Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-04-16

hIOW'
And yet that speech. which is plain,
straightforward talking, is the most
subtle piece of eloquence ever put into
English words.
NDO YOU know he went on. that
u speech reminds me of the change
which has come about in public address
in America in recent years. There was
a time when we expected our orators
to be rhetorical, as Webster was in his
Bunker Hill speech. But no man could
get by today with speech like Web
sters. Not even Jim Ham Lewis.
with his talking vests and declamatory
whiskers. could do it. and he is one Of
the men in whom the old style sur
wives. Our successful public speakers
are now speaking right on. after the
manner of Antony. Spread eagleism
has disappeared from the public ban
uuet 1t seldom manifests itself in Con-
gress and it obtrudes itself rarely in
the pulpit.
"But our great men have been ora
tors" said |, challenging his theory.
"Are you so sure about that" he
asked. Washington and Adams de-
livered their annual messages to Con-
gress in person by word OF mouth, but
do you know why Jefferson set the
precedent of sending his messages to
Congress instead of speaking them in
person, precedent followed by all of
his successors until Wilson revived the
Washingtonian custom? No? Well, it
was because Jefferson was not an orator.
He had a poor voice and an unimpres-
sive stage presence. and he knew it.
He assigned reasons of public expedi-
enCy and the convenience of Congress
for not making his recommendations in
fecbly delivered speech, but no one
was deceived. General Grant was not n
speeChmaker. He was even less expert
than Mr. Hoover. and he would not tven
consent to make the attempt to address
a public gathering. Yet in private be
could talk with telling effect. Tilden,
one of the ablest men we have produced,
was known as Whispering Sammy be-
cause he had no voice and did not make
speeches. Yet he came so near being
elected to the presidency that there are
men who insist that he was actually
elected. He sat in his Office aud made
plans which were carried out. Elihu
Root can make a speech, but he has a
soueaky voice and an unimpressive man
ncr. Mckinley could make a speech, it
is true. but his campaign managers kept
him at home in Canton in 1896. where
he talked to visiting delegations from
his piazza.
sSXLIHY. do you know that Edmund
w Burke, one of the great traditions
Of English oratory, was most prosy
and uninteresting speaker? When he
arose in the House of Commons the
other members fed from his presence
rather than be bored by listening to
him. Yet when we read his speeches
they impress us by their clarity of
thinking and eloquencc Of phrase, very
much as we are impressed by reading
Hoover's speeches.
Sometimes ] think that our public
men would do well to follow the advice
which Senator Quay gave to Beaver.
You remember he sent a message which
read, Don't talk Beaver took the
advice and became Governor.
II am not so sure that the decline
in oratory Of the old fashioned type is
not au evidence OF our progress in civ
ilzation. My friend Frank Benner
once said to me that as soon as a
thinking. What we need just now is
more thinking and less defamation. If
the presidency is to be awarded as a
prize in an oratorical competition |, for
one. should like to know it in advance.
so that ] may find a convenient burrow
in which to spend the next seven months
in communion with my thoughts"
"Yet should like to hear a man dis
cuss the issues of today with the skill
which Mark Antony showed" said I.
80 should l." Pericarp admitted,
,hat 10 not the EinI -