Arizona republican., 1916-06-29
Where the People
 May Have Hearing
oratorv Dead?

To the Editor of The Republican, Sir: | > Your editorial this morning gave l me pause. Is it possible that public | speaking is a lost art? Have we fooled ourselves in believing that Moses and Demosthenes, Burke and Pitt, Patrick Henry and Webster, Lin- coin and Choate. were mere four flushers, beguiling the unwary With silvered sophistry. It must be true, for recently the Phoenix high school held an assembly for the purpose of boosting inter- scholastic interests. Two events were to occur track meet and an ora torical contest. Under the direction of the faculty, the students yelled themselves hoarse about fouls and l strikes. but the subject of the com | ing oratorical contest was not men, 1 tioned. This certainly proves that the | raucuous yell from the coaching line 1 has superseded the call of the human voice in the form of euphobious ap- peal. l It may be the instinct of self pres | ervation that causes me to oppose | your argument. l do not pretend to | he an orator. Indeed I should be embarrassed in being classed as such in a community where your able | paper has such wide circulation. But have talked to a few crowds dur ing the passing years and have coached young men in the art of pub lie speaking. Therefore I make bold to speak
 Oratory is not spoken extravaganza, neither is it elocution, mechanical per- formance. Oratory is the expression of thought in terms and tones cal culated to convince the auditors and arouse in them a reaction to the thought of the speaker Oratory is a primitive instinct. In this it is like l poetry and music. It is no discredit to either of these arts that the prole- tariat has ceased to understand or appreciate them. Today the world is 1 crazy over the short story and the moving picture, neither of which re- quires mental effort. The world is tired with heavy toll, befooled with glitter of gold and blaze with over much amusement In my opinion, the
 
 of a dead patriotism. The head ston' over it's grave is a school book ant the foot stone is powder can. Tha is the reason that Americans are sho down under the folds of the Stars ant Stripes anywhere in the world witt impunity. When we hear again tn martial strains of the Battle Hymn of the Republic" when we listen t the rythmic cadences of a Lowell il such poetry as The Present Crisis. when our ears vibrate once more wit the staccato of such words as "Giv me Liberty or Give me Death" an when the nation reacts in service { those clarion calls. patriotism will b born anew.
 Never was there such call for tn orator in the forum, in the pulpit c in the court as today: not the hire mouthpiece of special interest; nc the quibbler over hair breadth tech niealities. not the exponnder of me dieval theology; hut the aboundini heart bursting through the lips ( men inspired with mighty purpose t build great national spirit of right eousness and to make humanity fire indeed. When the martial voices ( the orator. the singer and the paC shall again be needed in the lant newspa pers will be as glad to prir their sentiments as the record ( baseball games. prize fights. the al rivals at the leading hotels and tl advertisements Of moving pictul shows
 pOpEPT . FISHER