Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-16
THE GOSSIP OF POLITICS.
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If our political managers were better
Judges of human nature, OF ut least were not
hidebound by political traditions, they
would get up their political paoulum in
some more attractive form than the conven-
tional campaign document. If, for instance,
some short, crisp stories or sketches, Illus
trated by competent artists, carrying the
ideas deemed desirable for circulation, were
substit ,ted for the dry, wordy, prolix litera-
ture with which the country is flooded, the
effect would be more salutary and lasting.
The first consideration in campaign oratory
is to get people to come and listen. The
primary consideration in all campaign liter
ature should be the best form in which to
secure readers among the class it is de-
signed to influence. Campaign documents
are not written for the Depews, Cockrans,
McKinleys, Carlisles and other well-informed
men in and out of politics. They are pre-
pared for just the opposite class of citizens
for people who are not well informed,
who arc weak willed, prejudiced,
changeable, shall minded-people who
can be played upon, who are
vacillating, undecided. Common sense
would seem to dictate that fool should be
dealt with, approached, according to his
folly; that an ignorant or shallow man Is
not to be moved by close reasoning and
learned dissertations on abstract theories.
should therefore get my political lessons
in such form that the class of people 1
wanted to reach would take them home and
read them; so their children would read
them, and thus get early impressions In
stead of hiring old political hacks to pre-
pare the campaign document the best liter
ary talent would be employed, to the end
that the matter to be presented be put in
kh< At
speech should be wholly abandoned, or 1t
least made secondary and subsidiary.
speech may be forcible and effective coming
from the lips of the orator, but in printed
form it is devoid of life and influence. The
crudest dime novelette, will be read by 100
persons where q printed speech would be
read by one. And the people who read the
former are the people it is desirable to
reach, not the person who has the moral
fortitude to read the speech and the mental
capacity to understand it.
The Most Popular Democratic Orator.
The Democratic speaker most in demand
is the Irish-American orator, W. Bourke
Cochran. The National Committee is be-
sieged with letters begging for Bourke.
Over 500 applications for him have been
made in a single week. Delegations have
come here from distant States to back the
requests made by mail. 1t is hard to send
them away disappointed. Out in Wisconsin
the Democratic leaders offered special car
from New York and return for Cochran and
his physician and such other attendance as
he might suggest. Others promised to pack
the largest theaters at 81 head, the pro-
ceeds to go'to the campaign funds. Owing
to the early break down of Cockran's throat
his campaign service has been considerably
curtailed.
The Badge Man in His Glory.
The badge man is out in all his spangled
glory. He is an old campaigner. His fami-
liar figure and his more familiar array of
gllttering and gaudy badges may now be
seen on every prominent corner. Meeting
a dealer, inquired how the trade was COM
ing on-whether the business was as good
as in former campaigns.
Badges ave been way down." said he,
with a pronounced cockney accent on his
'h." "The bloomin' bizness is no good this
year. Hi sold more truck ct Chicago in one
day Convention time than hi ave ere in a
week! Seems like men 'aven't got no sperlt
in 'em yet"
Beginning to feel an interest in the badge
trade I stopped tough-looking, sore.eyed
man on q Twenty-third street corner, with
badges all over him and a big card full, and
best, Republican or Democratic.
Look here, ~ said he impudently, edo you
want to buy badger"
frankly con fessed that didn't
well, then, l amt givin' away no tips on
the lection. See?"
saw. saw the toughlooking, sore.eyed |
man move rapidly away.
There were great crowds on the walks
coming and going and looking up at the |
Columbian decorations. Every badgeman |
carried, in addition to his standard political |
stock, variety of designs incident to the |
He was regular Coney Island |
fakir I next met with a rasping voice sug.
,estive of the melody of saw and file
"Politics Amt in it," says he. This man |
Columbus knocks 'em all out. 1 only wish |
ne was a-running for President-but," and |
ne looked at me lnterrogatively, "they say |
le's dead"
eyes," said I, "he's very dead"
"Of course" added the fakir, she's dead. |
The good politicians is always dead.'
Another badge man came along just in |
lime to Ioin in the laugh that followed the
departure of the last.
"He's a 'dago,' too," sayshe. "A 'dago |
never did know nothing. spose he thought |
Columbus was q candidate for Alderman or
Here's your bad.es, gentlemen
columbus badges, Cleveland discovering
America, Harrison and Reid in all the latest |
tyles-buy badge, ma'am, for the children
do to carry the election or cut teeth Oh
badges of all k1nds-you pays your money
md takes your choice. l amt got no time
Iou Il Republican or Democratic -badges!-
Democrat? Yes; there's one for Is cents
AXE the two Tor quarter-these Harrison
badges 60 like hot cakes-Clevelandi is
lead issue: dead as ColumDus-badges!'
The wiles of the badge man are not exact
y past finding out
A Most Cordial Stranger.
A gentleman with long, bushy hair, with
travelling grip in one hand ami an um-
rella in the other, entered the barroom of
he Fifth Avenue Hotel late Saturday night.
lie deposited the grip on the marble bar and
urned to greet a popular newspaper man.
lis face was wreathe ed in smiles Ior he was
cooked for several speeches in New York
nd
81 want to know all of you," said he.
And Pm thirsty" he added, "for just got
n, and thousand miles of cinders are in
ny throat"
The newspaper man thanked him for the
pening, but he was with party of profess
ional brethren and
Introduce them," promptly said the
hirsty arrival. 81 will take it as q favor"
The three gentlemen were brought up and
uly presented and the party was invited to
ave something. In the meantime a news
aper wag scurried around and got all the
rethren in sight. And while these were be-
lg introduced he went out in the corridor
nd scraDed uD half a dozen more of the |
OyS, on tue pIetl TO Cne1n tnstC tnefe was all !
important interview on hand, all OF whom
the newcomer, to his evident
and dismay.
"For heavens sake serve the licker!' he !
ried to the head Darkeeper, glancing un-
asily at the chance couples who passed the
oor.
The 'licker" was served and the bill
like $4-was settled, and the |
ordial stranger disappeared, leaving at
,ast a dozen of the boys wondering what
ne Whole thing meant, anyhow. and half as
lany more laughing themselves nearly to
cath.