Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-06-26

Those who know Theodore Roose-
welt well and have been enabled to
study him at close range will not be
surprised TO learn that an eminent
specialist has forbidden the platform
to him. There are two men in this
country who have put their voices and
the delicate machinery of their Threats,
to extraordinary tests and. indeed,
strain. Using the word elocution in
the sense that it is the art of the prop
er use of the voice, one il an elocution-
ist and the other is not. One, on
reaching the youth of old age, after a
remarkable test. finds his voice in good
condition and himself in good form.
The other, Of IN approximate age, after
a similar strain, finds his voice prac-
ticalIy broken and himself in bad
FORM, The n is Bryan and the other
Roosevelt. More than thirty years
ago a throat specialist occupied q seat
in the Assembly hall Of the Capitol at
Albany and listened to a set speech by
Theodore Roosevelt and a~fterwsrd,
commenting upon 1t, said: "The mat
ter of his speech was good and strong
but, oh, what a woeiul use of voice!
If he talks much and does not correct
his delivery, he will reach middle age
out Of health and with no voice at ALL
A trainer of voices for the operate
stage, some years ago, said to q young
man who had just made q speech to a
large audience and was hoaree from his
efforts:
nYou know nothing about producing
tones without strain. II you continue
to talk as you did tonight you will die
of some pulmonary complaint within
ten years. Come to me and l will
teach you tone production which will
save your health, preserve your voice,
and embellish your oratory."
AS an elocutionist, Theodore Roose-
welt Is about the worst. His strong
physical development alone has per-
mitted him to Withstand the results of
a false method of delivery. Roosevelt
knows many things, but apparently
knows nothing Of proper tone produce
tIon or, If he does. has been wantonly
Indifferent. The end seems to have
come and it 10 doubtful II he will ever
again be q great figure on the platform.
1t may be offered that his present con-
dition is due to the hardships and pri-
vations incurred in the Brazilian for
rests and to the sickness from which
he has just emerged. But there were
signs of the break at the close Of his
last period of strain, and that was be-
fore he encountered the fevers of the
iungles Of South America. Doubtless
the illness has FASTENED the break.
The influence OF all this on the polit-
ical situation is q matter for consider
alton. 1t is testimony to the peculiar
position that Theodore Roosevelt occu-
pies in this country. He has many
enemies. He has many opponents
who are not enemies. This lie due to
his advanced ideas. When we can lay
aside our p~rejudices, we must admit
that he is q great figure, physically
strong and mentally active, and of
strong will and force. He has the femi-
nine attribute Of intuition.
On the stump he is q power, despite
h.s elocutionary defects. He has q
commanding personality, 3 convincing
eHrnestness and q style simple, clear
and perspicuous. By his ~strenuosity
ard force be persuadss bis audiences
that he is q man who does things
William Q. Hudson in the Brooklyn
Eagle.