Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-10-04
Bob, Cousins,

was filled and many stood outsid,
throughout the meeting. brakes mar
tial band and the Audubon Republican
Glee Club entertained the crowd for hall
an hour before the speaking commenced
Judge ". r. Green presided and intro
duced the orator in an eloquent and ap
propriate manner.
Mr.. Cousins speech was thought by
nearly all his audience to be able and
eloquent. It's brilliant sarcasm offended
few democrats who are democrats re.
gardless Of argument or reason, and who
il they can't meet the argument become
angry. But among the wavering and
undecided and among The republicans
the effect of the speech was excellent
1t put backbone into lots of republicans,
Cousins is great orator. On the
platform he has the physical presence to
attract his audience. His powerful
body indicates great strength in reserve,
and the classic outlines Of form and fea
ture shows the grace Of the orator. When
he speaks calmy Tor half M hour with
scarcely gesture, when your attention
follows rapidly through the easy stages
Of his argument and the surprs,s Of his
rhetorical outbursts, you wonder what
the man could do il he wonld just try.
Cousins has a reputation as an orator
second to few il any in the United
States. In our state only one approaches
him, Dolliver, and they are so unlike
that comparisons are hard. A few
other may be as successful on the stump
but none Others are nearly equal to these
two in the quality Of oratory. Mr..
Cousins excells in the use Of bold
metaphors but he never otfends the
taste. He is a great student Of litera-
ture and Of art. His orations show his
rich scholarship. Historical illusions
are used by him with excellent effect.
HIS orations have been carefully forged
in his study and come out with the beau
tiful glow Of his workmanship. One of
his great secrets is that he delivers these
carefully prepare speeches with man.
ner that causes you to suppose he is
thinking them out as he stands there
before you.
No speaker on the platform, surely no
speaker on the stump, handles his voice
with 80 good effect as Cousins. He
needs hail in which to show this to the
best advantage. Every infection and
emphasis lends its full power to the
orators assistance. Few gestures are
made, but the few are useful and etfec.
tive. In argument the main points are
set out in bold relief and impressed on
the mind. But it is in polished satire
and skillful sarcasm that Mr.. Cousins
excels. In that line we think he has no
superior.
Mr.. Cousins was accused few years
ago OF adopting style Of speaking re-
sembling both Ingersoll and Victor
Hugo, but as he grows older his style
has settled and fixed itself into one Of
sufficient originality to be called none
but his own. 1t is Bob" Cousins style.
We have not the space to review his
speech at length but will be content to
give two passages from it which those
who were present will quickly recall.
II observe that Dir. Bryan manfests great
sympathy and anxiety about the welfare OF the
young man, Absalom.' II recall correctly the
| career OF young ADsaiom, he was conspirator
ana made war against his country. After first
prompting MS servants To kill his own brother,
lie inspired revolution by standing at the
gates OF the city and making populistic speeches,
| palayerlng the people aud arOusing complaints,
and among other things he said: oh, that l
| We're made Judge oil the land And he sent out
spies throughout All the tribes OF israel, saying,
| AS soon AS ye near the sound OF the trumphet
theh snail ye say 'Abaslom relgneth In Hebron
Finally came the battle in the woods Of
| Ephrain, ana, although the Kind old father
| David had cautioned MS generals to deal gently
with the young man Absalom they cleaned him
OUT morse, loot ana Dragons, and the last we
hear OF the young man Is that his head was
caught In the bough OF an oak tree and he was
taken up between heaven ana EARTH and even
out from under him and ran AWAY younp
Absalom hung there awhile. hoping to run for
the presidency again, but sound money demo-
erat Dy the name OF Joan hred three darts into
MN ana since that time he has not had such
large headlines.
1 am giad Mr. Bryan mas found new proto-
type IN history. IL VIII greatly relieve the
hiehus Oh ABRAHAM Lihcoih' But the Absaloin
temperaments ana doctfinesare poor exemplars
Tor the rising generation. Whenever young
man gets TO training with the negative element
| OF mankind he soon becomes hopeless pessl-