The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-07-16
POLITICAL orator is a man
Of verbal luxuriance, and
nearly always the shallow
est of sophists. There is



usually little to be gained
IN what he says, but, to 1.-The
groundlings," there IL a 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 good example of 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
the applause that the speakers re-
ceived was simply the Jolly" that
their own crowd was handing them,
and there you had 1t.
Occasionally 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
1t. and appeared at the polls, he would
get the same old ticket and vote 1t 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 it was
not for me to be dazzled by the gilt
tering generalities or clumsy plau-
tudes Of these "silver-tongued" orators
of the hustings, no matter whether
they were of my own party or not.
liked a 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 man laugh. tl-
And yet the custom had grown 80
strong that nothing could apparently
stop it. There was always the COM
mittee on halls. and the committee on
chasing of cabs and a mounting of
platforms by anxious candidates, and
. great desire to present to the citi-
Gems the tissues of the day and 30
ncit their suffrages 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 apprehension
gangs the ward superintendent, the
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 quiet little game of "cinch"
at ten cents Corner" five cents
q "set-up" and Tommy around to the
Dutchman's with the big white pitcher.
Much he cared for orstory. II he got
q letter from the managers of the cam
paign. or maybe letter from may
orally candidate, he opened 1t and
read 1t, and possibly speculated lit
tie as to the truth of 1t, but, as a rule,
he did not bother himself much az to
the meetings.
There 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. But
not to hear what were glibly termed
issues" discussed. But to look at the
candidate, size him up, and see wheth-
er they liked him, and If he looked
like . man who could fill the Job.
They didn't care for his "oratory," un-
less he could tell them good story,
or roast" the opposition candidates
wittily, and then he was indeed
star" 'H%ts
The appearance of the may
orally candidate was, Of course,
the great event of ward
campaign, land filed the halls
to overlooking. Boys and women in
the galleries, and even the aisles
TANNED. Perhaps some "silver-
tongue" would be making the welkin
ring with a passionate declamatory
burst about ''the thirteen struggling
colonies" these are the times that
try mems souls" when in the course
II human events" or some other
CUR borrowed from school history.
Awar pamphlet or the declaration OF
hdspendence, whom all At once there