The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-08-24
eY ESTHER GRIFFIN WHITE.

"The greatest first night audience I
ever saw at a Chautauqua," said DR..
Wilbur L. Davidson, the platform man.
ager, to Palladium representative last
evening 81 would, in my long expe-
rience with chautauqua audiences, es-
innate it at $500" The platform man.
ayers impression was confirmed Off
cially and by the regular habitues.
With the addresses of John Gunkle
and Adam Bede, and the diverting,
varied and excellent near-vaudeville
stunts of the Cambridge Players, the
Chautauqua started off in fine form
yesterday.
The talk of John Gunckle, reported
in detail in the Palladium yesterday,
was one of the most Interesting ever
heard before the Chautauqua on ac-
count of it's peculiar relation to the
social propaganda of the day, and it's
exposition of those methods for re-
claiming boys which have given Gunc-
kle an international reputation.
The Witty Adam Bede.
Adam Bede, ex-congressman from
Minnesota, and stand-pat Republican,
in the parlance of the street handed
Our Nation; Its Problems and Prog
ress," given in the evening.
Adam Bede was admittedly one of
the greatest wits ever in congress.
And certainly one of the funniest
who ever appeared before the chautau-
qua.
The brand of humor he dispensed
from behind the latter's footlights had
what the artists call "tonal quality
and the users of the vernacular
class"
And abounded in exquisitely anus
ing epigrams.
In instance, when referring to the
fact that he would rather have written
the Twenty-third Psalm than have
built the Temple, for the latter crumb-
led into dust but the former would
echo down the ages, he spoke of Dav.
i'd, it's author. as that man
"Who found his sons hanging by the
hair from trees and in other striking
attitudes"
Neither does nay idea of happiness
consist in lining up at bar and slob
bering on each others necks," stated
Mr.. Bede in an apotheosis of right liv.
ing as the key to social content.
The motive of Mr.. Bede's discourse
was the inviolability of our national
ideal
And that the latter was the beacon
Of all civilization.
| It it heartened the oppressed OF
othl nations and inspired them with
courage to assert their inherent rights
That it was through US that the
world would finally arrive at that
state of political independence known
as pure democracy
When We will govern ourselves with
absolute justice.
| Bede decried the practice of the law
yer in taking case he did not believe
in, the physician who treated the pa
tient he knew he could not cure, the
professional of all classes for pursu
ling their calling dishonesty and ny
pocritically for the sake of money and
success.
| 0eeries Pessimism.
he also decr1ed that class or pessi
mism which saw in all progress moth
ling but chaos and decadence
Which deplored individual and col
lective ability to cope with changed
conditions.
/ And which collapsed into apathy be
fore the problems which naturally fol
lowed.
/ Bede declared he had perfect faitl
in this nation to cope successful,
with every problem which arose. Ans
THAT through the process of evolution
of public opinion, evils We're gradual
ly being eliminated and would fnall,
disappear.
Stating, for example. that If W,
made as much progress in the temper
IaHennOeion in the next fifty year
Il ffSnnfisxr.nA .E3~n~