Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-03-30
SOME NATIONAL ISSUES
National Politics to be Discussed
This Spring and Summer.
STATEMENT MAY SEEM ODD
Great Change Has Come Over the
American People During the Last
Decade.

0eCGQe.
Washington, March 22.-Nauonal
political issues will be discussed to a
greater extent during the present
spring and summer tnan lney were
during the recent session OF congress.
This statement may seem odd, but II,
nevertheless, is true A change has
come over the people of America in
the last decade-a change that is par.
ucularly noticeable in Washington.
Years ago, political campaigns were
conducted practically through only
three or four months, in presidential
contest, and during oily two or three
months in congressional contest.
Times have changed and so have po-
litical methods. There is awaiting now
for the presidential campaign to be-
gin next spring or summer 1t is con"
at this moment. Candidates, in their
personality. may not be discussed so
much but issues of the campaign are
being threshed out from every rostrum
in the country.
Political arguments and partisan ap.
peals formerly were made either
through the newspapers or at stated
gatherings of one or another of the
political parties. In the opinion of the
best political observers, the day OF the
political meeting, as such, is passing.
If, indeed, it already has not gone into
history So far as Influence Is con.
cerned, II has become a "reminiscences
People attend political meetings as a
matter OF curiosity or to put in the
time. but not TO get instructions as to
how they shall vote. In few years
more the "spellbinder'' will be out OF a
job, because he no longer Is able, in
the Judgment of the political man.
ayers. to deliver the goods.
For several years the lecture plat
form has been increasing in impor.
lance and influence. 1t supplements
| thoroughly the newspaper press in
conveying TO the people facts and in.
formation about the government and
about the live questions of the day.
/ This is indicated by the number of
prominent Americans-men who are
identified with the political life OF the
countrywide have appeared on the
/ lecture platform ami who practical
ly have abandoned the political ros-
trum. Year in and year out they
preach their, doctrines from Chau-
tauqua platforms AMI lyceum stages.
/ The discussions OF issues which they
present to the people are supposed
to be non-partisan, bur as a matter Of
concrete fact they arc as partisan as
is the individual who delivers the adj
dress
! Political lecturing is not only pro-
ftable to the man who is successful
at 1t, but il enables the lecturer to
reach a greater number of people
whom he probably desires to reach
than any other method Several mem
bers of congress have lecture engage
ments which will consume practically
all of their time between this and the
converting OF congress next December.
For these lectures, which are either
plain political speeches or disserta.
tions ON various phases of social On
economical life, those who deliver
them receive from $50 to $3.50 each.
The price varies with the lecturer and
the subject
man. of South Carolina, will deliver
his lecture on the race question 150
times before congress reassembles
next December. Ia-+.--+ tine he viii
earn many times his salary as a Unit
ted States senator, for he is Yankee
enough 10 get a mighty good price
for his lecture engagements Every
Lyceum manager and lecture promoter
in the country eagerly sought Senator
.Tillman's services this year, for he
draws enormous crowds wherever he
is billed TO appear
Senator LaFollette, the diminutive
statesman from Wisconsin, will spend
much of his time during the spring
and summer on the lecture platform.
William Jennings Bryan, too, win ap-
pear frequently at important public
assemblages as, also. will Senator Bev-
eridge. OF Indiana, who just now is
conducting a debate with Mr. Bryan
on the issues Of the next presidential
campaign. Former Senator Fred. Du-
bois, of Idaho, will attack the Nor
mons on the lecture platform. Repre-
sentative Champ Clark, OF Missouri.
Governor Folk, of the same state, and
Governor Cummins, OF Iowa, also will
be prominent summer lecturers who
will seek 70 strengthen their political