The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-08-06
SERGEANT CY's ORATORY
SOME REFLECTIONS on HIS
ELECTRIC EFFECTS.


Farmer, ana Programme as 80 Rus
sell---Corgra5ula-ed by Poplisls at
River Bsnd---tlis Gift as An Actor.
Charlotte, y. c., Aug 5.-(Stafr cor
respondence)-Cyrus b. Watson will
pass through Raleigh Friday after
noon on his way to GoIdsboro, where
he viii speak at noon Saturday.
There has been no printed account
of probably the best thing during the
exercises at River Bend yesterday. At
ter MIR. Watson had concluded his
very effective speech, and taken his
dinner at the hospitable home OF Mr.
RI. Abernethy, he sat and stood about
with the people just as he has always
done heretofore. There were not
few Populists in his audience ana
numbers of them came up to HIM,
sometimes to the number of dozen or
so, and assured him OF their run
and hearty support. Some Oh thehl Uolu
him that no man who was IN earnest
about wanting a Governor in sympathy
with the platform of the masses OF the
people could honestly fail to cast their
ballots for him.
All his audience specially the Popu-
lists had been much moved as Mr. Wat
son referred by the merest chance to
his share in the establishment OF the
Progressive Farmer. 1t was likely
two to meet for such purpose Leon-
das l.. Polk and Cyrus b. Watson, both
men of the people and bent upon the
business of the people. Thus it was, as
I have since been told, Watson enter
ed with interest right away into the
project of Polk and it is quite likely
when all the facts are known that had
it not been for the timely assistance
there which Watson gave to Polk that
the Progressive Farmer would have
never seen the light or that j.. l.. Polk
would have ever had the opportunity
of making known to the people those
qualities of heart and head which they
remember now with affection.
Cyrus B. WatsOn's power on the
platform before the people was born
with him. The three Greek words,
simply Jr
signifying action, action, action"
which were the definition given by
Demothenes of what oratory consisted
of may never be precisely translated,
but if they mean acting, acting, act
ing" and they mean much more, then
CIV Watson fills the bill. action"
meaning acting" and more, enters
largely into the natural methods of
Watson's OratOry. Certainly he is
consummate actor, and could have dis
tinguished himself on the stage had he
been trained to it. But action"
means. besides, probably that power
which he has of taking his subject with
one hand and his hearers with the
other
Did YOU ever hear Watson speak
and watch his eyes? They are eyes
that look within and without at the
same time. They are never still an
instant: they are never restless; they
are intentness in constant and instant
change. They weigh every word and
thought to the nicely of an Apothe-
cary's scale. In the midst of momen-
tary pauses of utterance, they travel
many thousand miles a minute. Then
is the time that it is impossible for one
to tell whether introspection out
weighs inspection in the speaker. They
seem TO be taking photographs of self
and photographs of yourself at the
same instant. The pause is a short
one; then comes the word that makes
a link of the speaker with his state
ment and his nearer. Mr. Watson is
not built after the old-fashioned mo-
dels of the orator-no long hair or
snnous tricks of body. He is no more
like the tiresome sO-called classical or
ator than was Forest like the crush
ed tragedian all dressed in black. He
=. L, l.. II,
of curt side-whiskers, a lnOtty, brainy,
rough-and-tumble looking, and head an
unfailing sign of strong men, a long
body and short legs, like Napoleon had.
There is plenty of room for a good
grinding digestion to stand under mem
tai and physical wear, an ample ma
chine-shop for heart and lungs and the
great vital forces. His face is relieved of
sameness by its irregulariy, with a
fighting hook nose, and little threads
of humor in the corners of the mouth.
He has voice as nimble as his body
and neither is put to the faces
until the occasion calls for it.
His voice has WEAKNESS, pathos, |
fire, satire, deliberation at will and he
can with the action Of his body blend
any thought into concrete reality. In
this connection he was a study Tues
day when he started Cleveland and
Tom Reed on a North Carolina farm
to make a crop of tobacco and sell it.
His different poses followed like the
changing photographs illustrating the
new-fashioned pathetic or comic songs. |
And all the time this funny picture
was unfolding itself his eyes kept
moving responding to inside and out
side quick as a telegraph instrument.
And there must be something of the
telegraph instrument hidden some
where in his make. Certainly there is
electricity: you can feel it, if he gets