The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-30
On the Platform.

Many times it has been said the lee
ture platform is not what it used to be-
Yet all over the country lecturers, re-
citers, i"mpersOnators and entertainers
Of various kinds are earning livings, or
supplementing their regular incomes
by appearing in courses" under church
or club management. The number of
persons who hear and watch them must
be enormous. The announcements In
which their talents are described do not
sustain the charge that they are not the
peers Of their predecessors, or indicate
that men Of inferior ability only are on
the list. In fact, the platform enter
tainers Of to-day are amazing in their
gifts. For instance:
-vAScE COOKIES best poem 10 tho one that asks
Are you . trailer or are you . trolleyf I might
run clippings t~estifying that | am not . trailer. but
l VIII say only this: II you want . lecture that lifts
and builds and hits the audience with ideas. a lee
ture that ripples ard giistens with beauty and Joy
and knowledge. dipping into It's topics with . h&ppy
foolery. yet keen a. . rapier in sending home its
ideas. then my lectures are worth considering. II
you want q lecture In your town that will be an
event. write me"
OF exceptional ability must be the
mar who promises marvellous word
painting who Is "one of the most elo-
quent lecturers ever heard in Ottumwa,
Iowa." and who for wit, beauty Of die
ton and personal magnetism is unex-
celled." The bearer of the title king
OF Conjurers' improves and instructs,
and Mascot, the Educated Horse, under
stands 1900 commands in four Ian
guagos. Had the platform of the mid
'sOs anything better to offer? In its
ancient days, was there ever man whose
deliverances were better than the soul
stirring, uplifting, matchless lecture
OF the man who promises "a real live
number? A Swiss Canadian Artist"
has received Endorsements from these
conservative men: r. P. HoBsoN, r.
M Ia FOLLETTE.' The Man with the
Right Kind OF a Message presents this
convincing testimonial from a citizen
Of Mcclure, Ohio:
Il ran never be tho ssme man after hearing
you to night
"The Apostle Of Sunshine is the dean
Of the American platform One leo
turer prints a carefully tabulated Stats
tical report, showing that out of forty
six appearances he scored 100 in all but
three, and many times was entitled to
the distinguishing double stars that
mean his audience was extra delighted
Here is the Man Who Touches Life
With Upward Impulse:
Entered Chautauaua field In 1905, after having
made good in Lyceum, returning four. i've and six
times 70 many towns with twelve bookings, and
. made good or made a hit and was Immediately
engaged for next season. and made . bigger hit
and is engaged for 'O7-thrd consecutive season
at each chautauqua. Also nIied a dozen bookings
at other and made the hit OF the session
aud was Immediately engaged for next season.
He has never lcctured at any ChautauquA where
he was not Immediately engaged again. Has
twenty -nve return dates and many new ones, and
only few open dates"
In the same publication from which
these comforting evidences of the plat
forms continued strength are taken,
however, is another department, in
which a number Of managers have an
swered the question, What does the