New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-10
"CRTDE TALENT"

Whether or not the enterprise announced by
Mr. Carl VrOOman. OF Parsons. Kan Is part OF
the programme Of the National Bureau Of Vol
unteer Speakers" created by William Jennings
Bryan Senator Jones, Of Arkansas, and Gov
ernor Stone, Of Missouri, on their great hunting
trip in the Ozark Hills, and subsequently estab-
lished with headquarters at Washington, we are
unable to say. 1t Is, at any rate, quite In line
with II, and, accordingly, not without Interest
for the general public. Mr. VroOman proposes
TO make his home In Kansas. where lie will de-
vote himself to training campaign orators for
the cause of bimetallism." This, 1t may be re-
membered, was the work laid out by the Bureau,
Of which We have heard nothing definite since
the publication Of its plans some weeks ago
He SAYS: 1.-THE idea Is to take crude talent and
drill 1t in public speaking, crystalline Ideas on
finance and turn out effective stump-speakers"
BY April he expects to have 100 men equipped.
lie could not have chosen better day for start
ing them out Besides being In the opening
sprlngtime, when everything Is fresh and green
to give them welcome there are associations
connected with the day which lend 1t peculiar
fitness for such demonstration.
"My mission" he says. ALSO involves keeping
"a record Of these men and the work they may
do. Four years hence, II bimetallism trlumphs,
they will he rewarded" This is precisely In
line with the programme Of the Bureau, which
included keeping Il roll of honor" to he made
ND Of workers achieving the best results"
place upon which would be the strongest es
"sential for prefeiment to a successful Demo
"cratlc candidate for President in 1907 The
Oh; pt- Of tlo p,o~ incl IN
think that vrooman is the first product Of the
Bureau. In his choice Of a field OF operations
he has shown uncOmmonly good Judgment. For
it is not likely that 80 much ''crude talent can
be found lying round loose in any State in the
Union as in Kansas 1t may also be said that
If Vrooman can drill 1t in public speaking. crys-
tallize its ideas on finance and put 1t on the
stump he will make IT, II not useful, at least
vocal and voluble and so enhance In some meas
ure the gayety of nations Meanwhile such tai
ent as there is in Kansas that Is not crude can
be following the plough while the crude occupies
the stump Four years seem long time to wait
for the reward. but, from what is known Of the
crude talent Of Kansas, 1t may be safely as
sumed that so long as its wind holds ont IT will
not perish for want Of sustenance. The crude
culent and nourshing quality Of east wind but
actually feeds and grows fat On It,
Doubtless other cultivators Of crude talent
will presently spring up all over Kansas, with
the result that by the 1st Of April-day OF all
the year the best-instead OF 100 there will be
several thousand weldrllled and thoroughly
equipped stump-speakers, with crystallized Ideas
on finance, sweeping over the State like prairie
fires or cyclones or any other local figure OF
speech Then the keen-wited editor Of "The
Empora Gazette" whose contributions to the
literature Of the late campaign diffused such
general delight. will have no need TO ask Whats
the matter with Kansas for he will be able
to point to the crude talent in eruption with
crysallized ideas on finance from thousand
stumps. and say That's what's the matter with
Kansas The 1st Of April promises 10 be
great day for Kansas. The country waits for
It with curiosity not nnmnged with awe.