The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1920-06-04
0PIE READ is
WELL RECEIVED
BY C0LUM||BIANS
A
DISTINGUISHED NOVELIST GIVES
NEWEST LECTURE "HumAn
MATURE AfD POLITICS"
CHEAP POLITICIANS ARE SCORED
Speaker Attributes Many of Evils of
Present Day to 400 Much PoIitlos."
Pays Glowing TfIbute to Woodrow
Wilson, Is AppIaYded.

'Sh, Juot Woht W ouy tUlb
old Opie knows sall about this 'hu.
man nautre stuff,'f said one Of the
hundreds who assembled under the
Redpath Big Top last night to hear
Opie Reads latest lecture, Human
Nature and Politics"
The speaker did know his subject,
he had formed an intimate acquaint-
ance with it through his long years
OF training on the daily newspapers Of
the country, and last night he painted
picture after picture of human nature
as it really is, stripped of all sham and
"outside appearance
The speaker said that politics and
human nature have been closely allied
since the day OF Adam, and that ev-
licences of it were to be noted in his
tory since before the building of the
pyramids and would still be in exist
ence when the very dust of these same
pyramids has been blown into the
Nile.
Getting closer to home, Mr.. Read
paused to play glowing tribute to
the nations leader, Woodrow Wilson
He compared his enemies who are
biting and snarling at his heels to
bunch of ignorant monkeys, and said
that back in the days of Thomas JEFF
ferson when the population of the
United States numbered just a few
million people, there were no less
than fifteen real statesmen, but today
he said, a one armed man could count
every statesman in the country on
the fingers he possesses He said the
politician Is not a statesman, but
seeks to stand with the majority by
fiattery, the most dangerous weapon
known to man, "and the most glitter
ing jewel in the crown of the king Of
Hades," said Mr.. Reed
Perhaps the most entertaining part
of Mr.. Reeds lecture was his expert
ences as a newspaper man in many
parts of the country. He told of how
he had been sent by his paper to Mem
phis during the yellow fever epidem-
ic, and how he had seen deizens of
the underworld converted into the
ministering angels of mercy. He told
of many hangings he had witnessed
and reported for his paper-taking
down the last word of the condemned
man before he was dashed into eter-
nifty.
Perhaps the most impressive Of
these experiences was the hanging OF
a train robber, who held the lure of
gambling responsible for his death.
1t was one of the strongest indict-
ments of gambling ever heard from
lecture platform
The entire lecture was filled with
food for thought.
References made to Woodrow Will
son always provoked applause.
Scoring politics and cheap politi-
clans as responsible for great part
of the evils of today, and paying trib-
ute to the few able statesmen who
are directing the affairs of the govern
ment, the speaker touched respon-
sive chord in the hearts of his hearers
as was attested by the liberal ap-
plause.
The New York Opera Singers, ap-
pearing in convert before the lecture
made an instant hit with Columbians,
and they were called back repeatedly
by the audience, responding in gra-
cious manner with delightful enchores.
This afternoon the Hon. C. G. Cor
don delivers his lecture Back to the
Farm" Tonight will be the feature
night of the week when the famous
light opera "Pinafore" is presented.