The Washington herald., 1910-06-12
BIZ JAMES b. MORROW.

school teachers in a neighboring county
OF Nebraska
Between the calls OF infrequent and
experimental clients. he thought out a
rhetorical discourse on Man and his en-
vironment," first writing it down and
then committing 1t to memory. To his
surprise, not TO mention his abashment,
he found. on reaching the convention,
that his audience was made up OF
women. Changing the sex of his sub
Ject and his subject matter was out OF
question. The lady. disguise her as he
might. would still be grotesquely and
coarsely masculine. wearing boots and a
beard. as well as being ordorous with
tobacco.
Standing on his feet, bowling to a sa-
Lutte OF alluring eyes and fluttering hand
kerchiefs. Elmer Jacob Burkett il would
be natural to suppose. was in a distress
Ing situation. But aerobatics, mental and
oratorical, fastened to his rescue Stirnu-
lated, even ecstasized. by the eager and
inspiring faces before him. Elmer Jacob,
dark, bold. and handsome, trumpet
voiced and fascinating. poetized feminin-
ity until the oldest and ugliest and most
JOY over the crown so beautifully wrought
out and placed upon her brow so gal
lantly and reverentiany.
Praise for WOmanhood.
Since then. both as Mr.. Burkett and
Senator Burkett. he has specialized In
panegyrics to womanhood The extern
ported address 10 the Nebraska school
teachers was elaborated and TRANSMITTED
into lecture on THE new woman and
tbs young man." and has been delivered
in twenty-seven States.
My new woman" he said TO mel
found him at his home playing A Violin
is not faddist. She doesn't neglect her
husband or children for literature or
civic problems like street cleaning or bad
tenements The young man is her hus-
oand' can do anything with that cou-
pie. and can talk about them for five
hours at a stretch. have taken them
through the civil war They have chop
ped down forests. as I describe them.
huilt cities on the praries, and dug mines
among the mountains.
Last summer, I went TO Ellis Island
and saw 1900 immigrants leave their shlps
IN single day. They had come from
twenty-six countries in Asia and Europe
Bags and bundles were on their backs
some of them wore wooden shoes.
Friends and relatives who had been here
two or three years wers at the island 10
meet them-prosperous, well-dressed men
IN stin hats and polished shoes and
women wearing shirt waists ana ostrich
plumes. The immigrants fantastic In
rim
ignorant OF our language. are among
my new women and my young men. Five
years In America viii do more for them
than life time anywhere else. The sub
Ject. you see, is endless. When 7 get
going. Il IS difficult 20 stop. Young girls.
the first in the world, were graduated
from college Of this country in 1894
The new woman originated in America.
and she Is the person whom 7 celebrate.
Equals Bryan as TaIker.
Also. Senator Burkett talks politics In
deed, he is, generically, a talking man
He can speechify with William Jennings
Bryan. his neighbor. on even terms. Com
putting his verbal output on the basis OF
age. he has probably uttered mora words
IN public than any other politician in the
United States. He has a book in which
he enters record of his speeches. their
subjects, the time. and places of their
delivery, and careful estimates pertaining
70 the number of people comprising his
audiences He says. however. that when
he first Joined a debating club az college
his mouth wouldn't work" Putting
down In writing and memorizing what
he meant to say, Il would get I'D hem
and haw and not say it." A man OF the
people, he often chops of his sufHxes in
conversation and so goes eampaignin' and
speakin', as he explains 10 his constitu-
ents
Out In Nebraska" he remarked 10 me
quite innocently. I though. the poIj
tiSians keep sayin' that Bukett doesn't
kaaw anything about politics but the
people keep votin' for me Just the same.
semperamentally. Burkett is comparable
with Mckinley, whom he resembles In
color. manner, and stature. AS he turns
his face and head. under the glare Of
the burning gas overhead. he looks at
times Ike Bryan. again like Stephen A
Douglas. and even. momentarily. like
Daniel Webster. I should say that he IS
adroit, cautious, and sentimental An
pearing TO be careless of details. he Is
quietly watchful and methodical. while
I am stamping Nebraska, talking six
times day" he observed to me. u
have definite knowledge of what is &C.
curing at headquarters Every man who
writes TO him receives a prompt, friendly.
and lengthy answer. He is personally ac-
quainted with all the working Republicans
in Nebraska. and keeps q written and
indexed history OF their political activ-
tiles. from the lonely crossroads hidden
in the country. 10 the wards and pre-
cinets OF large towns and cities.
Bryan Seeks HIS Scalp.
This year, Burkett will be of pictur-
esqus interest. nationally. because Mr..
Bryan, who has been on his trail since
1886. will again contrive to defeat him.
He talked Bryan into a state of hoarse-
ness and almost muteness six. years ago
when both were candidates for the Sen
ate. as he had done several times before
The tolls of the Democratic campaign
this summer and autumn, however. VIII
be taken up by Gilbert Mcneil Hitch
cock, who has already volunteered for
the duty. Returning from his travels,
Bryan will stump Nebraska, incident 10
the tomahawling he wants to give Bur-
kett. and the many substantial favors
he owes Hitchcock. who is a Represent
alive In Congress and the proprietor of
the Omaha World-Herald
Just before the close of Mr.. Bryan's
second term in the House of Represent
atives he wrote and inquired If he could
purchase a small interest in the weekly
issue of Mr.. Hitchcocks newspaper. He
was poor. and he desired to find a way
by which he could press his political
beliefs upon the farmers Of Nebraska,
On the day Bryan wrote to Hitchcock
} strangely enough, Hitchcock wrote 10