Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-07-18
d 49, x 80 E. ~ u OK II
Colonel Balm of Kentucky Delivers
Excellent Address on IF I
Had Ny Life to Live
Over Again
LARGE AUDIENCES PRESENT
Bryan Makes a Fine Speech on Les
sons From European War From
His Viewpoint.
LARGE AUDIENCES PRESENT

Z .
Last Friday two orators held the
platform at Chautauqua, in the at
ternoon Col. George w. Baih OF Lex
ington, Kentucky, and in the eve
ming the "Boy Orator of the Platte
Of former years, now the Hon. w. J.
Bryan Of the United States Of Amer
lea.
A large audience gathered in the
afternoon to hear Col Balm, and
they were in no wise disappointed.
Col. Balm is an example Of the old
fashioned southern school OF silver
tongued orators at its best In
matter and style he manifests emo
ton and. enthusiasm blended with
high ideals and real though unan--
nounced religious fervor. III | had
my Life to Live Over" was the
theme Of his address yesterday, and
his eloquent lecture was a cheerful
homily on the issues of life and love
by a man who has made his mark
in the werld. From some seventy
five years OF rich and varied expert
ence, Col. Balm drew lessons for LIES
school, many of which brought tears
to the eyes Of the audience and not
a few of which were rewarded with
hearty cheers.
II he were to live his life over
again the genial colonel would start
it in old Kentucky After seventy
Ave years he loves the old state still.
but not her stills! No airship Of the
future will ever put out of commits
sion the fine blooded Kentucky
horse. The lecturer would ask for
NO better age in which to live chan
!. this present--stimesY Young --Reepse
were told that they were living in
q world where everything was Sc
verely tested, and with stirring elo-
quence they were asked whether
they could stand the test. There was
never a day In the history Of the
world when character counted for SC
much as now, and the bent OF the
lecture was toward the upbuilding OF
character for the young.
II the colonel had his life to live
over again there were some things
he would never do. One of these was
/ that he would never leave off smOk-
ing as he did forty years go-for
{ the dramatic reason that he would
never begin to smoke! His story OF
how he quit smoking forty years ago
proved to be touching human docu-
ment which brought both tears and
cheers. Col. Balm told how his lect-
ure is being blessed in all parts OF
the country in the winning Of youth
from the weed. Seldom has an anti
tobacco appeal been made in Web
ster City more in good taste or more
effective than the one made by the
lecturer from Kentucky.
II. life were to be lived over again
Col. Balm would try to find out, the
truth and the right, then he would
stick to them. He made an effective
appeal to high school students to try
to realize at what cost their parents
were backing their education. In his
old age the colonel is an optimist
He believes that the world is grow
ing better, that out Of evil good will
come, that the European war will
teach the world many needed les
sons, not a few of which we in
America need to learn. The lecture
ended with peroration in the
grand style, and the audience went
away feeling that Chautauqua was
worth while.
Mr.. Bryan lectured at the evening
hour, and an immense crowd gath
cred to hear him. Long before the
hour a stranger would have OWNED
that an unusual program was on
Automobiles were parked in the
streets all about the school house
square, a steady stream of humanity
set in toward the tent from all parts
of the city, the Chautauqua ticket
Office did big business and the tent
filled with an audience that over
! flowed into the open spaces beyond
the canvas. Everybody wore on
their faces great expectations.
The appearance of Mr.. Bryan on
the platform was the signal for
hearty applause. With Mr. Bryan
the Chautauqua platform is forum
in the true sense, in which a man
of affairs discusses highly debatable
public questions in serious man
ner. Mr.. Bryan used the platform
for q trenchant and passionate APP
peal against Preparedness in the
United States. Mr.. Bryan was not in