The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1899-06-24

pleasure 10 comment at length on each
performance, but the limitations Of
space" are inexorabie.
The eighth annual defamation con
test, founded by Mr.. I. O. Egleston.
took place Wednesday evening. Sev-
en- young Indies entered the lists ard
the prize was awarded 10 Miss Matte
Keller who recited a poem entitled the
"Old Ace" in a most expressive and
viyacious style. TIE TRIBUNE is in
clined to observe that there is possibly
an element of unfairness in these cor
tests growing out of the fact that each
performer selects piece Of a wholly
different character for rendition This
necessarily perplexes the judges very
much. To illustrate, consider these
three pieces: The ''0ld Ace; ''Ncllie's
Prayer" by Winnie Wilder, eni The
Last Days of Hereulaneum," by Miss
Bertha Mckee. Now Miss " Eiliider,s
rendition CT "Nellie's Prayer" was very
natural and affecting; and few in the
audience who had hearts that did not
feel choking sensation and a mois
ture about the eyes before she got
through. The writer is free to confess
that he found it convenient to examine
very closely minute object, supposed
TO be located on the floor, but which he
could not see clearly because-well be-
cause. We observed quite few 9th
ers looking seriously on the floor for
articles that were not likely TO be
fOuCd. Miss McKee's piece was ex-
pressiYe of pathos, yet, psthos Of
more masculine kind; but, it was 10
the main descriptive and the pathatic
element was subordinate to the strik-
ing and terrible. 1t was all more ex
pressiVe of horrible sublimity than sad
ness. 1t belongs to that class called
heavy. Miss Keller's piece was of an
entirely different character. So much
so that. except the general principles Of
enunciation, the same rules of elocu-
tion did not apply to her piece as to
either of the other two and only to
limited extent were similar rules ap
plicable to these. To make this clear,
suppose a prize were to be given for
the best product of the farm, and to
the judges should be presented a pump
kin, potato, a horse, a calf, a cabbage
and watermelon. suppose thefe was
no established rule of perfection In Ell
Their product, and the specimens pre-
sented were all considerably better
than the average of such product. If
the judges declared in favor OF the
melon, they would be obliged to form
their judgment on something outside
Of any rule of comparison, and if ma
jority of them were foud of melons
they would be likely to be influenced
by their Individual tastes and not by
any degree of excellence in the melon
before them, as compared with the
cabbage or the calf. l. seems to us
that the better way would be for all the
contestants to recite the same piece.
"Couvict Joe, recited by Miss Savan-
nah Canter, is piece of quite differ
ent character from either Of those
mentioned, and the "Dukite Snake"
by Miss Emma Gekeler, was still of
another kind. Then Aux Italians, "
by Miss Lisle Canter, was something
entirely different from anything else
recited, and the "BFier Rose" by Miss
Ida HartkOpf, was in class by itself.
Each of these pieces was well rendered,
although not quite so effectively, per-
haps, as the first three; but possibly
the fault was as much in the piece as
in the elocution. Now, it must be
kept clearly in mind that there is no
ascertained and fixed standard of elo-
cutionary perfection, by which all per-
fOTmances can be measured, much less
is it possible to determine superiority
where there is no opportunity for COM
parison. To say that the elocutionist
who incites the violent passions is SUI
perior to the one who soothes and al
lays, is as unreasonable as to say that
the one who produces laughter is su-
perior to the one who produces tears.
III fact, the easiest thing in elocution
is to produce violent effects from
strong words and dramatic incident;
the hardest thing is to sublimate COM
monpIaees. We are not criticising the
decision of the judges, far from it, but
simply pointing out the perplexities
which confronted them, and endeay-
oring to do justice to all of the contest
ants by indicating that each had a diff
ferent task to preform, which each did
with marked ability. Each won dis
tinction of vastly more value than the