Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-09-21
FINDS DEARTH
OF SPEAKERS
Political Conventions Cited as
Examples of Decline.

ing round the circle with his mouth open
and a continuous stream of inveetive and
eloquence Issuing therefrom; that the
other has been standing on his front
porch In the same attitude and engaged
IN the same occupation; that the woods
are full of stump speakers; that you can
get a man In any town of q thousand or
more inhabitants to speak on any sub
ject 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 vol
under orators by the mere raising Of
governmental finger; that there will be
1885 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 inside
his person; and that these orations will
have to be listened to without the aid
Of any anesthetic stronger than tobacco
Despite these and many other facts
of a similar nature which might be
cited, 1t may be stated with conserya-
tive accuracy that the great art Of ora
tory, which additionally makes men
laugh aud cry, decides the destinies OF
nations and sells life insurance and real
estate, Is In for a decline.
" nat gbu ndAdAhiAJ AuQdAACt Al kut
evidence OF this decline?
1t is hard to get a cook or laundress
or a man to NOW 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
BY CORREsPONDENCE.
Furthermore, Athe magazines are full
Of the advertisements OF correspond ence
schools that guarantee to make you
forceful and eloquent speaker in seven
lessons, and young lawyers all over tho
country are reaching their hair and
practicing Daniel Webster gestures be-
fore the looking glass as of yore
Certainly the supply of Oratory 10
not being cut on at its source.
And the main taps OF eloquenes stn
flow.
The Congressional Record waves fat
ter and more flowery every year.
The speakerless banquet is still a mil
lenial dream.
Each school and college commencement
IL as ever the occasion for a great dea,
OF amateur and professional platitudiniz-
ing.
No question-municipal State or Ma
tional-in the United States can yet be
settled without the water pitcher anu
the wind bag.
And yet, as intimated above, there is
reason 20 believe that oratory IL On the
wane.
The evidence Of this decline is not to
be found among the orators.
They are as numerous, as willing, as
melliauous as ever.
The indications OF change are 10 be
seen Ia the audience.
The American people are slightly but
unmistakably less receptive to gesture
and peroration. TO the pathos OF the low
cred voice and tho sweeping power Of
the booming period. chan they used to be.
Our late lamented national conventions
are an example.
There was just as much spell binding
as ever. and Il was greeted, at the time.
with just as much applause.
But the applause at a political conven-
ton Is as sure as the coming OF spring
It is a highly organized performance,
pulled on according to schedule.
The attitude Of the general public as
reflected In the newspapers must be taken
into account
In cartoon and editorial aud even In
the news columns. much OF this oratery
was referred TO in a manner not wholly
respectful and greatly to be deplored.
1t was even in some instances labeled
BUNK
And consider the character OF the men
who were sent to write mp these conven-
tons
They used TO be reported with the ut
most dignity by men who themselves had
an aptitude for the rolling phrase, and
who perceived that politics Is enc of the
most serious concerns Of life.
But when newspapers OF high standing
send % the great national conventions
such irrepressibls testers as Haywood
Broun and II. L. MeuckeD and Abe
Martin aud Ring W. Lardner. and allow
these impertinent fellows TO gibe and
litter az they will. there Is evidence OF
a change IN the public attitude toward |
political oratory 70 which the great |
dailies are slavishly catering.
Many minor evidences OF this same
change in public sentiment might be |
cited
Orations do not draw the crowds that |
once they drew, nor the tears, nor yet the |
cheers.
There Is a growing tendency for au-
disnces to show signs Of the prevailing |
unrest when the orator draws a fresh |
breath and says: Now, ladies' and |
gentlemen, I have one more point 10 |
offer for your consideration"
This piece is a lament as 1t should be. |
Americas greatest and most indispu-
tably indigenous art is threatened.
We do not produce as good writer's as
other civilized countries, nor as good
painters.
In scientific discovery the other great
nations outrank us.
Their diplomats politely take away
from ours whatever We may have that
they want.
But In oratory, what great nation can
compare with America?
Where can you discover the counter
parts of William Jennings Bryan and
Billy Sunday3
And what our orators may lack in
quality they make up in numbers.
Il is a fact OF statistical standing that
no other countries on earth produce more
orators per thousand Of population. ex
cept Mexico and Liberia
And yet II may be that this family
threatened decline of a great national art
and pastime is not without its compen
sations.
Psychologists tell us that as a method
Of considering important questions, pub
lie speaking to large crowds has fun
damental weakness.
This weakness Is that the orator has
an overwhelming tendency to say, not
what he thinks, but what the crowd
wants to hear In the solitude of his
study he may be a sincere and intel
ligent man, but when he gets on the plat
form he is possessed by the single de-
sire TO get q hand"
He will saw anvthing to that end and