St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-04-11

Ing the coming generation. When
the grown folks of to-day went to
school and studied McGuffey's readers,
we saw therein and committed to mem
DRY long paragraphs frcm the speeches
OF Webster and other orators of the
preceding generation. Now that the
leaders of the departing generation
have passed and are passing away, we
will probably buy schoolbooks for cur
children containing some of tho most
foTceful utterances delivered in con-
gress since the civil war.
Bat every generation produces men
equal to the strong men of the remote
or approximate past. The passing
years develop the wonders of nature,
and the minds of the statesmen of to-
day are stored with information which
would seem miraculous Ii transmitted
suddenly to the men of the past. For
example, if Henry Clay, Daniel Webster
and John G. Calhoun, three of the
greatest men of their times, were to
stand on the corner opposite the treas
ury to-day, conversing upon political
or scientific matters, and the cable cars
should come shooting around the curve,
without steam or other visible means
of propulsion, they would all take to
their heels and get into the woods, or
climb over the walls for safety inside
the Enclosures of st. Elizabeth's insane
asylum.
Campaign oratory is becoming less
and less effective every year, because
our people are omniVorous readers, AMI
given to studying men and affairs for
themselves. Nevertheless, for the sake
of raising hurrah and creating popu
lar interest in affairs, we must have
torchlight professions, barbecues and
meetings in the town halls, where ora
tors will cndeayor to spellbind the peo-
pie, as they used to do in the days OF
Demosthenes and Aristides. The peo-
pie have been long in the habit of send
ing their best orators to congress, and
the 446 senator's and representatives
now in congress are men of more than
ordinary oratorical ability; and all OF
them viii be heard on the hustings
this year.
Mr.. Blaine was q presidential candi-
date in 1884. He went upon the stump
and delivered speeches constantly dur
ing the campaign. That is good
precedent, and whoever may be NOM
mated this year may properly go forth
and talk to the people in his own behalf;
90 that we may expect to hear all of the
present presidential candidates during
the campaign which fast approaches.
On the democratic side we look for
William II. Morrison and Adlai Il. Stew
enson, Of Illinois; Henry Watterson
and John G.. Carlisle, OF Kentucky; VIII
liam F. Villas, of Wisconsin; Daniel VI. !.
Voorhees, and David Turpie, of Indiana,
and Ben Tillman, of South Carolina.
When Col. Morrison was in congress
ne was an orator of extraordinary
power. Vice President Stevenson,
while in congress and during his cam
didacy for the position he now holds.
manifested strength, fire and vim in
his public utterances. Secretary Car
Isle is one of the ruostcold, logical, rea-
soning, earnest speakers, who can cre-
ate no enthusiasm by his gestures or
utterance, but whose political points
are so clearly stated that the truths
uttered bring conviction to the minds
Of his hearers, and they applaud the
facts, rather than the man who pre-
sents them. Henry Watterson, an ed
itor by profession, and an orator by ma
ture, is so genial, 80 mild, SO kind To the
enemy, and withaI SO sarcastic and Bit
ter, that every democratic listener feels
ike throwing up his hat at every SEN
tenee. Watterson is magnetic to won
f1erful degree.
William f. Villas is born orator. He
acquired ripe scholarship and profound
legal learning before he began to lc-
lively participate in political affairs.
His oratory is liI.e unto that of Marc
Anthony, who said: II tell you that
you all do know. That is, he is mod
est, unassu1ning, conversational and
instructive. As soon as he OBJ
tains the complete attention Of
his audience. he impresses them
with his personality, magnetizes them,
and almost hypnotizes them; for fhey
are completely carried away with his
eloquence.
Senator'S Voorhees, and T1rpie, of In
diana. are orators Of diametrically OPP
posite characteristics. Senator Turpie
Is calm reasoner. like Carlisle. SEN
ator Voorhees, Is, from beginning te
close of his speeches, like raging lion.