The San Francisco call., 1908-09-29
|DOODlfD[[ ORATOR
IS DISMAL FAILURE
Much Heralded Vice Presiden-
tial Candidate Like Patent
Medicine "SpieIer"
Crowd Cheers for Bryan and
Bill Squires to Dismay of
Spell Binder

Doodle deeism handed San Francisco
a chilling disappointment last night
when it trotted out it's vice presidential
candidate. John Temple Graves, at
Dreamland rink. Press agented as a
spellbinder. warranted to make the
eagle scream, he failed to come up to
specifications and the disgusted crowd
thinned at every punctuation point.
Graves 'chewed wind'-to use an
elegancy of diction. coined by Hearst,
master of the doodle dees. There was
none of the expected word painting, no
sumptuous periods, no oratory; in fact,
just the stop watch diction affected by
patent medicine spielers
Without magnetism, superficial using
no emphasis but pump handle ges-
ture, and talking without pause, as
though by rote. Graves failed to make
a hit with his hearers Howard s.
Taylor Of Illinois, doodle dee candi-
date for United States senator. who
spelled" Graves. made a much better
speech and much more favorable inn
preston.
1t was the proudest moment of Hugh
McIsaac's life when he led Graves down
the aisle while the band blared The
Stars and Stripes" John L. Polito.
who followed with Taylor, tried TO look
hlase and unexcited. Dan OConnell
thought Of the great liberator and was
stern; but Dent Robert let his feelings
overflow and rushed forward to wiring
Graves hand. Barney Dougherty and
Carl Brown in the front row cheered
Justify.
Graves is an elderly slight little man
OF clerical aspect; little eyes set in a
pale face; hair thinned away from a
broad forehead; deep slanting lines on
either side Of his straight thin lips.
black corded pince nez bore out
the reverend appearance. He was ner-
vous and alternately fingered and
mouthed black panatella while wait
ing to speak.
Polito, in opening the meeting hit
the republicans and democrats a few
cruel Jolts and said that while Graves
was not much on weight he was a
giant in genius and ability. Then he
introduced Taylor.
TAYLOR R0ASTS EVERYBODY
Taylor sailed full steam against the
republican and democratic agents of
reasonable trusts; he scored Okla
homa's vulgar fraction of governor;
he handed it to Roosevelt. and he
scorched Root. Punctuating his SEN
tences with left jabs TO his mustache.
Taylor dubbed Bryan "the great re-
treater," and elected applause. Warm
ing up he quoted somebody who had
said; Bryan is the PLATFORM where
upon the tickle multitude set UP a
cheer for Bryan which lasted for two
whole minutes. although Taylor tried to
stop it.
quentially enthusiastic. Somebody
spoiled one of Taylor's periods with
three cheers for Bill Squires." So the
candidate for the senate made way for
Graves. When the Georgian arose Dan
O'Connell leaped forward with three
cheers for him, whereupon the gallery
retaliated with three cheers for Eu-
gene V. Debs. Downstairs they fell
in line with three cheers for Bryan,
when a raucous voice had called for
three cheers for DIR. C. c. O'Donnell''
the crowd was ready for Graves.
Il am deeply moved by the cordiality
of the reception rendered by an audi
ence so brilliant and distinguished as
this started Graves; and, wondering
il he was Kidding everybody lis
tened.
But everybody didn't hear, for
not fill the hall. Not hearing him,
the audience was not impressed by his
arguments nor by his finger, which
was not nearly as hypnotic as Sam
Shortridge's celebrated digit.
CROWD STREAMS OUT
Graves said the plutocrats were
thoroughly satisfied with both big
parties: he saw trust cunning in the
campaign apathy. After charging that
Standard oil liked Bryan as much as
Haskell, he paused-paused unluckily,
for the crowd began to stream out from
every aisle Getting busy again, Graves
said the republican party was ready
to wrap the splendid mantle of it's
sins about it and fall beside the pillars
of the constitution" which it had for
ever stained by it's history. Then he
charged full tilt against the democrats
and called Bryan hard names.
DO you wonder / turned from hin, ?''
he asked, and while some cheered an
other steady outpour began.
Graves took a fling at Bell, roasted