot voice. endur
ance at least. Throughout his law practice, his
county attorneyship, and later his judgeship, his
oratorical powers haye been developed until they
rank among the first in the city and atate.
Jfcfferls the Official Booster
A. W. Jefferls has become the official booster
orator for the Omaha trade excursions whenever
these plunge out into the state to tell the good peo
ple what good people Omahana are. Mr. Jefferls
can do -It, too, and he means what he says, For
a number of years he has been one of the star ora
tors on whom the delegation depended at the re
publican state conventions. When the Ak-Sar-Bon
'wants a good man to cIobo the season's circus at
the Den, Jefferls has been known to deliver the
closing oration In a way that made visitors and
Omahans alike, sad at the thought that the season
of tomfoolery was drawing to a close. When in
honor of the first second-term' boom launched for
Taft the. president sent a flag, to the little bunch
of Taft boosters in. Omaha in 1911, Jefferls made a
great speech at the hoisting of that flag, It was
there when the flag was hoisted on Oreevy's lawn
September 9, 1911, that A. W, Jefferls made one
of the great tariff speeches upholding the presi
dent, his policies and the republican administra
tion. He is president of the Pennsylvania society
In Omaha, and there is always looked to for some
thing good.
Gurley Has Won Many Triumphs
William F.,aurloy of Omaha went to Galena,
111., a few years ago as the star orator on the oc
casion of a celebration there at the birthplace of
General Grant, Gurleya abilities as an orator had
been thoroughly recognized in Omaha and thus
gained also some national prominence. in 1909,
when aN centennial. celebration In honor of the
hundredth anniversary of tho birth of Abraham
Lincoln was held at the,1 Auditorium in Omaha,
Mr. Gurley delivered the "principal address. In
1911 he made one ot the principal addresses bo
fore the American Bar association at Boston. Re
turning from there, one morning he found the Taft
flag, being formally hoisted, and found also that
J. li. Kennedy, who was scheduled for an address,
could not be, present. Ho strolled out and was
pressed Into service to take Kennedy's place. The
ever-ready Gurley there delivered a masterly eulogy
of the flag; going Into Its history and closing with
an Imposing flourish in the way ot, swearing allegi
ance .again to the Stars and Stripes.
Jack Ryder a Natural Talker
J. J. Ryder, at present police commissioner of
Omaha, has won spurs for bis oratorical power.
Before coming to Omaha he .was In the Minnesota
legislature as reading' clerk. There he bad a
chance to develop his Voice, -also perhaps' a chanco
to 'polish off whatever stage fright1 be might have
had. Jack alwayB had. nerve, anyway. So it was
no great matter for him to get up and say what he
thought at any time. That faculty; together with
come ideas and tho voico ho developed In Mlnne
spta, soon brought him to the attention of Omaha
people. He was state-labor commlssloner-ln Ne
braska under .Governor, Sheldon, and as such
gained some further, public "notice.. He his. boon
the star orator for .the Silks, and Eagles of Omaha
at the various local, . state and . national copVen-'
tlons. Elected aa' police commissioner in Omaha,
bo soon' gained a reputation aa a fearless speaker
on civic affairs,' and has slice that time been, In
demand as a speaker on all questions of great im
portance In city affairs. He has twice been elected
president 'of the League ot American-Municipalities. '
Out at Prairie Park addition,, where ho lives, he Is
each year selected to . deliver 'the oration at the
'Fourth of July celebration hold' there each year.
Wattles Full of Concrete Facta
O. W, -Wattles, president of the Omaha & Coui
, cll-BJuffs Street Railway company, Is one -of the
men of-Omaha who have won some .recognition, as
public speakers. A master mind in financial af
fairs,, ho. does not waste time . striving for fine
phrasing. "Llko Mark Antony" of oId,ho"only
talks right on," but he saye something . every
minute. It Is facts and "figures that emanate from
his Hps. Ho knows whereof he -speaks and ho
speaks of It A member of the legislature In days
post, his voice was heard and heeded. Back,- In
1898 he was president ot the Transmlsslssippi and
International exposition, the great world's fair
that put Omaha back on. the map. In that capacity
he had to do1 more s6und, hard calculating than
.orating, but always -he filled the bill, A numbar
of years agp,.when a banquet, was given in Omaha
f l. 1 i , i f . r in . a .
iu uuuor oi mq mvo rreeiueni Mctviniey, far. wat
tles.' made a notable speech eulogizing' tho martyred
president add. giving vivid reminiscences drawn
from "his personal acquaintance with - President
McKlnley.
Senator Norrls Brown is one of the men whoso
voice at public gatherings has often pleased; In'
the United States tfenato his volco has commanded
attention on many public questions on' which he has
with honor and dignity upheld the republican. poli
cies, Aa county attorney of Buffalo county years'
Ago he began to attract attention as a.young lawyer
of promise and a speaker .of no moan- ability. Soon
he leaped into the seat ot attorney general of tho
state of Nebraska and in a short time he found
himself in the Unltod States senate, where ho
serfed with distinction. Ousted from 'tho'. United
States seriate. by the vicissitudes -Qf.,ppliips,.ho-!a
again back-in his law. office, and his vplco'lS again
lifted, to Jurlos in defense of clients.
