Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-07-09
THE 1872 CHAUTAUQUA
PASSES into HISTORY

to claim that distinction for the In
ternational operate company. With
her vocal s,los Mrs. Beach Of the
Thatchers haa greatly pleased. Her
voice is pure soprano and its smooth
sweetness has reached the public
heart.
The Hon. Harris R. Cooley OF
Cleveland, Ohio, delivered the Sun
day afternoon address. His theme
was, "The Conservation Of Human
Life" With him the new social
consciousness had its inning at
Chautauqua. Mr. Cooley is director
of the department of Corrections
and Charities of the city of Cleve-
land. He is the father Of the Cleve-
land movement for social betterment
which has resulted in the famous
Cooley Farms and in the Goyville
that figures so much in current mag
azines.
Mr.. Cooley's was message strict
ly in accord with the Sunday spirit.
1T was a practical exposition of
Christianity at work on the social
problem. He pleaded that the new
and popular conservation Of natural
resources gained its significance only
as it conserved the interests of hu-
man life and living. His problem
lay in the spots Of city life where
we are most wasteful of human life
and happiness, the congested areas
of our great cities. DR.. Cooley's de-
scription of the slums Of New York
city was graphic. The Japanese
delegation to this country, sent by
the emperor of Japan to gather in
formation about the characteristics
of western civilization, had visited
the Cooley farms at Cleveland.
"They are the most beautiful thing
L have seen in this country" said
the head of the delegation, and he
left with DR.. Cooley two fifty dollar
bills in token of pagan's apprecia-
ton of the social salvation being
accomplished. Giving bad boys
something to do, said DR.. Cooley,
often means their total salvation to
society, and his Boyville enterprise
puts into concrete practice this
message of social uplift.
1t fell to the lot of tall man
from the south to close the program
of 1912, program that had been
opened by woman from Jerusalem
thus on Chautauqua programs do
extremes meet. DR.. Risner of Knox
vile, Tenn, is more than a sixfoot-
er. He is in appearance big man,
and he has big voice which is
backed by an earnest manner. He
delivered the lecture at Chautauqua
Saturday evening, which was gen.
eral purpose Chautsuquan uplift ad-
dress which took no text and went
Everywhere preaching the gospel.
Sunday evening Mr.. Risner was
again the speaker. To the music OF
the Thatcher orchestra the people
gathered in the spirit of sweet Sab
bath eve, until the audience filled
the big tent and several hundred sat
out in the open beyond the circle OF
the canvas. The audience was a
most impressive sight. Why cannot
Chautauqua-g goers wake up earlier in
the program? Three such audiences
during the week would have made
this Chautauqua financial success.
Mr.. Risner's text Sunday evening
was Browning's eagle feather. Dur
ing the lecture he made the state
ment that he did not want to see
Mr.. Roosevelt sidetracked. and the
audience responded with a hearty
cheer To the same sentiment to-
ward Woodrow Wilton people re-
mained silent. These were almost
the only political drives OF the pro.
gram, which, during such siren
uous political campaign, would seem
to be a remarkable circumstance
The lecture took the eagle feather
as a type of the big things from
above (which drop upon human life
1t was an exposition OF the gospe
ACCORD ng to Browning, by a mar
quite un- -Browningesque, that S-each
ed conclusions not always In accort
with the Browning spirit. Popular
stories drove home big truths, many
people appreciated the address, ant
so the program Of 1912 came to ar
end.
| AS was the case last year so i
was Sunday. The scene at th'
close Of Chautauqua was indesrib
able and thrilling. Slowly. a.
i though they were reluctant to leav,
the feast Of good things, the grea
A