The morning times., 1896-08-09
0ratory to Play a Big Part in
the Coming Fight.
HOW THEY USED TO DO IT
Candidates Staid at Home in Dignified
Silence, While the Politicians Did
the Talking-Both Mex inley and
Bryan VIII VIII Go on the StumK
This Fall.

Oratory will play an important part In
bhe plans OF both great political parties,
Ind the voter will ha every phaseof every
question fully explained
Mr. Nick inley and Mr.. Bryan will each
make stumpinr tours. The latter has great
hath in the virtues OF speech-making and
will endeavor to carry the country by
storm as lie did the convention which gave
him the nom iDation.
Mr.. Bryan will make a majority of his
Ipeeches from the rear platform or q car
The theatrical effect OF a Swing around
tbe circle oftttmes helps TO win votes
While speech making by Presidential can
didatesis SO popularnow it is comparatively
modern Institution. In the early days OF
the Republic the men who were aspiran ants
for the high office remained quietly athome
and took no part IN the campaign.
When Edward Everett asked John
Quincy Adams If he was determined to
DO nothing to promote bis future election
10 the Presidency as the successor OF Mr..
Monroe lie replied that he should do
absolutely nothing" What remarkable
contrast there is between this statement OF
Adams and the frank announcement OF
John Sherman in his book OF memoirs
that he had sought The nomination for
President for many years
What a contrast, says an exchange, be
tween Wnshington's reluctant consent to
accept the responsibilities of executive
office and Mr. Mckinley settling down af-
ter his retirement from tie EovernorSlip
OF Ohio to the sole business OF concluding
campaign for the Presidency at Canton,
or Bryan announcing two months before the
convention at Chicago that he was sure OF
the nomination.,
THEIR DIGNlFIED RESERVE
A dignified reserve was cultivated by
the carry Candidates for the Presidency
at least III outward arpee rance There
may have been as many hcarthurnings
and as much ambition, hut they were con
ceaied. Ga mpairns were not hcisterouS
Ind inflammaiory until the WhipS non j.
pated Gen. William Henry Ha rrison in $40
That was the first brass band and torch
light campaign, the first campaign in which
an attempt was made 10 create enthusi-
asrn for a candidate and for the principles
he was supposed TO represent Not that
Harrison had any well defined princi-
pies. He was popularity accepted as the
''advance agent of prosperity to quote
modern phrase But mis- partisans pu,
forward no distinct tariff or currency
policy which was to counteract the effects
of the panic OF lS37. Their chief claim
to consideration was the fact that things
could not he much worse, Ind they a diva need
Also the Popular cry, which was not an
argument, that Gen Harrison was one of
the common people and Van Buren, wa an
torch burning Gen Harrison remained in
his log cabin, the patent of his Dem ocracy,
and drank hard cider with all who came
But he did not have a rational committee
OF Organize" his campaign according 10
the accepted modern method. The outcry
and the enthusiasm were largely spontane-
Gus and the natural result OF the discomfort
with the ha rd times which prevailed.
There were good politicians among the
early candidates for tile Presidency. JET
ferson was n pretty good politician, and
be was a party to the intrisues which
gained him an election over Adams, in the
House of Representatives.. Adams took
no part in them. Madison was a scholar. 4
modest man. and he purscd his duties as
Secretary of State when the sixth elec-
tion was bre wing. lie did nothing to ad-
vance his own interests. Monroe also
stepped from the Cabinet into executive
offic
JACKSON WAS NOT A POLITICIAN.
Jackson was anything but a politi-
clan. His was the first campaign OF SIAN
der. and the bitter attacks made On him
FASTENED the death OF his wife. But while
the campaign was ON they sat before their
fireplace at the Hermitage and smoked their
long reed pipes together.
Van Buren, remained ut kinderbook, on
the Hudson, at his beautiful country home
and took no active part in the campaign
of 1888. Polk awaited the verdict of the
people at Nashville. and Polk was a thor
Ough politician, OF whom IL is related that
when he ran for governor the second time
'be and his Whig competitor oanvassed the
State together, actually driving in the same
carriage and sleeping in the same bed"
General Taylor did not take an active
part in his campaign. His managers much
preferred TO keep him In the background
They wrote the few letters made public de-
filming the principles he was supposed TO
represent. and they saw TO il that he made
no utterqnce on his own account. Taylor
had as little idea of the Presidency as Jack
Son, OF whom his private secretary said.
Iliat lie replied to a proposal that he should
be candidate: do they suppose i am
such a ID fool as TO think myself fit
for President of the United States? No. sir;
] know what i am fit for
Pierce was practicing law In Concord,
N H., when congratulated on his nomina-
ton lie said, Sir, you could not con-
graduate "A more astonished man.; He
remained in Concord through the campaign
and spoke but little, though he had some
local fame as a speaker During the CON
test for Congress in $40 he took the stump
against John p Hale, and their encounter
In Old North church is still recalled by the
Oldest inhabitant.
OLD METHODS REVIVED.
CaHlpal SnuE became more systematic
after the organization OF the Republican
party Not that there WIS any lack or good
politicians before that time. Students of
the lie of Lincoln know with what keen
knowledge Of human uature and what sp-
peal to popular prejudice local and State
campa igns were fougbt in the West. And
New York politics were as complicated
one hundred years ago as they are today
But until the railroad and the telegraph
made communication easy aud quick ma
tional campaigns could not be conducted
according to homogeneous plan and under
the watcbful eye of Hanna or Jones'
Mr.. Bryan's proposition for a joint de
bate with Ma jor Mckinley is a revival OF
the local methods OF fifty years ago. Lin
coin held joint debates with Douglas when
they We're candidates for the Senate Keen
contests they Were, and they drew farmers
from all the country around. They came
In wagons, aud many drove q hundred
miles 10 hear Abe battle with their Senator
Before Lincoln's time there were joint de-
bates on local contests, but never between
sival candidates for the Presidency. These
debates have fallen into dsuse now in
most of the Northern and Western States,
but the South clings TO the old custom,
and Southern candidate who would re.
fuse to meet his.opponent in public debate
would lose many votes.
Lincoln was at Springfield in the cam
paign OF 1850. His famous Cooper Union
speech was madciD New York three months
before the convention nominated him. In
bis second campaign he remained in the
White House, but johnson, his associate
oD the Republican ticket, made some ad-
dresses, notably one delivered to the
Eegroes on the steps OF the capitol at