The New York herald., 1921-03-02
Lincoln the Orator.
A Purpose for Every Sentence in the
GetfYsnurg Address.

To THE NEW York HERALD: Goldwin
Smith is reported TO have said that Lin
coins Gettysburg speech Is marred by
'one fiat phrase" and Henry E. Davis.
writing 10 THE NEW York HERALD,
points out as the offender the sentence
not phraso--"It Is altogether fitting and
proper that we should do this"
l think II Is denonstrable that 10th
Professor Smith and Mr.. Davis are mis-
taken. Their error arises from the fact
that they forget TO bear In mind the
necessary differences between print and
oratory. They and we have that speech
only in print; but when Mr.. Lincoln
constructed ii and, according to tradt-
ton. wrote II on the back OF an envelope
hs happened to have in his pocket. he
was preparing 1t for outdoor oratory,
and ne delivered II as an orator.
When person writes for print. II only
he fully expresses his meaning he may
be as terse as he pleases. usually the
more so the better; for every reader
may choose his own gait. and IL, Ike
Snug the joiner, he is "slow of study"
he may read with corresponding slow
nSS5. Dut IL SUC&hoL hhhitSis titNSN
comprehe end every sentence and the rela-
tions OF the sentences to one another as
the address proceeds The speaker must
not throw out his ideas too rapidly for
the slow thinkers, and outdoor speaking
requires special deliberateness No man
can be an effective orator unless he ha-
bitually observes this. and Lincoln was
81 most effective orator
The sentence that is condemned comes
between the reminder that he and his
hearers are met TO dedicate that ground
and the following eloquent passage, put
In a larger sense we cannot dedicate
sc. II the sentence objected to had been
omitted 1t would probably seem to many
of his auditors that he was disposed
10 belittle what they were then doing.
BY throwing in that sentence he fore
Tended that apprehension and thereby
probably gave some OF them COMFORT
inn assurance. He was exactly right SO
in his opening sentence he might have
said "eighty-seven years ago." Some
would have caught and remembered the
figures, and some would not. But -FOUR
score and seven" could not be m!sunder-
stood or forgotten.
The closing lines of the speech pre-
sent another example of this. OF course
everybody knows. or will know II ne
thinks for a second or two, that all
government governs people. But the
orator, In reminding his hearers OF that,
completes the tacit argument, which
is this as all government governs the
oh ordered
and administered by the people for their
own benefit and happiness. This pas
sage is usually read enormously With
eaual emphasis on ell three OF the prep
osltIons. Recently some one has called
attention to the fact that the hrst OF
the three. OF, should not be emphasizca
at all. There has been also some dis
cussIon as to the proper place Tor en-
nbasis in the four words that end the
speech. MY opinion is that they should
have an even solemn emphasis throusn-
out, as IL they were all one WORD.
Az have said, we have this classic
speech only in print, and the schooiboys
do the best they can with II But We
ought to do betsr.
Find an accomplished orator, one who
has d strong, clear, pleasing voice. Let
him STUDY the speech carefully and MI
nutelv with much rehearsal. Let him
then speak It into the receiver OF tank
ing machine. Make half q dozen copies
of the record and submit them for crit
icism TO as many good elocutionists
when their best suggestions are adopted
Iot him rehearse again and put It into
the record as perfectly as possible. we
might not then have Mr.. Lincoln's
voice. nor perhaps a close imitation oil
IL but we should have mastery ora
lion deliverable from the platform at
averv patriotic meeting and at VIII IN
thousands OF homes.
RossITER JOHNSON.
Nrw YoRK, March !.