The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-05-09


 cd, No Orator, Undignihsd, Mimic, hut H Vigorous, Sensible stump Speaker.
 l attended the mass meeting in the Auditorium theatre, Chicago, next the hotel and heard the president relieve himself of the first speech of the cam paign. Fully an hour before the time set for the opening of the meeting sev- eraI thousand citizens, male and female, and in the main republican, had gath cred in the huge hall. Shortly before g group of gentlemen looking somewhat self-conscious, was seen entering. At the head of them walked, rather un- gracefully, President Roosevelt. The 1000 spectators before him rose, cheer ing and fiuttering handkerchiefs. The president bowed, smiled, waved his hand in familiar way to private friend whom he had recognized in one of the boxes, and at last sat down. I noticed, quite dispassionately, though confess respectfully, that his dress suit seemed a little too large for him, and that he wore it rather ungracefully. His manner, too, smacked less of the council chamber than of the camp, or to be more accurate, I should perhaps say Of the western ranch. Men Of Presi- dent Roosevelts stamp are at their best on horseback, leading charges, chasing bulls, or leaping rail fence.
 Neither by nature nor by education is the head of the United States execu- tive an orator. That was evident from the very outset of the carefully pre- pared speech which. with the help of notes, he delivered in the evening on the Monroe doctrine. I am quite aware that the address looks we'll in print. It was clear-cut even to a fault; it was vigorous; 1t was direct. But 1t was not eloquent. It had little of the ferver and none of the imaginative spirit that one associates with the born speaker. AS for the presidents manner, I shall not be harsh if hint that 1t lacked dignity, distinction; ease and charm. The vital importance of the issue with which it dealt saved it from being com monplace. But, though I strained my ears to catch one noble phrase, strain ed vainly. There was plenty of good sense, much that was practical, some thing that seemed significant, in the words that fell heavily and emphatic ally from the presidents lips. There were pointed and pregnant warnings. meant, perhaps, more particularly for Germany, but not without interest to England. There was also what might be taken as a rebuke to Admiral Dew ey and other American patriots, who, in their anxiety to exalt their country, are sometimes apt to forget international courtesies. And, from beginning to end, there was manifest the dogged deter imitation that, at all risks, the speaker would uphold the doctrine"
 What pleased this public most in the address was the eminently matter-of- fact and somewhat vulgar advice to speak softly and carry g. big stick '' Though not an orator from this phrase it is quite plain that the president is & capable stump speaker. More than once, too, he convinced me that had he not taken to politics he might have made an actor. Consciously or uncon- sciously, when quoting the official cor respondence between MT. Hay and Dr. NUu IIOItSueu, dIlu Stt utiSudCi pSib and Lord Landsdowne, he dropped into mimicry. In reading the memorandum addressed by MT. Hay to the German ambassador, he adopted a senatorial tone. In quoting the message from Sir Michael Herbert to Lord Landsdowne he assumed (not litle to the amuse- ment of few Englishmen in the audi ence) a marked cockney accent. It is probable, and indeed certain, that no discourtesy was in the presidents mind when he treated his hearers to these examples of American humor. But we'll, 1t was not quite what one might have expected form the executive of g. great nation, dealing with great ques- tions.-London Chronicle.