The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30
NEW USE FOR OUR STATESMEN
GREAT DEMAND FOR THEN ~
THE CHAUTAUQUA FIELD.
RuraI Communities Eager 20 Hear Lee.
lures by COngreSsmen -TiIlman Made
III 5000 In This way Last Year Big
Earnings for other Public Men Also.

Representatives In Congress complain more
bitterly every day Of the poor pay and heavy
expense Of representing a constituency in
Washington. Many Of them are turning
for relief to the lecture platform and 10
the Chautsuqus field.
The C~hautauqua il very much on the
order Of the county fair. II Ia becoming
essentially a rural institution in these days
If prosperous crops and good prices. But
there is an intellectual favor about the
Chautsuqua which distinguishes it from the
county fair.
The Chautauqua bespeaks mental culture.
In these latter days Of the fat csrncrib and
the overlooking wheat bin the farmer
aspires to metropolitan airs. He wants to
be like the city folk.
His son rides in an automobile, his daugh-
ter goes to a finishing school, and he shows
a fondness for the luxuries Of life. The
~Chautauquas must afford entertainment
and in addition to the musical numbers
the moving pictures and other delectable
exhibits the orator of the day In a neces-
sary feature.
Of course there is a vast horde Of pro-
fessional lecturers, some OF them men Of
ability who live by their work on the plat
- ~ DhN Wv tAOtN lAOhlNaOlO OhhPlOy AllCht
In this line goes to political celebrities.
TIT farmer wants to see and hear Bryan
talk about free silver and he is willing to
ray the price. He doesn't object to the
gate money he has to pay to get a look at
Senator La Follette's pompadour.
He brings the whole family to town and
buys a ticket for each one Of them to hear
'Pitchfork" Tillman tell OF the lynchinR
e ,--.o - A. G,,,tL - 49, - -
thrill that is worth twice the gate money.
Now and then he sees a knockabout political
sketch in which Representative Charlie
lands of indiana or Representative Charlie
Grosvenor of Ohio is pitted against Champ
Clark or Dc Almond Of Missouri. 1t is a
rare treat.
Some of these debates recall the days OF
Lincoln and Douglas. Such sights are
presented in the political campaign but
rarely, for the day OF joint debates has
gone by in political campaigns.
Occasionally the debate is ~punctuated by
an incident that adds to, the interest Of the
show, as wa the case At a Chautauqua at
New Albany two years & when Repre-
sentative Champ Clark drew a knife from
his pocket and threatened to cut the throat
Of a er. l tent interrupter from ear to ear.
In the main these debates pass away without
incident, the Members OF each political
party cheering their favorite.
The most interesting phase OF the lecture
or ~Chautauqua evolution is the ~pecuniary
one. 1t has served to augment the income
Of a great many public servants who are
underpaid.
Some men have made snug fortunes from
their work in the C~hautauqua field. More
public men are going into the work every
year. Most Of them admit they like il.
The Chautauqua season is rapidly draw
ing to a close, andi il has been the most pros
porous Of any yet held. Senator Tillman
has been the great drawing card.
He has made more money out OF il than
any other Chautauqua attraction. He had
a fairly good reputation before the season
began. but the railroad rate bill in Congress
last winter brought him into such notoriety
that every farmer in the land wanted TO get
alook at him. Many of them wanted to hear
him and all Of them we're willing to pay
the admission fee.
Tillman saw the humorin the whole thing
but at the same time he did not overlook
the money. He told a South Carolina
political audience that he made the Yankees
pay him for the privilege OF hearing him
call them a lot Of hypocrites on the negro
question.
Mr.. Tillman could not begin to all the
engagements offered to him this season.
Three lecture bureaus competed for his
time and his price was $3.50 a lecture.
For a few special engagements he received
a higher price. At one place in Iowa he
received $500. At another in Illinois he
received $500. His season was probably
worth SIS 900 to him.
Next to Mr.. Tillman, Senator La Toilette
Of Wisconsin was the greatest attraction.
Tillman lectured on the rate question purely
from the Southern point Of view. Senator
la Toilette discussed the railroads and
defended his course in the Senate on rate
legislation. For all Of this the farmers
gladly paid.
Another popular attraction was Senator
Dolliver Of Iowa. His price is 500 a lecture.
He is a popular entertainer. Representa-
tive Champ Clark Of Missouri had one lecture
which dealt with incidents Of public life
culled from his experience az a member
of Congress that he delivered $50 times and
received 500 a night for it.
Gov. Hanly of Indiana evolved a lecture
at the beginning Of the season on The
Patriotism OF Peace He told a friend
recently hat he took sufficient time from
his g~ubernatorial duties in the past season
10 make 5000 from delivering the lecture.
That is almost equal to a years salary OF
the Governor OF Indiana.
Representative Charles B. lands OF the
same State has purchased a fine farm from
the proceeds OF his work on the lecture
platform. Senator Elmer j. Burkett OF
Nebraska and Representative Charles A.
Towneo Of New York were among the recruits
in the lecture field this season. Burkett
liked it and will continue, but Towne de-
clares it involves too much Inconvenience
and he will make no further engagements.
The ruling price for a lecture by a Sena-
tor is 5000. Representatives command 500
and upward.
Walter Wellman, who II now trying to
discover the North Pole, essayed a lecture
fight last season. He received SIPS a lecture
and tried to tell his audiences some OF the
things he had observed in Washington as
a newspaper correspondent. His first en-
gagem ent was in Posey county, Ind, at
New Harmony.
Mr.. Wellman read his lecture and he said