Evening journal., 1911-09-08
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Triumph Of
OratOry
By Holland

No finer demonstration of the power
Of a real orator. both to get the ear Of
an audience. and. having done that, to
hold the audience as long as he
chooses as if in the hollow Of his
hand, was ever made in New York city
-at least since the Civil War days
than that which occurred at the cli-
max OF the Republican party's CAM
paign in the metropolis in 1900
The climax Of the campaign. so far
as the Republicans were concerned,
was the great mass meeting held in
Madison Square Garden. The simple
announcement that Theodore Roose-
velt, Governor of New York state and
the Republican candidate for vice
president, would speak at the meeting
was sufficient of itself to pack the
vast auditorium of the garden to its
capacity 1t was estimated that at
least fifteen thousand persons were in
the auditorium when Governor Roose-
welt began TO speak.
After the hero of San Juan hill had
finished his speech and taken his seat
amid great cheering, there arose al
tAiN' AARui al parts VI lnf EdANAH liit
familiar sounds of many persons leav-
ing the hall Indeed in great masses
the people began to rise from their
seats and head for the exits. Il was
plainly apparent that almost all of
these who had been attracted to the
meeting had come out of curiosity to
see and hear the Republican party's
candidate for vice-president. II had
been announced that William p. Frye.
United States Senator from Maine,
would also address the meeting-that
he had been especially invited by the
Republican county committee to come
on from his home in Maine for this
purpose. But most OF those who had
heard Colonel Roosevelt speak knew
nothing about Mr.. Frye except that he
represented Maine in the Senate. and
that knowledge was not sufficient to
keep them In their seats after they had
heard and seen Governor Roosevelt.
General Francis " Greene. at that
time prominent IN Republican politics
in New York state, presided at the
meeting and he was greatly mortified
when he saw that II was apparently
about to break up of its own accord.
General Greene had already called
upon Senator Frye who advanced to
the front of the platfrom and began
to speak in a low tone Of voice. But
nobody paid any heed to him, and ne
was visibly discounted.
Suddenly General Greene had an in
spiration. He was blessed with a very
powerful voice and in stentorian tones
that carried above the hustle and con-
fusion occasioned by the departing
thousands, he cried as he advanced to
the edge Of the platform:
"Gentlemeni Gentlemenl Please re-
main seated so that you may hear the
Acting Vice President of the United
States. Senator Frye"
II was a most tactful and efficient
way of arresting that departing crowd: (:
TO refer TO Senator Frye as the act
/ ing Vice-President, which he was by
virtue Of the fact that he was then
president of the Senate, was to give TO
him an official dignity which he was
entitled to. And no sooner had Cen
eral Greene made his appeal than the
people hesitated and the thought
seemed to run through the mind OF
all; I'VE have just heard the Republi-
can candidate for vice-president and
this man who stands before us is act
ing vice-president We will see what
he amounts to as a speaker" So
many reseated themselves, but many
more remained standing. awaiting the
first words OF the acting vice-pres-
ident.
Senator Frye. with his beautifully
modulated flutelike voice, spoke 2
single sentence. The crowd gave him
linstantly Its ear. He spoke again
The crowd began to settle itself firmly
I'm the seats. In three minutes he had
that vast audience enthralled and In
the three-Quarters of an hour which
he used in making his address not one
person left the hall Then. when h'
had finished. they all sat for a moment
in silence before they burst out il
applause. And that is one of the fines
tributes an orator can receive.
Copyright 1911. by E. J. Edwards AL
rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell o
lNA prc- CouNouffou Tall with Genera