Gunnison news-champion., 1908-07-03

hNniiN aaNnNH Aht ENatNtN
est Of sophists. There is
usually little to he gained
IN whst he saws. but. to til.
Sruundiings, there is a deep SIG
nifcsnce in the way he say :
but. 20 the grouRdlings. there is a
deep signifcance In the vay he saws
it Ne had orators in the ward and
IN the city the common. native gar.
zen variety of wind TANNERS. and
the exotic. or imported variety OF
jaw smiths" Oratory al It's 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 MAX
Ing The Republicans went TO Repub-
hcan meetings and the Democrats
went To Democratic gatherings. and
the applause that the speakers re
ceived was simply the Jolly" that
their own crowd was handing them.
and there YOU had IT,
Occasionally a man might drift in
where some really witty and able
talker was rousting out the "chip-mu-
sic. and he impressed a 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 it in
the same old way. | heard the orators
In an early day who were orators. but
did not hear them in the political cam
psiens. Bob lngersoll and Emory
Storrs were orators the like of whom
I ari..
not for me TO be dazzled by the gilt
tering generalities or clumsy plati-
tudes of these "silver-toneued" 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 bv
the ground and lofty tumblers OF the
city campaigns was something to
MAKE man laugh
And yet the custom had grown so
strong that nothing could apparently
stop it. There was always the com
mittee on halls. and the committee on
speakers, and there was a racing and
chasing of cabs and a mounting OF
platforms by anxious candidates. and
Cl'hl u'siit 10 lt Tue flii7
zens the issues of the day" and so
licit their sufrrages on election day.
And who attended these meetings ?
Why. mainly. the boys" The pre-
cinct captains, the members of the
ward clubs. the hangers-on that only
knew Andrew Jackson as the name of
cigar. the men on the pipe-eNtension
int he
men down in the city hall. the sewer
diggers. laborers, etc. who are work
ing for the city, and the payroll bri
gade" in general
And where was the private citizen
Why. he was at home. reading the
evening paper playing with the cat
having a quiet little game of "cinch'
al ten cents corner" five cents
"set-up" and Tommy around to the
Dutchman's with the big white pitcher
Much he cared for oratory. II he got
letter from the managers of the cam
paien. or maybe letter from a may
orally candidate, he opened it and
read ii. and possibly speculated a lit
tie, as TO the truth of il, but. as a rule
he did not bother himself much as to
the meetings
Thers was an exception to this
however when the candidate for al
derman or the candidate for mayor
appeared in ward. Then the citizens
generally went to the meetings. Bat
not to hear what were glibly termed
issues discussed. But to look al the
candidate. size him up. and see wheth,
er they liked him. and If he looked
like a man who could fill the job
They didn't care for his "oratory." un
less he could tell them a good story
or roast" the opposition candidates
wittily. and then he was indeed a
star"
The appearance Of the NAV
orally candidate was. of course
the great event of ward
campaign. and filled the halls
TO overfowing. Boys and women il
the galleries. and even the aisles
tammed. Perhaps some silver
tongue would be making the welkir
ring with passionate declamatory
burst about the thirteen struggling
colonies" these are the times thai
try mems souls when in the course
of human events" or some othei
'aun- borrowed from school history
war pamphlet or the declaration oi
independence, when all at once there