Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-13
"Crude Talent"

! From the New York Tribune
Nnether or not the enterprise announced
| by Mr.. Carl Vrooman, of Parsons Kas is
part OF the programme of the National
Bureau of Volunteer Speakers created by
William Jennings Bryan, Senator Jones of
Arkansas, and Governor Stone of Missouri.
on their great hunting trip in the Ozark
nils and subsequently established with
headquarters at Washington, we are unable
10 say. 1t is. at any rate. quite in line
with it, and, accordingly, not without in
terest for the general public. Mr.. Vrooman
proposes to make his home in Kansas,
wnere he will devote himself to training
campaign orators for the cause of binetal-
ltsrn This. it may be remembered was
the work laid out by the bureau. of which
we nave heard nothing definite since the
publication of its plans some weeks ago
He says: THE idea is to take crude tall
ent and drill it in public speaking. crystal
iize Ideas on finance and turn out effective
stump speakers By April 1 he expects to
nave 100 men equipped. He could not have
chosen better day for starting them out
BESIDES being in the opening springtime
when everything is fresh and green to give
them welcome, there are associations con-
nected with the day which lend it 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. if
Dimetallism triumphs, they will be re-
Warded.' This is precisely in line with the
work of the bureau. which included keep
ing roll of honor" TO be made up of
workers achieving the best results a
place upon which would be 1.-The strongest
essential for preferment to n successful
democratic candidate for president in 19OO -
The more We think of it. the more we are
m q
product of the bureau. In his choice of
held of operations he has shown uncom-
monty good judgment. For it is not likely
that SO much 'crude talent can be found
lying around loose in any state in the
Union as in Kansas. 1t may also be said
that If Vrooman can drill it in public
speaking, crystalline its ideas on finance
and put it on the stump, he will make it. if
not useful. at least vocal and voluble. and
SO enhance in some measure the gayety of
nations. Meanwhile, such talent as there
Is In Kansas that is not crude can be fol-
lowing the plow while the crude occupies
the stump. Four years seem a long time to
wait for the reward. but, from what is
known of the crude talent of Kansas it
may be safely assumed that so long as it's
wind holds out it will not perish for want
of sustenance. The crude talent of Kansas
not only produces n most succulent and
hourishlnS quallty OF east wind, but actual
ly feeds. and grows fat on it,
Doubtless other cultivators of crude tall
ent will presently spring up all over Kan
sas, with the result that by the 1st of April
day of all the year the best-instead of 100
there will be several thousand well drilled
and thoroughly equipped stump speakers,
with crystallized ideas on finance, sweep
ing over the state like prairie fires or cy-
clones or any other local figure of speech
Then the keen witted editor of the Emporia
Gazette whose contributions to the liter
ature Of the late campaign diffused such
general delight, will have no need to ask
what's the Matter With Kansas?" for he
will be able to point to the crude talent in
eruption with crystallized ideas on finance
from thousand stumps and say, That's
what's the matter with Kansas The 1st
OF April promises to be great day for
Kansas. The country waits for it with Gu
'riesity not unmingled with awe