The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-07-03

| . Il result VI OolOHei IOuhuhtci
~ picturesque prosecution of the
| ~ Strickland campaign in st. Lou
is lie was unanimously chosen
by the Hon. William j. Strickand's
managers to invade the Yancey strong
holds throughout the state.
"Todhunter's champion vote getter,
! Strickland" said old Governor Leslie,
land that's a mighty rare gift. ANY
ordinary spellbinder can keep Il eandi-
dates own friends in line during a
campaign and get 'em to the polls on
election day. But it takes man of
uncommon qualities to steal friends
away from the other fellow. Todhun-
ter's that sort of man. He's a natural
born campaigner. aud the sooner we
put him right on the firing line the bet
ter
This fitted in admirably with the
coloneIs own wishes. 1t was at the
big barbecue in Dunklin county where
he met the redoubtable Bedford Giles
on the stump, that Colonel Todhunter
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
quency. he possessed a sort of leonine
earnestness that had never failed to
score tremendously in the campaigns
of which he was n conspicuous figure
The announcement of speech by
Bedford Giles was in itself sufficient
to concentrate Missourians at one
given point from radius of twenty
miles around And they were never
disappointed because this renowned
spellbinder, 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 been 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
q great encounter attracted to the
scene of their meeting the biggest
crowd ever assembled at a political
in that county. Enthusiasm
was at fever heat. The fact that it
was largely Yancey enthusiasm placed |
the colonel at a decided disadvantage. |
but instead of depressing his daunt-
less soul this seemed rather to key |
him up to his best fighting mood.
During the forenoon. as was not I'M
there had been a generous
flow of good liquor. The orators of
the day were naturally expected to |
give a satisfying account Of them
selves in disposing of this democratic
output. Both We're 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
took such wings to itself
that his spelbinding eloquence scared
more in the realm of fancy than of
fact. His figures of speech became
overwhelming in bold poesy of concep-
lion and application. and, for the time
being the sonorous rounding out of
Ills excited thought into splendid sen
fences was of far more Importance in
his estimation than the structure of
ruth upon which they were supposed
to he based. His Missouri hearers en-
ioyed this phase of his oratory keenly.
BY the time he was primed to such
flights they. too. were SINH
arly primed to accompany him. so
hat the conclusion of one OF Bedford
Giles speeches never failed TO witness
4 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
Continued to Page I. !