New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-14
"GOOSEELESH."

"GOOSEFLESH."
That was very accurate, though somewhat
crude and homey description Of the effect upon
the common mind Of what the newspaper re-
ports of political conventions call 'matchless
elouuence" which was given by the agricultur-
list who ut the end Of EMBARRASSING and blood
curdling peroratiOn by a prairie orator said.
nudglng his neghbor: by gOlly. that's the
sort O. talk that makes the goOsefesh Gomez!
1t Is not q cheerful reflection that most or
the talk In political conventons-and partlc-
ulary the nominating speeches, in which the
resources Of the mother tongue are taxed 10
their utmost limit and the language pretty much
exhausted In adulatory phrases, exaggerated
flattery and lurid rhetOrc-have as their soic
motive and distinct purpose the excitati0n OF
goosehesh-physcal and intellectual goosehesll
In a large body of representative men TO
whom has been delegated the most serious OF
duties to perform and the most momentous or
responsibilities to discharge 1t Is not only an
uncheerful. but a very melancholy reflection,
when one stops to consider. that this country
Is to-day confronting first, the already accom-
plished fact that great political party mas
been carried off its feet and hurried into nom-
mating for President Of the United States
only known qualifications for that high office
are that he can stand up before an audience
and pour out words that make the gooscfesh
come" and second, the possibility-from pres
ent appearances. thank Heaven. remote-that
n President of the United States OF the goose
flesh order may be elected.
Now that 1.-THE Boy Orator Of the Platte" has
become by force of his own ability to make
no Presidential
date Of great party. 1t is interesting to note
that he has been quite definitely related 10
cooscfiesh from the beginning Of his political
career. That career began six years ago, when
he was nominated for Congress on the strength
of the goosefesh which was raised upon Ne
braska convention by an orator who, after de-
scribing Mr.. Bryan as IAN innocent ana guile
"less man, who knows no more about the tricks
land sinful wiles Of politicians than coyote
| KNOWS about Sunday" concluded his address
with Nominate him. and the cactus on every
| "sandhll and the golden-rod in every valley
will put forth new petals OF purity In praise
"of this modern Patrick Henry, who. believe,
"has been mraculously called to lead de-
| "spondent people and party to better days"
That "made the goosefesh come" on the ner-
vously organized and susceptible delegates,
purely agricultural point Of view there was no
profit in either the cactus or the goden-rod,
but that the first business Of the thrifty farmer
was to NOW them down no matter In whose
praise they were putting forth new petals
of purity" Just sucked 1t in under their goose
flesh and started this modern Patrick Henry"
on the career which was to lead respondent
people and party to better days"
~x.tth n n
golden-rod style Of oratory upon which he was
launched into public life was the candidates
own great effort in the Convention, which
made the goosefesh come" and by carrying
off Its feet the most remarkable aggregation
OF goosefesh ever seen under one roof on this
continent gave him the highest prize ever
awarded to pure goosefesh emotion:
"Ah my friends" said he. I'VE say not one
word against those who live upon the Atlantic
coast: but those hardy pioneers who braved all
dangers Of the wilderness who have made the
desert to blossom as the rose-those pioneers
| away out there, rearing their children near to
natures heart where they can mingle their
| voices with the voices of the brds-out there
where they have erected schoohouses for the
education OF their young. and churches where
they praise their Creator, and cemeteries where
sleep the ashes Of their dead--are deserving
of the consideration OF this party az any people
in this country. We have petitioned and our
petitions have been scorned. We have entreated
and our petitions have been dsregarded. and
| they have Knocked and our calamity came We
beg no longer: we entreat no more: we petition
no more. We defy them"
And the goosefesh sensation, which started
| with the deserts blossoming as the rose and
rearing children near to Natures heart. became
go0sier and goosier as he went on, until Mt the
point where lie stopped begging and entreatlng
| and in q sort of Ajax way defied the whole
| Convention became anserne, with nothing but
| goosefesh in sight.
| Well. It's great many years since n goose
saved Rome, but 1t will be great many more
before raising goosehesh in a convention will
| save the Democratic party.