The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-10-07
POLITICAL SPELL WEAvERS.
TALES Of THE ARMY OF ORATORs
VINO sUPPLY CAMPAIGN TALK.

speubInders Don't Change Many
Notes-But the Public wants 90 ne
Entertained. and They Are the En-
trrtnIners-The Successful SPELL
binder Must he Ready of wit and
Proof Against the "RattIes"-Dis-
aster WrouEh, by Unexpected Re-
forts from an Acknowledgment
er Reed and the Man who Wanted
to know-Oratory with Two Ra-
fors and IA Gun-MonoIoEue Artists
the Newest Thing on the stump.
Political Joint Debates.
Washington. oct. She comes from the
highways OF Fame and the byways OF OBJ
sr1rliy. glib OF tongue. liberal OF promise
ari eager go save the country and the
political party offering the greatest In
euecments. He comes with speech OF
DIS own composition which he Is willing
20 discard for one written by another II
The change means employment. His con-
yIcuons are deep rooted and Arm. but he
0ll change them for Job. His argu-
msnts he deems convincing. but they can
b. transposed to conform 10 n written
contract Tor his services. He spins a maze
o. eloquence around the soul OF men
Hence he IS called a spellbinder
The term spelibinder was first applied
generally to all campaign speakers IN 1855.
When thousands OF men who could talk
On public were employed by the Repubi-
can ord Democratic National Committees.
4aey we're sent into every state and city
ana the system Is now recognized as an
Important part OF the work OF electing a
ore dent The great army OF alleged or
aiors. he men who 90 from town TO
Town speaking day and night in halls or
a. open air meetings are employed ana
Paid Fixed salaries ranging from $50 TO $40
week according to the ability and repu-
.lu0n OF the man as a public speaker.
lhl' year the experiment OF employing
ffoie7 ional comedians and "monologue
afiis's' has been tried. because che es-
teutil Qualification OF a spellbinder isabii-
NF 20 interest and hold an audience. A
nan Who can tell funny stories. tell them
NnI and apply them aptly 40 some i'm
i'Ii1rt public question is always lea de-
Ha'd ard ranks higher In the business
.Han the deciaimer Of stock arguments
"a' has no sense OF humor.
Qualifications of a spcIIblnder.
Ihe Idea OF the campaign managers Is
70 t'i certain facts and statements pre-
"h'"i to the voters In an entertaining
.af ana u matters not that the medium
"a r' f1ith IN the words he utterp. The
tFNbinecrs are supplied with oampaign
Ai books upon which they draw for
Ir ara arguments. The web OF words
"'F must weave for themselves. IL Is
nHai that they shall be immune from
gag" ifsht, ready wittsd and quick at
.Te'A ana repartee. Many ambitious
,'-'f orators have been routed utterly
ah embarrassing question from an
'Noe. which they could not answer.
u'fn who can parry leading questioss,
-" Unexpected interruption 10 good ac-
-.i and gauge the mood OF his audience
stance Is the one who succeeds as
nder Such a one Is a certain or
-, without much OF a reputation out
20 me political stumps. who can hold
- interest an audience that would prob
- fr the greatest orator IN the coun-
d" 1875 this man VISA making a
80 Tor Mckinley TO an audience com
largely Of Populsts. and was dis
ts- the money question. When the
49,. asserted that the stamps OF a gov
dld not create money a farmer
~f long beard jumped up and
y bill IN the Dir asked. what
rr,. nat bit OF paper money II Il alnt
rs zone on Il by the government"
g., ifend,' said the spellbinder in
suppose the government stamp