Arizona republican., 1920-10-10
By Frederic J. Haskin

WASHINGTON, D. C.. Sept. 1S.-I Despite the facts that one of our es- teemed presidential candidates has been swinging round the circle with his mouth open and a continuous stream of invective and eloquence issu- ing therefrom; that the other has been standing on his front porch in the same attitude and engaged in the same oc- cupation; that the woods are full of stump speakers; that you can get a man in any town ofsa thousand or more inhabitants to speak on any subject whatsoever at any desired length; that when the United States went to war it put through a draft law to get men to fight but produced an army of volunteer orators by the mere raising of a governmental finger; that there will be eleven thousand two hundred fifty-six banquets given in the United States this year, and that from three to seven orations will be delivered at each without the aid of any other stimulant than such as the speaker can bring in- side his person, and that these ora tions will have to be listened to with out the aid of any anesthetic stronger than tobacco
 Despite these and many other facts of similar nature which might be cited, it may be stated with conser- vative accuracy that the great art of oratory, which additionally makes men laugh and cry. decides the desti- nies of nations, and sells life insurance and real estate, is in for a decline.
 What, you naturally inquire, is the evidence of this decline It is hard to get cook or laundress or man to mow the lawn. The crops rot for lack of men to harvest them. But it is still easy to get a man to speak and it is still hard to get him to stop speaking.
 Orators In the Making
 Furthermore, the magazines are fun of the advertisements of correspon dence schools that guarantee to make you forceful and eloquent speaker in seven lessons, and young lawyers all over the country are reaching then hair and practicing Daniel Webster gestures before the looking glass as oi yore. Certainly the supply of oratorN is not being cut off at its source.
 And the main taps of eloquence stil flow. The Congressional Recorc waxes fatter and more flowery everl year. The speakerless banquet Il still a millenial dream. Each schoo and college commencement is as eve | the occasion for a great deal of anna teur and professional platitudinizinS 1 No question-municipal, state, or ma tional-in the United States can yet b' settled without the water pitcher ant the wind bag.
 And yet, as intimated above, there reason to believe that oratory IS ol the wane
 The evidence of this decline is no to be found among the orators, the l are as numerous, as willing, as melli fluous as ever. The indications o change are to be seen in the audience The American people are slightly bu unrnistakably less receptive to ges ture and peroration, to the pathos O the lowered voice and the sweepln power of the booming period, than the used to be.
 Impudent Scribes
 Our late lamented national conven tions are an example. There was lus as much spell binding as ever, and was greeted. at the time with just g much applause. But the applause at political convention is as sure as tf coming of spring. It is a highly ol ganized performance, pulled off aC cording to schedule. The attitude of tf general public as reflected in the news papers must be taken into account. cartoon and editorial and even in II news columns, much of this orator was referred to in a manner m wholly respectful and greatly to be d' plored. It was even in some instance labelled bunk.
 And consider the character of Il men who were sent to write up the conventions. They used to be r ported with the utmost dignity by m' who themselves had an aptitude f rolling phrase, and who perceived tn politics is one of the most serious col cerns of life. But when newspape of high standing send to the great m tional conventions such irresponsih testers as Haywood Broun and H.
 Mencken and Abe Martin and Ring ' Lardner and allow these impertine fellows to gibe and litter as they vi there is evidence of a change in t public attitude toward political orato to which the great dailies are slavish catering.
 Many minor evidences of this sar change in public sentiment might | cited Orations do not draw 1 crowds that once they drew, nor |