The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-02-16
DECLINE OF oRAToRY.


A Portland minister, says the
Itenaszer, in recent lecture, follows
the common theory and attributes
the decline of oratory to the news
papers. According to this theory,
the newspapers anticipate the orator,
who must address audiences already
so we'll informed by the press that
nothing .is left for the orator but to
follow a path already marked out.
This may be partially true, but the
real cause of what is called the de-
cline OF oratory lies deeper than this.
A radical change has been wrought
in the mental condition of the peo-
pie. Oratory, in the sense in which
the word is here used, addresses the
emotionsrather than the intellect.
Its province has been to move rath.
er than to convince men. But. the
emotions have run dry, so to speak.
Audiences no longer give themselves
willingly into the orators hands to
be, swayed by him. Peepie-have
learned that
They are dangerous guides, feelings, (
And the orator finds "a q mt rez
sistance opposed to i,i5
arouse emotional escitatlon.
notable campaign of 1914 can i
de repeated in this countrA Use
the public mind has outgroW the
state that made ''coon-skihs, hard
cider and log cabins" potent politi.
cal arguments, and 'Tippecanoe and
Tyler too" an enthusing battle cry.
Americans have come to be ashamed
of that campaign, for it is now rec
ognized to be, what it really was.
unreasoning and unreasonable.
1t is not, therefore, strictly accu-
rate to say that the old time power
of eloquence that swayed the listen
ing multitudes has passed away be-
cause the press has usurped the
orators place. It is no detriment,
but IN aid to the orator, for his au-
dience to be well informed on the
subject under discussion. The true
reason why he fails to move as he
used to do. and why he has been
compelled to abandon the ancient
fervor of appeal. il fo--l in the ciit-
ical mental attitude of those who
listen. People are now asking for
reasons and remedies. When the
glowing peroration is ended, and the
orator looks for the passion he ex-
pected to aronse, be is met by cool
gaze, which being interpreted means.
"Wha. are you going to do about
it ?''
But 1t is eminently true that the
press has been the instrument by
which has been brought about the
present critical mood It has over
thrown old notions, and brought
every question to be tried at the bar
Of the most ,nimpassioned common
sense. In the sense that it has in
duced this change in the intellectual
status of Inc people, the newspaper
has donesits share IN running oratory.
Yet if we give oratory its larger
and>better meaning, there has been
no decline that we should regret.
A great deal of that which passed
for eloquence was epheneral in effect,
sound and fury, slgnifying nothing.
The orator Of today is or a higher
plane. He has not lost, but gained
power, bacanse tho effects he pro-
duces are permanent. This power
depends, not on the easiIy moved
passions of an undiscipiined multi
tude, but on the effects " hich clear
statement and logical sequence OF
thought have on calm minds that
weigh the words uttered and re-
ceive them for what they are worth.
There is still room for the warmth
of earnestness and sincerity. but
after all, facts, and facta only, tell.
.hn thok thoro has