Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-02

hours intermission for dinner; was re-
sumed at and continued till g. Sometimes
there was night session lasting till 10 A
lawyer would have horse case in the
morning, perhaps, defend a criminal in the
afternoon and conduct suit for the recov-
cry of damages or a debt the next day
There wasn't too much time for preparation
and there was little chance for specializa-
ton.
Court was held twice a year In each
county seat, and, while the session lasted
everybody who could do SO fiocked to town
from all the country round about Many
men were subpoenaed as witnesses and
drawn on JurieS, others were personally
interested in law suits, and those who
didn't have to go to town when court
was on did SO for the diversion, sometimes
bringing the family with them. To them
the sessions of court and the chance meet
.ings of friends from different parts of the
country were education, the theater soci-
ETY. and club life all combined
They furnished the one opportunity in
each half year for men to rub against each
other 10 discuss both large and small af-
fairs. to tell stories and hear them, to argue
about politics and above all to talk about
Lincoln. few were originally Yankees
from New England. others from New York
and Pennsylvania. but much the larger per-
centage We're from Kentucky, Tennessee
and North Carolina
Z 1t wouldn't be possible to practice law
on a western circuit or even to attend court
becoming interested in public affairs But
l was interested in politics long before
Then L was admitted to the party eau
cases In Indiana before was of age and
allowed to speak. / made political speeches
while 1 was reading law. 1 watched the
repeal OF the Missouri compromise and the
formation OF the republican party as
closely as l watch the progress of pub
lie affairs nowadays. / followed Buch-
anan's career and the debates between Lin
coin and Douglas minutely but l was not
different from all the thinking men about
me.
Everybody was interested; no one was
100 BUSY making money, or too much alb
sorbed In sport, society or anything else
to give attention to politics and to the gov
eminent of the republic. which is. after all,
the most Important topic to which any citI-
zen OF the republic can give attention.
I'm my time / have spoken BEFORE au-
diences composed of many different sorts
OF people and have never found audiences
so deeply interested about all public mat
ters as those made up Of the butcher the
baker and the candiestick maker OF the
county seat and the farmer round about.
Intelligence Of Audiences.
Everything considered. the farmer Is
about as intelligent student and critic OF
public men and measures as you can find
anywhere. In the summer he Is too busy
to read or study much. but In the winter
a large library. but his few books are gen.
orally selected with judgment and he reads
them, they weren't bought to ornament
library shelves. but to be OF use. He doesn't
have half dozen city papers to read daily;
perhaps he has only one county paper once
week, but he reads It closely and slowly
enough to comprehend 1t.
Next to audiences OF farmers I have
found those composed OF men who work
with their hands in the cities most inteili-
o.. &l~f~
Grafton OF politics. Perhaps they are quite
the equal Of the farmer audiences but I
don't know them quiteaas well. They are
hard to convince II they don't agree with
you, and they show #, but they give their
undivided attention to the speaker, even II
hostile to his doctrines. He L. talking
about how the government should be rum
and this IL naturally the most vital topic
In the world to every man who works with
his hands. since upon its proper conduct
depend his earnings, which means his en-
tire we'll being and the well being OF his
family. Understanding this. he studies
public questions. makes up his mind, per-
haps wisely, perhaps unwisely, and then
votes as he thinks.
so far as winning votes and being I'M
derstood by my audience go. I'd rather talk
In tent or cheap hall to crowd OF
men who eat by the sweat of the face and
whose hands are hard and knotted than
to an audience Of white-handed city law
yers and doctors, merchants and bankers
literary men and artists. The latter may
be more polite and cheer you mora FREE
quently. but often they don't take In half
you say. their minds being ON othsr things