The morning call., 1894-04-08
LECTURES AND LYCEUMS.
Why Some Platform Speakers Succeed and Others
Fail.

ers are gagged by their drawing powers
rather than their actual abilities or the
amount of thought and culture given to
their speeches.
The men who draw best are those who
have made a reputation in other than the
lecture field, and to see whom there is
much curiosity. Horace Greeley, while
one of the NEST fOrceful writer's in the
country. was n0toriously bad speaker.
He hemmed and hawed as If about to for
get the whole speech; he was uncOuth in
his manners, and set all the rules of eloeu-
ton and the theories of Deisarte at de.
lance, vet because it was Horace Greeley,
the abolti0nist, the socialist, the free
thinker ana fearless writer, the people
swarmed out TO see him, and left delighted
though they could not recall a striking
sentence that he uttered. But the bureau
liked Greeley, for he spoke to crowded
houses, while men of decided oratorical
ability were too often called on to harangue
empty chairs in the halls and gorgeous
array of red plush In the theaters.
Henry M. Stanley made the fortune of
Major Pond and largely increased his own
bank account by his last tour 10 America.
Wherever he went he drew crowded
houses. yet be was but a little worse
speaker than Greeley. He lacked tact; he
had no conception of eloquence, but such
high conception of himself as to offend
good taste. But the secret of his drawing
powers is not far to seek. He had been a
famous traveller; for years the newspapers
had teemed with stories OF his exploits in
a dangerous and unknown land. and the
people focked to see the man, rather than
to hear what he had to say.
General Grant was a very indifferent
speaker. yet II in the days of bis adversely
he could have gone on the platform he
would have drawn such audien ces as never
gathered to hear the greatest orator in
America or any other land, and his mana
ger could have charged "opera prices" |
see some one who understands the public
Ia ks of taking Queen Liliuokalani through
the Unitrd States on lecture tour. From
two interviews had with her Majesty
since she was forced from the toy throne
of Hawaii, | can AFFIRM that her person is
not attractive. her culture is not of high
order, and her knowledge of English
scarcely adequate to carry on the most
ordinary conversation. Yet if she had
been brought before the public soon after
she bad expressed to Willis her anxiety to
do the Herodias act on large scaie with
the heads of her opponents she would
have been drawing card. Imagine the
fortune there would be In Queen Victoria
at 10 per cent of the gross receipts il her
Majesty could be induced to sit on a stage
for two hours every night with her crown
on her head and her seepter held in the
regulation way. Such attractions. how
ever, would not pay il taken over the
circuit second time.
Up to 1872 lecturers had to make their
own arrangements, and apart from earning
much less than now they were at a great
disadvantag To the foresight ana organ
izing ability of the late James Redpah,
himself "A most 10 teresting speaker and
polished gentleman, the existing methods
of the great lecture bureaus are entirely
Inn rin fn aoIl lfrE ha
prince OF platform speakers, was willing
to talk for $3.50 might and expenses. but
though by nc means a merc0naTy man he
made no objection when Mr.. Redpath'S
system enabled him TO collect 5000 every
night in the week.
Like John B. Cough, Phillips was an
TO the rule as to the repetition Of
le lures. His addresses on Daniel OCon-
NELL The Lost Arts" aud "Toussiant
l0uverture" were delivered each as often
as twenty times ia the same place and
largely before the same audiences, but
people never wearied of item, all of which
goes tn prove the high excellence IF his art
a curious thing in this connection is the
fact that one speaker will be great favor
ite in one town or section and IN the next
town or another section he is regarded
with indifference. The Southern States
have never been ole field for lee
turers. Henry Ward Beecher could not
have pad his expenses on an extended
tour through the South. while DR.. Tai
mage, who is not so popular in the Eastern
States, draws crowds in the South and
West. The political prejudices of the
peOple have no doubt much to do with The
varying popularity of the clergymen men,
toned.
a well-known manager assures me that
he stands ready TO pay Chauncey NJ. De-
pew 5000 q night and expenses for 100
nights. or about four months work; but
the chief of post-prandial orators is salts
fed with his present income and the daily
growth of his fame. George w. Cable is
a native of Louisiana, and the foremost
literary man produced by the South since
the war. He is one of the most popular
lecturers and readers in the Northern
States to-day, yet the people in the land of
his birth decry his talents and would not
go to hear him talk If the admission were
free; another case where prejudice blinds
TO the recognition of talent.
George KEENAN,. the Siberian traveller, is
one of our most popular lecturers. He i S
not a strong man. but if his health per-
mltted he could make $3.50 night for ten
months in the year. and as 1t is he has
saved enough to guard him against the uD-
productive days Of old age. Colonel Inger-
soil has been offered $4,000 and expenses
for two months tour 10 Australasia, bat