Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-07-01

| Colonel Todhunter Takes the Stump In
| Rural Missouri.
A s Il result Of Colonel Todhunter's
| ~ picturesque prosecution Of the
| ~ Strickland campaign in st. Lou
is he was unanimously chosen
by the Hon. William j. Stricklands
managers to invade the Yancey strong
holds throughout the state.
"rodhunters champion vote getter
Strickland" said old Governor Leslie
land that's mighty rare gift. Any
ordinary spellbinder can keep candi
dates own friends In line during q
campaign and get 'em to the polls on
election day. But 1t takes man oil
uncommon qualities to steal friends
away from the other fellow. TOdhun'
ter's that sort OF man. He's natural
born campaigner. and the sooner we
put him right on the firing line the bet
ter"
This fitted In admirably with the
colonel's own wishes. 1t was at the
big barbecue in Dunklin county. where
he met the redoubtable Bedford Giles
on the stump. that Colonel Todhuntei
made himself famous throughout the
length and breadth Of Missouri.
Bedford Giles was probably the
finest living master of the old school
of perfervid political oratory that once
so powerfully swayed the minds OF
men In the south and middle west. 1t
may be true that he lacked the sense
Of humor; but. offsetting this delin-
uuency. lie possessed sort Of leonine
earnestness that had never failed to
score tremendously In the campaigns
of which he was conspicuous figure
The announcement OF speech by
Bedford Giles was In itself sufficient
to concentrate MiSsourians at one
given poin, from radius Of twenty
miles around And they were never
disappointed. because this renowned
spellhinder. in his temperament rant
ing tragedian Of the old Edwin For.
rest type. invariably tore their emo
tiOnal beingS to tatters and left them
convinced for all time that they had
assuredly l'ren listening to the most
Irresistible orator OF their day.
Against this man was Colonel Tod
hunter pitted on the day Of the bar
becue. and the certainty Of witnessing
a great encounter attracted to the
scene OF their meeting the biggest
crowd ever assembled at q political
gathering In that county. Enthusiasm
was ut fever heat. The fact that II
was largely Yancey enthusiasm placed
the colonel Mt decided disadvantage.
but instead OF depressing his daunt-
less soul this seemed rather to key
him up to his hest fighting mood.
During the forenoon. as was not I'M
common. there had been a generous
flow of good liquor The orators of
the day were naturally expected to
give satisfying account Of them
selves In disposing Of this democratic
output. Both were seasoned veterans
at the task
1t was popularity Of Bedford
Giles. however that when he reached
a certain stage Of exhilaration his
mental horizon so widened and his
imagination took such wings to Itself
that his spellbinding eloquence scared
more I'm the realm Of fancy than OF
fact. His figures Of speech became
overwhelming In bold Doesy Of concep-
ton and application. and. for the time
being. the sonorous rounding out Of
his excited thought into splendid SEN
tences was of far more Importance In
his estimation than the structure OF
truth upon which they were supposed
to be based His Missouri hearers en-
joyed this phase Of his oratory keenly.
BY the time he was primed to such
gorgeous flights they. too. were simi.
larry primed to accompany him. so
that the conclusion OF one Of Bedford
Giles speeches never failed to witness
a scene of magnificent emotional pro-
portions
Upon this occasion. mellow as
peach. Bedford Giles fairly outdid him.
self In his barbecue tribute to the vir-
tues Of the Hon. Stephen X. Yam
cey. Now, in reality. Yancey was not
candidate Of the magnetic" class.
He had many friends. he was known as
a steadfast party man. and 1t was con-
ceded that he possessed particularly
shrewd knack Of always "lining up"
with the stronger faction In party d.
visions. 1t requires more than these
things. however. to make Of q candi
date one of those formidable political
figures for whom the party rank and
file delight to cheer for sheer "love and
affections sake" as the old phrase
has II.
But Bedford Giles, the cookies Of his
heart warmed by liberal pOtations.
ldeallzed the Hon. Stephen X. Yancey.
and the peroration Of his speech was
one Of the finest and most typical ex.
lmples Of Gilesian eloQuence.
81 am not asking you, my fellow cit
liens" he declared sonorously, ito nom
lnate Stephen K. Yancey to the proud
office of chief executive Of the imperial
commonwealth of Missouri at the sacrl-
fee of others equally deserving. No,
my friends. II this were the case l
should not feel the supreme confidence
that do now feel In your entire vii.
kngness thus to honor him, nor in the
wisdom Of your decision In his favor.
But, fellow Democrats, i speak no
more than the simple truth when ! SOL
emnly declare. here and now. that the
gentlemen competing with Stephen K.
Yancey for your suffrages are no more
to be compared with that peerless lead
er than the tallow candle Of our fore
fathers is to be compared with the Al
mighty's own handiwork Of universal
illumination. the glorious orb Of dag
that now shines so benignly down upon
this representative assemblage Of the
sovereign American people.
81 have no hesitancy. my friends,
in placing the Hon. Stephen X. Yam
cey before you today as the unri.
vailed product Of civilization, Of a
nation and Of people that have In
their splendid conjunction produced
the most godllke development Of the
race of man known in the worlds his
tory. my hearers. Stephen K. Yancey.
my fellow Missourians, Is more than
mere Democrat. high though that
title may Justly place him In the scale