The state herald., 1908-07-03

est of sophists. There is
usually little to be gained
in what he says. but to ''the
groundlings." there is deep sig.
nificance in the way he says
but, to ''the groundlings," there is a
deep significance in the way he says
It. We had orators In the ward and
in the city. the common, native gar
den variety of "wind.jammers," and
the exotic. or imported variety of
"jaw-smiths." Oratory at its best is
rather lost art, and the political ora
tor Is a good example Of a lost artist.
We never expected to influence voting
In the ward on account OF speech-mak-
ing. The Republicans went to Repub-
lican meetings and the Democrats
went to Democratic gatherings. and
ceived was simply the Jolly" that
their own crowd was handing them.
and there you had II.
Occasionally a man might drift In
where some really witty and able
talker was rousting out the "chin-mu.
sic" and be impressed little, but af.
ter he had gone home and slept over
II. and appeared at the polls. he would
get the same old ticket and vote II in
the same old way. heard the orators
In an early day who were orators, but
did not hear them in the political cam.
paigns. Bob" Ingersoll and Emory
Storrs were orators the like of whom
! shall hardly hear again. but II was
not for me to be dazzled by the gilt
tering generallties or clumsy plati.
tudes of these "silver.tongued" orators
OF the hustings. no matter whether
they were OF my own party or not. !
liked good. sensible talk. but the
average line OF bunk" handed out by
the ground and lofty tumblers OF the
city campaigns was something TO
make II man laugh.
And yet the custom had grown so
strong that nothing could apparently
stop II. There was always the com.
mlttec on halls. and the committee on
speakers. and there was racing and
chasing OF cabs and mounting of
platforms by anxious candidates, and
q great desire TO present to the citi.
Eens the issues OF the day ana 80
iicit their suffrages on election day.
And who attended these meetings?
Why. mainly. the boys" The pre-
cinct captains. tho members OF the
ward clubs. tho hangers-on that only
know Andrew Jackson ns the name OF
. cigar. the men on the pipe extension
gangs. the ward superintendent, the
men down In the city hail. tho sewer
diggers, laborcrs. etc. who are work.
ing for tho city. and tho payroll bri'
Gade" In general
And whore was the private citizon7
Why. he was at home. reading the
evening paper. playing with tho cat,
having = quiet little game OF "cinch"
at ten cents q corner" fivo cents
q "setup" and Tommy around TO the
Du,chman'n with the big white pitcher.
Much he cared for oratory. II he goi
q letter from tho managers OF the cam
paign. or maybe u letter from may
orally candidate. hc opened II and
road II, and possibly spcculatcd n III.
tie M 10 tho truth OF II. but. an n rule.
he did not bother himself much rs TO
the meetings.
Thers was nm exception to this.
however. when the candidate for al
derman or tho candidate for mayor
appeared In a ward Then the citizens
generally went TO tho meetings. hut
not 10 hear what were giibiy termed
Issues" discussed. iut TO look AT the
candidate. niso him up. and SEQ whoth.
or they liked him. and N he looked
like mnn who could MI the Job,
They didn' care for his "oratory." un.
less he could toll thom n good story.
or roast the opposition candidates
si,,ily. and then he was indeed n
star"
The appearance Of the may.
orally candidate was, Of course.
tho great even, OF n ward
campaign. and nlled the halls
20 oyerfowinR. iloya and women IN
the galleries, and even the niHlea
jammed Perhaps some ''nllver
tongue" would be- making the welkin
ring with passionate deeiamaiory
burst about "ihe thirteen struggling
colonies" these are the times that
Try mems souls when In the course
Of human events" or some other
"suir borrowed from school his,osg II
n war pamphlet of the declaration Of
Independence. when all at once there