The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-10-14

NEW YORK, Sept. est is more than
twenty years-twenty-two, to be exact
since the business of lecturing grew to
such dimensions that an agency or bureau
for the convenience of lecturers and of the
| lyceums that wanted them became ne
cessity. James Redpath, the famous jour
nalist and agitator, saw the necessity and
established a bureau. Now there are
several such institutions that do business
estimated at million of dollars year.
1t is true that lecturing, as business,
was "played out" some ten years ago, ex-
cepting for a few of the greatest public
favorites Henry Ward Beecher, after he
became famous, could always command
$500 night, even when men OF less fame
could get no engagements whatever, be-
cause the public were tired of lectures
And what was true of him was true OF q
few others.
If it were not for the gradual and re-
markable revival of public interest in the
old fashioned lecture it would be hardly
worth while to recall the elder days, but it
is true that the business today is as flourish
ing as it was in its best days, with few i'm
portant differences. 1t is not as easy today
for men and women who have not achieved
some sort of fame beforehand to get a
hearing on the lecture platform, but for
those in whom the public is interested per-
sonally there is more money in lecturing
today than ever before.
The list of names in Redpath's first
circular is interesting reading, especially
in comparison with some of the equally
interesting lists of the present season.
Among the former were Professor Agassiz,
George William Curtis, Bayard Taylor,
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Frederick Doug
lass, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Charles Sum-
ner, Horace Greeley, Wendell Phillips, E.
H. Chaplin, Petroleum V. Nasty, Josh Bill
lings, Mark Twain, P. 7. Barnum, Anna
Dickinson, Olive Logan, Paul Du Chaillu,
Rev. G. H. Hepworth, George Francis
Train, Hannibal Hamlin, Robert Collyer,
Colonel Higginson, Rev. T. De Witt Tai
mage, Theodore Tilton and many Others.
Soon afterward John b. Cough and Henry
Ward Beecher were added to the list.
More than half of these, who were all at
the zenith of their fame only score of
years ago and who were easily in the first
rank, are now dead. Of the survivors,
some have lost their prestige, and only
three or four could now draw an audience.
Later lists contain the names of many
foreigners, among whom were Dean Stan
ley, Canon Kingsley, George Macdonald,
Wilkie Collins, Scott-Siddons, George Daw
son, Emily Faithful, Thomas Hughes, NJ.
p tom Brown, Henry Vincent, Edward
Jenkins (author of "Ginx's Baby'), Mat
thew Arnold, Canon Farrar and Justin
Mccarthy.
In the lists of the coming season, issued
by different bureaus, we find Sir Edwin
Arnold, George W. Cable, Will Carleton,
Paul Du Chaillu, Henry George, Joseph
Howard, Jr, George KEENAN,, Joaquin
Miller, Max O'Rell, Carl Schurz, Garrett
2. Serviss, F. Hopkinson Smith, 7. Dewitt
TaImage and his son Frank, Henry Waiter.
son, Robert j. Burdette, Hon. Will Cum
back, Kate Field, Robarts Harper, Mrs
Frank Leslie, Chaplain AcCabe, Professor
David Swing, Major Henry c. Dane, Cor
poral Tanner, Bishop Vincent, ex-senator
Ingalls, and others too numerous specify.
Many other prominent names are readily
recalled; none more readily than Henry NJ.
Stanley. Bob Ingersoll was another who
drew enormous audiences for several years.
Now he, like Daniel Dougherty, finds his
legal practice more congenial and more
profitable than lecturing.
1t has yet to be recorded that president
or monarch has taken to the lecture plat
form, but it is fact that lecturer is I'M
der engagement for forty nights in Amer
lea in the coming season who is said to
have more right to the throne of the car
of Russia than the car has. He is Prince
Peter Krapotkine, who is a descendant in
right line from the old feudatory princes
of the ancient royal house of Rurik.
His history is wonderful one, for after
graduating from the College of the Pages
of the Russian court, he chose scientific
pursuits and only entered court service on
compulsion. Though he was the chamber
lain of the empress, he joined the lnterna-
tional society, and being discovered passed
three years of Imprisonment in the cells of
the Fortress of st. Peter and st. Paul,
from which escape is said to be impossible,
lie was transferred to hospital after his
health had been broken, and there escaped.
The subjects on which he is to lecture
have not been announced, but it is not
hard TO imagine what they will be.
1t was under the management of Major
J. 2. Pond that Henry NJ Stanley deliv-
cred ZIG lectures in the United States last
winter The first of Stanley's lectures was
the most noteworthy event of the kind in
the lecture history The major had en-
gagged him outright for the season, buying
his time for a fixed sum and running his
chances of clearing money on the invest
ment.
Il sold him to the Summit Convalescent
hospital for 5000 for the first lecture" he
says, land it was delivered in the Metro
politan opera house. The gross receipts
of the house that night were Sl5, 704.50.
Il should say, however, that taking
everything into consideration the most
popular and interesting speaker who ever
lectured in this country is George KEENAN,.
His articles in The Century Magazine not
only reused interest in his subject, but in
spired the readers with strong desire tc
see the writer. Then his lectures them
selves increased his popularity wonder
fully. He speaks very simply, and yet
eloquently, and confines himself to a de-
scription of what he actually saw in Rus
sia."
Major Ponds theory about lecturing IS |
a very simple one. Any one can speak /
after fashion," ne says, "and after few |
attempts occurring comes quite easily 10 |
almost anybody. Stanley had quite eXcep- /
tional difficulty at first in public speaking, |
but now he is one of the best lecturers in /
the world. u hat Is necessary is for the 1
lecturer TO have something TO tell which 1
the people want TO hear, or for him to be 4
somebody whom the people are anxious TO /
see. The latter qualification is the best, |
Ii could get Gladstone or Lord Tennyson /
TO come 10 America, | would not care a /
penny what either one would talk about. l
Ii would satisfy the public just 10 see /
them"
The pecuniary returns 10 the lecturer 4
vary widely, of course. The cross roads
speaker, who Is happy TO clear five dollars 4