Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-07-19

DISlt AIlEsSA VII Ne
s..!...E
No nan IAN earn 800 an hour on
the average chautauqua platform.
He may be paid that much or more
by the management but the condi-
lions which compel such contracts
must result in wiping out the Lyceum
Bureau trust or fewer orators and
fewer chantauquas.
Mr.. Bryan In the midst OF his popu-
larity could command $3.50 for a single
address and the public interest In the
great cOmmoner would bring a paying
audience. Capt. Hobson OF Merrimac
fame, was a great attraction for a
season and people fiocked to see him.
Senator LaFollette and Governor
Folk are great orators and preach re-
form and are doing magnificent work
for the people yet not half the people
came to hear either OF them that
crowded our big auditorium to see
Hobson, q brilliant young officer, but
the hero commanded more interest
than the great orators who came
preaching reform. All the people love
q hero, some love to hear great ora.
tors, but when you want to reach the
,1saasssssss young and old give them mo
ing pictures Of a high class and the
hero and the orator are distanced as q
drawing attraction. This has been
clearly proven during the Assembly
just closed.
Epworth League assemblies and
chautauquas can't be maintained un-
less the receipts are equal at least to
the expense incurred and when great
orators fail to draw support, In a FIN
ancial way, equal to the expense OF
their coming, then conditions must
change and the Lyceum Bureau trust
must be busted.
The Lyceum bureau trust will soon
compel the managers Of the chautau-
quas In the northwest to fight the
trust or refuse to employ their speak
ers, and the speakers, themselves,
should condemn these bureaus who
probably charge 50 per cent Cor the
privilege Of booking them. The great
orators are nearly all preaching de-
struction Of trusts and monopOlies
andyet In the face OF this they charge.
or their agents do, 500, 1l25o OF $50 an
hour to educate the people against
trust robbers and combines while they
are controlled or allow themselves to
be controlled by q trust that means
the destruction Of the public forum.
We do not like to call 1t greed or love
or wealth; we would rather term 1t
patriotism and love of Justice In be-
half Of the people at half the price
per speech.
The day was when the public forum
vas the great educator, that day has
passed with the arrival OF great news
papers, the rural mail service and the
telephone. The man living out In the
country ten or fifteen miles Is In daily
touch with the outside world and the
great speeches Of today In Chicago,
Washington, New York, London or
Paris are read tomorrow by the farm
81 and his children, thus the public
forum Is no longer q public necessity.
The man who comes with his illus
strated lectures and mirth provoking
moving pictures opens q book full OF
interest and amusement that az pub
lie speaker ~ match, and this was
fully and completely demonstrated on
the last night Of Robertson's moving
pictures last week. Heretofore Hob
sOn day held the record for the largest
audience In our big auditorium. but
the last night of the Robertson 10y
ing pictures Knocked out the Hob
record and the new record will
stand for some time OF until = Robert
s0n or : Robertson makes . new re-
cord.
"A very large majority Of the people,
young and old. want fun and amuse-
ment and they ara willing to pay for
and these Ia the country are will
ing to drive ten and fifteen miles at
ter ten o'clock 70 prove It.
Many Of the chAutauquAs are held
Ia July when the farmers are busy In
their corn fields and few car to give
up killing weeds TO hear any public
Ipeaker because most Of them have
.ssd the speeches Or tho substance Of