The sun., 1903-07-05
ORATORS OF The EAST SIDE.
DEBATES ON STREET CORNERS
FLOUR NOW.
Interest Added To Them by the Efforts of
Two warning Factions OF socialists
ROut Of Han nssrOOs who Tried TO
Break UP n Neeting--OutIoOk Some
times RlOtOus. but Casualties Few.

| ueDdtlnX SOCletleS are up anu aI oLAe aLioIilei
the nights of forensic slugging matches on
East Side corners,
| II IL only in warm weather that these
societies flourish, because the halls In which
most of their debates are held have the
heavens for ceiling. Storms OF rain
silence their orators, but on pleasant even
ings they hurl defiance into the teeth of
st orms of opposition from rival clubs
whose members, when they don't happen
TO have a meeting on themselves. gather
to hoot and jeer.
"The retort courteous" is not in the COM
mon coinage OF language at these meet
ings The more usual medium OF exchange
is "the lie direct" for the club members
are mostly excitable youths OF foreign
parentage, whose minds are heated by
socialistic doctrines. The clubs are gem
orally identified with one OF the other OF
two warning factions among the Socialists.
Nearly every night now they are holding
meetings on the corners.
| The approach Of typical debate one
evening last week was heralded by two
or three youths with a big dry goods box
and another with an oil-cloth banner. In
| a thoroughfare just of Grand street the
| box was put in position near the curb, SO
| that passing vehicles would not break up
the meeting, and the banner was planted
| behind.
! Then the chairman rose-rose from the
I asphalt to the top Of the box and gazed
at the passing crowds with oratorical calm
ness. He cleared his throat, in order that
his voice might rise above the roar Of traf-
| fic. and launched forth.
A group of fellow club members were
around him, They and his words attracted
passers-by In a moment he had his audi
ence and lost no time in introducing the
speaker Of the evening.
The latter bobbed up energetically from
the group around the banner. He was a
thin-faced youth, with the extension chin
of the emphatic orator, and keen and
eager air. Immediately he struck note
of strenuous eloquence.
Benedict Arnold was traitor to his
country, but"
$50 are you.
| The speaker stopped and cast scorch-
ing look down in front of him.
! BE still, he commanded. Benedict
| Arnold was traitor to his country, but
you workingmen know, and know"
| you dond know vat you're talkin'
| aboud"
Il don't. don't I2' cried the orator
well, know enough to talk like man
| and not hiss out from under foot like a
sna AXE"
F. There was applause. The speaker =
face showed a gleam of triumph as he
| resumed his discourse with added Hervor.
! For full moment he continued without
| interruption. Then a voice louder than
either Of the others broke In:
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask some ques-
| tions"
"Well, wait till I get through, can't you?"
demanded the speaker fiercely, Then
III give you the platform. No. won't
either. know you and your tricks, Mr..
Kangaroo.
Men" he shouted to the audience, -the
kangaroos are thick here tonight. They
gather around these meetings like lot
of yellow dogs,
But we're up to their lodges. They
| want to get on this platform and talk such
foolishness that in five minutes you'll all
be two blocks away. Afterward they
will say, Well, he was a new member
what they are after is to break up the
meeting. We don't stand for that no
longer.
"Do you know for what we call them
kangaroos? It's. because when We chal
'lenge them to a real debate they jump
away
You're liar a voice called.
"Do you hear that?" cried the speaker.
That's the way they debate That's the
| only way they know how. II you want
to talk. he added, glaring down in front
again, "go and get your own platform and
bring it down here. But you don't dare TO-
You don't dare to stand up like men, you
| kangaroos.
His glance was enough to frighten the kan
garoos, but the latter continued to glance
up with sarcastic smiles until their pres
the crowd, drew them all aside. There
was hasry conclave over by the drug
store wall The disturbers of the meeting
| disappeared, and the orators elOquence
! flowed on for little while uninterrupted
except by the rattle of trucks, the whirr
and clang of cars and the general pande-
monium of a fine evening in Grand street.
One Of the enemy had been left, however
! to cover the retreat.
Forget it. You are talking through
| your hat. would like to say something's :"
he called out at the end Of one of the orators
strongest periods.
What Is your name?' demanded the
latter, leaning over the box to transfix
the interrupter with his glance
what lss that to your"
The orator turned triumphantly to the
| audience.
Men" he exclaimed, here is kangaroo
that's ashamed of his name. He's got a
| name 80 bespotted and besmirched that
he's ashamed to speak it out"
ThuH this QIn was RilanCpQ bit the 0n0mv
the street. They were coming fast with
The gun standard, that ia, the drygoods
box, was dragged into position near the
opposite curb, the banner was planted and
a dark and fiery youth appeared above
the crowd to be the mOuthpiece for the
| hot shot.
The opposing orator paid no attention
to all this. Except to raise his voice to n
still higher pitch he gave no heed to his
rival until the latter, turning, pointed
finger Of wrath and scorn at him and
shouted:
Working men, he's your worst enemy.
He and all his gang are scabs'
This seemed TO be homo thrust. The
first orator wheeled and shouted back:
Don't listen to him. He's sold out
You can buy him like piece Of beef in the
butcher store. He's looking for a graft
all the time, and have the papers here to
prove it.
With hasty hands he reached down into
the tail pocket of his long coat and drew
out a Socialistic newspaper, which he held
out and waved over the crowd. long arm
reached up and seized the evidence.