The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-14
The Oracle of Green Forest.

Out of Arkansas. Of all places, out
Of Green Forest. whose name has an
air Of the "Morte Arthur" or "Amadis
Of Gaul," energies the newest Boy Won
der Of the world to disgust that planet
In these intemperances Of the mer-
curry. Fate tried to conceal him by
naming him SMITH" His parents put
"A stately porch "CLEo" on that good old
fabric. CLEO" is probably a reduction
of "A stntelier CLEARCHUs, CLEoMADEs,
CLEoMBRoTUs: but he was known In
Green Forest as "CLEE." BY whatever
name he's marvel. II the tales OF him
say sooth; If. indeed. he was not in
vented by some facetious hater Of ex-
act and helpful knowledge.
CLEO had one of those mechanical
memory. one of the strangest miracles
of the human miracle. \ counting
board or adding machine Is much more
prepossessing and has its quietness.
But of what beauty or value under
heaven Is flesh and blood contrivance
into which you drop fool question
and from which you get at once a
dreary correct answer? What Is the
colOred population Of Atlanta? What
Is the white population of Palatkai
When was each state admitted to the
Union? How many counties are In
each Stater Name the county seat of
each. Tell what are the capitals of
the world; what the height above the
sea and the population of each. Con-
ceive. II you can. the deep futility Of
this sort OF knowledge" this dross
and draft Of the stupidest stuff known.
There are so-called books and almnnacs
to consult. Why pour the gazetteer
and the encyclopaedia into CLEoMBRoTUs
SMITH? Why surround him as Denver
did the other day with fly gobbling
catechists. pelt him with inquiries, go
into raptures as the biped Inquire
Within reels off his somniferous les
sons?
Cats could do this work were they
not too lazy, amorous. aristocratic AMI
intelligent. Trained horses and dogs
are making progress in the exact sci
ences. How many mathematical prod
igles have been exhibited, have bloomed
and faded? What did 1t profit IERAH
CoLBuRN, though IL certainly protited
his canny Vermont father. to answer
question as: "How many days and
hours In 1871 years." His good or
evil fairy Of computation deserted him
when he got old enough to vote. He
died Il professor OF languages. So.
doubtless. CLEOMBRoTUs SMITH will
grow weary Of being pumping station
Of statistics and become a professor of
mere psychology at some school of bust
ness administration.
without generating Green Forest
SMITHS talent or training. however,
we think 1t unfair to count this as
question whose answer he missed :
"Who Is the Governor Of North Caro-
linaI" There never was and never
will be hut one Governor Of North Car
! DINA. While the world and thirst last
he will he standing at the buffet OF
the Abbey Of Thaleme making that i'm
mortal pregnant remark to the Gov
ernor Of South Carolina, likewise a
glory of no name. What properly edu-
Gated memory cares to remember the
buffoon who may be the actual Pal
metto Governor the cockade who pre-
sides over the Dry deserts of Josephla? ?
! In refusing to recognize any successor
to the one great permanent Tarheel
Governor the Hon. CLEO SMITH gives
evidence Of fine fibre of poetry and
| truth that makes us augur well for his
future when he has ceased to be n
wonder and n show.