The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-09-12
WILSON, THE MAGICIAN
lFrom Colliel,s Meeklyl


One Of the fine sausfactions of
life is the recollection OF great
artist In his prime 1t makes little
difference whether the performer
was Il statesman or AN actor, Il mil.
ltdfy hero or singer. In the days
of our childhood the old people
kindled anew the JOY of living with
the memory Of public performances
OF which they had been lucky wit.
nessos. With one it may have been
Daniel Webster at Bunker Hill;
with another Jenny Lind at Castle
Garden, Paganini playing in Paris
before Heine and Berlioz, or that
genius for king acting the prince
Of Wales, at the Brevoort House
But the people who are fortunate
enough to see ana hear the pres.
dent this summer will have a rem.
iniscence to store away that will be
worth more than wealth to soothe
their closing days. For Mr.. Wilson
is at once the foremost statesman
of the world and its greatest artist.
We know Of no more enjoyable treat
than to hear him at any time. But
now he comes to us at the very
peak Of his fame. his skill, his self.
confidence, wearing, as it were, the
sheayes Of victory in his button.
hole.
Having heard him more than
once we can assure the adoring
public that they will not be disap.
pointed in his Interpretation of
one Of the most stupendous events
in history They win hear the very
top notes. TO say that his power
OF statement is marvellous IS to give
him the faintcst praise. In our time
no one has approached him as a
platform speaker. He has all the
arts and graces, natural or acquired
by long and careful practice. His
opponents and rivals are badly
matched against him. Lodge is
cold, Borah violent; Knox talks like
a lawyer pleading a case Bryan is
mere ballad singer. The presi.
dent beguiles the intellect and
soothes the senses of his hearers.
Always himself at ease. he never
creates in his audience the disdulet.
ing apprehension that he may strike
false note. He has the "bel canto,"
but always in complete control. He
Is as certain of his cadences az a
good singer, and apparently indif.
ferent to them. No matter how
carefully prepared his speeches
have been, they sound eXtempora.
neous and effortless. He exhibits
none of the eXtravagances and over.
emphasis of the popular orator."
but speaks as if in pleasant and
familiar but earnest conversation
with his audience, whom he wishes
to convince of something which
has deeply impressed itself on his
soul. Orderly, convincing, logical,
blandly humorous, he yet continues
to suggest strong feeling managed
by stronger mind. If you admit
to stronger mind. If you admit a
single premise, always carefully
veied, you are lost as an opponent.
In any case, your antagonism, how.
ever alert when he begins to speak,
eventually is soothed to sleep by the
grace Of his elocution and the mel.
ody Of his voice. His speeches sound
even better than they read. In hear.
ing him you wonder how a man in
his position dare say so much; in
reading him, that he really said so
little.
The League Of Nations may be q
very good thing or a very bad;
guarantee perpetual peace or threat
en- perpetual war; ennoble democ.
racy with a world mission or de.
grace it to the level Of wicked Eu-
ropean creeds; free US or bind US.
No matter. The opposition to it, rap.
idly fading now, will cease entirely
under the spell of the lyrical inter
pretation to which hundreds Of
thousands Of Americans will listen
this month; and the tour will be re.
corded as one of the most import
and musical and political events in
our history.