Obwell ls Thoughtful and Polished
Robert Cow'ell, a man, who never .aspired' to
salaried publlo offices, and'.who. has. been .content
to .work on as a member ot the1 firm' of Thomas, KU
patrick & Co., has recognized abilities in the lino of
pubilo speaking. Finished, forceful and dignified, hl.fr
public, address always commands attontlon. Keon
in financial matters,' his word Is golden ln gather
. lngs where financial matters are considered. Active
in politics for years, ho has sought no office for
salary's sake. Elected to the office of. railway
commissioner a number of yoars ago, as a member
of the first commission! ho resigned as soon as ho
found that the job was to take all 'his time for
which he was to receive a. good salary.. He pre
ferred to remain at his post in Omaha 'and let some
ono else take the salaried job and 'move to Lincoln.
Chairmen of the republican county and city cpra
mlttees back in 1903 and 1904, his volco guided
tho local republicans in the campaign for the elec
tion of Roosevejt utter that president had finished
the unexpired term of the martyred McKlnley.
Years ago Mr. Cowell wore a flourishing mustache.
Whether he shaved It In orfler to give his upper lip
better play in his oratorical efforts bo refuses to
say. At any rate, the mustache is gono and he Is
RtlU speaking whenever occasion calls tilnv When
it became, the sad duty of the Omaha people to
i organize relief work here to care for those who had
, suffered from, the Eaater .tornado, Robert Cowell's
financial plan was the one that was followed. He
was one of the first -to suggest a real constructive
plan of operation In- the coaunltte meetings, and
haicm ft r4ity.t!Wair fr kts .ptaa
- ---- - - .
In ti fiW of ,N6rfK" rmiblIenhuB, Md also
oi national rsubllcM&n. la the hat! of eensrefci
his vok -waa hrd, for; he wa'a br taere.
..He.eajnyea'pfrsoal acquaintance, with w. H.
Taft as secretary, war, jwtora. that Way gentle
man even had, a dream la-regard to the presiden
tial, chair. Aa a member pt the' Nebraska repub
lican committee Mr. Kennedy's voice has been
heard in. Nebraska politics, or yean. As chairman
of the repubiifcaa state committee, 1811 to 1912,
he was an ardent supporter ot Taffc and allowed his
roica td be lrd Jn his behalf. , Being a polished
talker, he Is .much, ipught. after, as a pkr for
special occasions. Uvea tie woman iurfrajw peo
ple have take adaatace -ef hU( pretie a a
speaker and gotiai U deliver aa 'adirwM to their
state convention la Omaha last winter, lie' Made
the introductory, tulk at, tha 5Cthrwt .tni
church iatredcin for mar Vke Jml4ftat Fair
banks, waw he Bpok'tars a few weeks as.
Setahrouk'a FaQaro Wtm. Jfim F.
vHe-nry .D. ,Ktabr&ok, frarly , o Omha, bow
-praottclsg lawia New Yark Olt'y, gave KmaiM ot
6ratorlcal .powera- from, Mia teyaWd. Nor did he
go acteoaVat.promlM,. A a yoaag maa evea
In high school ,06 had aa unusual vocabulary. He
held a. place on the Omaha High sehoel debating
team that went 'to Council Bluffs and trimmed up
the young giants over there. In- those days Esta
brook carrred,c?nstBntly la hie pocket a book ot
synonyms an.d hntonyms, and he cgnstastly referred
to it In order to enrlcb.hls vocabulary. Soon after
he-engaged Jn 'the 'practice of Jaw, in Omaha, with
Barl B. Coo as. law. partner,' he -was invited to de
liver -a ourtn or July oration at Blair, Neb.
wrote, his, sneqeh (ho night' beforo the Fourth
mil- mam t . i. - -
ni muB oince, in omaha. To feed himself an in
t splration ho' borrpwod .the lost money in the cash
, drawer of , tho firm that night and; got a bottle of
champagne to stimulate" tho 'activity ot his brain.
Ho wrote on Abraham Lincoln. .. His partner read
the speech over and pronofincfed It a maBterpieco
Estabrook agreed. , The: net 'day he delivered it
at Blair.. Tho Blalrltea did'nbt agree with the two
, young lawyers as to ,the masterliness of the ad
dress and gave him .little applause. He came home
. sick at heart Still he made other addresses and
was well received. Twenty years later he was
invited to-deller an-ad'dresa-before the Marquette
club in Chicago. Ife cocked a doubtful eye at his
old Blair speech and pondered' it' he. dared tacklo
It agdin. flurtly if Blair , did not think it good,
Chicago would egg,.hlm out of -town. But ha
nerved hlmsolt and "set manfully to work to learn
the thing,by heart agatn. The day' after the epeech
was dollyered at Ohlctfgo the papers of .the country
carried long extracts from hla spoeoh and pro
nounced it a masterpiece. Ho and his champagne
bottle were vindicated.
In 1900, during the McKInjey campaign, Esta
brook delivered some political speeches at Chicago.
Hiaspeeches were. the -.mwvel of tho audiences and
of tho politicians on 'account of -the great wealth ot
statistics he poured out from memory. He left
Omaha, some years ago and removed to New York
city, wljare he became general attorney for tho
Western Union Telegraph, company. Later he an
Kaged In' general-praotlcoMn New York,' and daring
hi-residence in New York has made pom aptable
(Continued on Pag Elerea.)
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