Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-08-19
A WOULD BE ORATOR sHElvED.

A WOULD BE ORATOR SHElVED.
1t is announced On the authority Of
Mr. Cortelyou that Mr.. Roosevelt will |
make no speeches during the campaign. !
When Mr.. Roosevelt WAS the Vice |
Presidential candidate with Mr.. Nc
Kinley he spoke At many places in |
fact he seemed to develop fOndness |
for this sort of work Those who have
heard Mr.. Roosevelt on the rOstrnm |
think the present announcement a |
wise one and plainly tells that his man.
ayers were afraid to trust him. 1t is
difficult for him to speak. He clinches
his fists shows his teeth, and goes at
his work as he would at a punching
bag, or an antagonist in the ring. |
There is nothing in it that sAvors or
OratOry. Every movement is strenu
Ons. every muscle of his arms, hands
and face seem drawn to the limit OF
their tension. Agony is not the ex-
preston to convey an idea of the |
''strenuosity" of the movement, or |
the pain and labor of the delivery. His
sentences are grammatical, but harsh |
and angular. He has not a sem alliance
of the gift of eloquence. He causes
his audience pain. as he seems to cause
himself. His hearers wonder whether
he will find the next word, and whether
he will ever complete the sentence.
They tire in this fear, and after his
speech is ended there is feeling Of
lassitude seldom experienced by per-
sons in listening to any other speaker.
1t is something like going down IL
toboggan slide-you feel rather glad
you did it, but you wouldn't do il
again for the world. Nobody ever goes
two days in succession to hear Mr..
Roosevelt, one is sufficient, If indeed
it is not more than sufficient. Demos.
themes, when asked what were the
three principal parts of an orator, said
Action, action, action" Lord Ches.
terfield has said that the force and
persuasion of an orator consists a great
deal in his graceful action and good
elocution. These being essentials Mr..
Roosevelt must forever remain outside
the lists. for he possesses not one in
gredient deemed so essential by those
who have essayed to tell us the man
ner OF an orator and the meaning of
true eloquence.
1t is not at all certain that he writes
his speeches on ordinary occasions. but
be maps out in his mind the line he in
tends to proceed on, still his impetu0s-
ity is likely to lead him from his in.
tended line, hence he is dangerous to
his party. and hence the wisdom of
sealing bis lips. 1t is certain no ut
terance Of his would lead to victory.
but not certain that some such might
not assist in defeat.
His pronunciation is of a kind not
met with usually, and has no real place
In the heavens above nor the earth
beneath, it is his, and should not be
spread abroad in the land. 1t has
nothing liquid about it, it is not rein
ed, yet it is not coarse. He follows no
set rule, the accent is handled by him.
self in his own peculiar style, and
placed on any part of the word which
suits him, the dictionary is not con.
suited. For instance he pronOunces
the word Virginia, Vir-gin-eye-aye,
and separates the syllables in that ex
act way. Norfolk he prOnOunces Nor
fork, with the accent entirely on the
fork. Negro he pronounces nee grow,
with accent hard upon the nee. These
words give some slight idea of how
foreign his accent is to ours and his
pronunciation of words with which we
deal every day differs from ours. Just
how be prOnounces-ROoker Washing
tOn-we do not know and have been
unable to ascertain, notwithstanding
the general anxiety on this subject.
though we do know that he places
much stress upon the subject. if not
upon any particular part of the name.
IL is Very wise that he should be
"scratched'' from the list of orators,
but We cannot tell by what means his
name was taken down, certainly no
one had the gall to insinuate that he
was not an orator, and no one dared 90 |
to him and advise with him on the |
subject of his own conduct during the
campaign. Such slap in his face
would be like grinning in the fac. of |
an idol. 1t is enough. however, that |
he is out of the list, and that the pub |
lie will not be called on to rush to |
what ought to be IL big show, and then |
find when there, that there was no |
show at all, not even merry go round. |
A negro boy died in Stauuton last |
week with what seemed plain case
OF appendicitis. His snfferings we're