The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-06-14
PHoNoeRAPH IN POLITICS.
Something Entirely New Under the
Sun" from Pennsylvania.

Something Entirely New Under the
Sun" from Pennsylvania.
If telegraphic and newspaper re-
ports may be relied upon, the Dem
ocrats of Pottstown, Pa, are to be
accredited with a decided novelty
in campaign methods. 1t seems
that the Democrats of that partic-
ular section of the Keystone state
are not very literally supplied with
campaign funds-in fact they are
not able to send speakers over the
county and pay their expenses.
With this condition confronting
them, one of the number, who is of
an ingenious turn of mind, thought
of the phonograph. A robust and
full-lunged phonograph was secur-
ed, and the chairman of the Demo
cratic committee, who is somewhat
of an orator, proceeded to load the
instrument with his views on the
tariff, the financial question, the
Hawaiian issue, and other momen-
tous public questions. The heavily
charged phonograph is dispatched
to the various towns, the chairman
of the committee takes charge,
turns the crank and the spell bind
ing proceeds.
There is a practical turn in this
innovation that will be sure to at.
tract attention. 1t is frequently
the case that an able orator is COM
PEELED to labor with a cold audience,
and again there are times when an
appreciative audience has the mis-
fortune to be supplied with a tire
some campaign speaker. The phon-
ograph will at once relive all the
embarrassment that obtains under
such circumstances. If any mem
Der of the audience tires he can
get up and leave the meeting with
out giving offense to the machine,
and the orator of the occasion will
forever be relieved of the necessity
of attempting to answer hard ques-
tions. Another great reform that
will be brought about by this new
method of appealing to the people
will be found in the fact that the
campaign speaker will be relieved of
the terrible ordeal of being enter
tanned by the local committee on
arrangements.
The average Congressman will
hail with delight the innovation be-
ing made by the Pottstown Demo
Gratis. No longer will the specter
of the loss of his per diem camp on
the trail of the member who desires
to appeal to his constituents. He
can ride in closed carriages, plead
for reelection and at the same time
remain at his post of duty. Of
course he must be sure that the
phonograph is manipulated by his
friends and thus avoid the possibili-
ty of shifting of the coils. The
experience the Congressman ac-
cumulates in his effort at editing
the Congressional Record will stand
him well in hand when he comes to
the delicate task of regulating the
applause" period of his efforts, and
in difficult cases he can throw in a
little machine-made applause" and
thus relieve his ward heelers of a
time-honored duty
The political possibilities of the
campaign phonograph are unlimit-
ed When the manufacturers of
the instrument master the art of
reproducing inexhaustible OFFENDERS
it will be posoible for Senator PETER
to reach the Kansas constituents,
Senator Quay will be able to deliver
his Senate speech by proxy, Sena-
tor Aliens financial views may be
transported in this manner, and
even General Weaver may crate
without fear Of eggs. The practi-
cal operation of the political phon-
ograph may disclose some draw
backs, but it will certainly be a
great find for all of those statesmen
who have in the past made a prac-
tice of talking through their hats
aud tho Conuraeeioual Racord