Mexico weekly ledger., 1915-09-23
REED BECOMES s~SRAGED.


The billings II Hon. Jnss A. Reed
for Paris Sunday atternAa proved .
very unfortunate matter. AZ the sen
ntor and came near killing be sale Of
tickets for next year. A number Of
unfortunate incidents grew o4 Of the
visit y 81 the most fegreftbie be-
ing the Senator's loss Of lsmpF aDd
bitter retort when a number Of wtmen
lappEauded the announcement thA be
was about TO conclude. lie H
speaking about an hour, menOpolS-
ing The time Of the biggest musical al
Traction Of the week, and had paused
70 remark that be was now about TO
develope his last point Applause
lgrested the announcement whereupOn
tho great orator with a scorn born Of
indignant resentment. Dramatically
enelsimed:
II any Of you people who are tired
Of listening TO me want The platform
I7l surrender it 70 you. Anywhere
you 10 you win find some folks who
are incapable Of comprehending a
great public question and in whose
hearts no spark Of patriotism could be
|focnd."
One Of the offenders who happened
to be prominent in club and church
circles, afterwards said:
q applauded the announcement that
he was about to quit. / would do it
again under the same circumstances.
! had bought q ticket 70 q great con
cert and had gone to the tent with that
understanding that is would be given
as advertised. The manager mad
promised to go ahead with the CON
cert when Mr.. Reeds speech vas over
and | just felt like a~pplauding when
he finally said he was about to con-
.clude.s
In other ways the Senator'S visit
was likewise a comedy Of errors. To
begin with, he was under the impress
sion that some of the talent was mis-
sing and that he had been invited TO
take their place. Nobody actively
connected with the Chautauqua had
invited him at all. His coming was
at the instance of personal and pol
itical friends.
The manager had only consented to
his appearing upon the platform on
condition that it be after the regular
performance. He arrived a few min
utes after the concert was over and it
was arranged hat he should speak at
the night session. The biggest at
traction Of the entire program, the
Kilties Band, was scheduled for that
evening and music-lovers from far
and near turned out to hear the music.
It was suggested that Reed address
the crowd before the entertainment
started. The manager and committee
agreed 10 show him this courtesy and
allow him forty-minutes. He refused
to be limited in time and this plan had
to be abandoned, The manager in
sisted that he wait until after the con-
cert, then talk as long as he pleased.
This suggestion was rejected and as
a compromise it was decided to let
the band give a few selections, then
let the Senator speak, then finish the
concert. But when the distinguished
visitor finally exhausted his subject
and surrendered the platform the
musicians were packing their traps
and leaving the grounds. Some par
ties had come twenty miles and more
to hear the great band and the crowd
as a whole was greatly disappointed
at the turn affairs had taken. Fol-
lowing the speech the local committee
attempted to sell the 500 tickets neces-
sary to guarantee a Chautauqua for
next year. The people would not re-
main, however, and the total number
placed amounted to only about go.