Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-07-27
Mashinoinn Stanaara
PREPARING A SPEECH,
Points From One Whom Success Has Quail
fed to Give Advice.

Points From One Whom Success Has Quail
fed to Give Advice.
Few men make speeches without
carefully preparing them beforehand.
1t is rather amusing that so many
speakers try to produce the impression
that they speak without having made
ready. Sometimes it is by beginning
with the conventional statement that
the call upon them is unexpected or
that they have been absorbed with
other demands upon their time. Some
times in the opening or close. which
has been SO carefully fixed in the men,
DRY that the speaker is secure of it. he
injects 4 word or reference caught
from the pending occasion. thus giving
the impression that the whole thing is
a present inspiration. Then, too. not
to put too fine point on the matter.
there are some who on this subject do,
with the most unconscionable abandon
ment. verify the Scripture. that all men
are liars. l remember q most distin-
guished man telling me that long
speech Of his at public meeting was
extemporaneous, when l had read it
the evening before set up in cold type
for the forthcoming morning paper.
Some of the best stump speakers very
wisely repeat the same speech almost
in totidem verbs as they 60 from place
to place. as you will learn when you
20 with them. Some Cf these frankly
acknowledge this method; others will
so emphstically assure you that they
never speak twice alike that you arc
bound to credit them with an honest
delusion. You rarely listen to an after
dinner speech. however glibly it rolls
that has not been wrought ad unguem.
should say. therefore. do not hest
tate to make the most thorough prepa-
ration, or to let it be known, if need
be. that you do so. It IL . good thing.
too. to mix in something Of humor,
never coarse. but of a fine sort. giving
flavor as mite of red pepper flavors ii
salad. Helpful also is touch of
pathos or sentiment. of which in Il
reasonable degree, do not be afraid.
Without humor or sentiment no speech
goes very close to the heart of an aud
fence. have often found that some
little incident, scene, "reminiscences OF
bit of landscape has given a source
from which to derive a speech. Sitting
down to write it the theme expands.
not forward. but in a circle. Some
leading thought controls, and around
that argument. illustration. application
group themselves The very process
Of writing, especially a second copy
ing. will develop new trains Of thought
and illustration or reference. A word
as you write it becomes suggestion.
and your pen creates almost as if il
were independent of your mind. A
vocabulary is. of course, q vital re-
source for speaker. though some
seem to have been born to full one.
The great aid to this is reading and
also committing good authors. disci-
pline doubly valuable because it fur
nishes stock of facts and q stock Of
words.
think the great thing in q speech
is earnestness Of purpose and especial
~ of delivery. would not advise the
slightest attention to gesticulation, fol
that will take care of itself with an
earnest speaker. and some of the most
earnest and effective seem to dispense
with it altogether. The manner il
every thing in public speaking. YOU
may hear two speakers. one stirring
you to the depths. the other drowned
in your own yawning. and yet had you
read them in your evening newspaper
they would have been equally good, OIL
equally commonplace.
A good speech consists of q sound
wholesome array Of facts. thought. Of
argument, relieved in the treatment
by u picture. q touch Of humor, or .
play Of fancy or sentiment. not afrait
OF the establishment of reasonable
fringe of rhetorical flourish, clearly
enunciated in the speaking. and deliv
cred with AL the force, feeling. earn
estness and appeal that you would pu
into struggle for your life. D
Long. in Writer.