The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-25

nucqudte CoHceplioI OL WHdC d Sfodt educational force - intellectual, moral. religious and material - the Chautau- qua assemblies have come to be. There are nearly 400 of them. A Chautauqua assembly is sort of literary, scientific, oratorical and musical camp meeting. college or university in a tent or tabernacle. They are carrying the best thought of this generation to the re- motest hooks and corners of the repub- lie. All sorts of public speakers appear on their platforms-grave ecclesiastics, profound university dons. solemn statesmen. famous soldiers, distin- guished editors. celebrated authors. poets and travellers and specialists in every branch of learning.
 Variety's the spice of life
 That gives 1t all its flavor.
 Most assuredly the Chautauquas give variety of mental pabulum. Some times a rcdhot debate is added as d novel feature and a drawing card. Last summer I had B debates on inn perialism at ChautauQua with Senator Deliver of Iowa and Representatives Landis of Indiana and Grosvenor of Ohio. They drew like Aunt Jemima's plaster. This being dull time. an off year, in politics. there are no debates. Each one goes it alone. The Chau- tauqua managers strive to please.
 There is a Latin dictum Ne sutor ultra crepidam' ("Let the shoemaker stick to his last') which contains much wisdom and what Chautauqua speak CTS appear to have adopted as their motto. For instance. General John B. Gordon stirs the multitude with his Last Days of the Confederacy," Sam Jones pommels the devil and larrups sinners on the platform as well us in the pulpit, Colonel George w .Bain, from force of habit. edges in temper ance story occasionally, Deliver Ocstes about "The Nation of America" Sena- tor Tillman discourses on 'The Rece Problem James Whitcomb Riley reads his own poems. and the great poultry authority of Wisconsin thrills his audiences with lectures on chick ems. while Lou J. Beachamp causes his auditors to laugh and grow fat with a flood of the richest humor.
 of course one of the most agreeable features of lcturing at Chautauqua Is the pay received, but there are others. One of the most pleasant and profit able is the association with choice spirits. Attendance upon Chautauqua assemblies enables one to brighten up buGSOil Oy dItiltAOAA bO lVaAh IT H Ne~Sh deal by absorption. which Is decided ly easy way of taking on learning and wisdom.
 Lecturers fall into two natural divi- sions professionals and amateurs. with the former 1t is their sole voca- tion. General Gordon, Colonel George w. Bain. Governor Bob Taylor, George k. Vending and a few others do noth- ing else from years end to years end. The amateurs lecture sporadically, as the doctors would say, each having some other regular profession or call ing. "Marse" Henry Watterson edits a great newspaper. Dr. Talmage, Sam Jones and Dr. McArthur preach, and so on to the end of the chapter. Some men stay on the platform lifetime, making towering regulations and piles of money. For instance. Wendell Phil- lips and Colonel Bob Ingersoll are rated among America's great orators. It is said that Phillips raked in $15O,O00 on his lecture on The Lost Arts" 9th CTS lecture a short time while in the public eye. For instance, while Henry M Stanley wore a sort of halo by req son of his African explorations he re- ceived as high as $l.O00 per night - rather comfortable wages. For the last five years William J. Bryan has per- maps maoe more money than any OlbeT lecturer. He had a very amusing and profitable experience in 1897. The assembly at Carthage. Mo, wanted him for one lecture. Like Bar kis. he was "willin'," but demanded $500 for his services. The Chautau- qua. thinking it too much, declined, but offered him half the gate receipts. He accepted their proposition and had for his share something over $2,3OO. a pretty fair days work. Not long since. at Cameron. Mo, a place of about 4.OO0 inhabitants. on about one days notice, the total gate receipts at one of his lec- lures was $S45. of which he received half
 The Chautauqua lecturer literally earns his bread in the sweat of his face, paying the penalty of the primal curse because the Chautauquans are always held in the summer months. He may vary his speeches. change his theme and swap audiences. but the Chautauqua orator has the dog star as his steady companion. as his regular traveling companion.