Evening star., 1924-06-20

Any mathematician will TESTIFY
that three points Ak plane. zen.
Charles G. Dawes, therefore, has al
ready fixed the plane OF the campaign
with his three points: He'll, Maria
and the demagogues. Just Wnat lie
purposes to do with the nrst two is
immaterial, but in his first speech he
declared he thought the campaign
should be directed to driving out the
demagogues.
Some people have more points than
one NJ Clemenceau declared that
the famous fourteen points beat
the ten commandments-at least as
to numbe bers-but Gen. Dawes reverts
to just one point and it is likely that
he will make many folks see the
point" before the campaign is ended.
Drive out the demagogues" What
is demagogue? When Edward W.
then Prince Of Wales, visited Amer
ica, he heard Philadelphians talk so
much about what the Biddles had
done and were doing and should be
expected to do. that he asked in Gu
riosity. whats a Bidder" Some of
our readers hearing Gen. Dawes ex-
patiate on driving out the dema-
gogues will inquire, whats a dem
agogue?"
~ +
In classic Greek, there are ninety
six of that species in the Senate and
even more in the House. Honorable
men-all-all honorable men," A
demagogue is a leader of the peo-
pie" for the dictionary says so. When
Hon. Pat Harrison spellbinds the
| faithful in the convention next week,
the high compliment will be paid
him by Democracy: "Ah, what mag
uificent demagogue"-a leader of the
people by his superior eloquence or
oratory.
OF such were Demosthenes and Soc
rates. But, just as many other
things which began life in a worthy
way, "demagogue" has lost caste as
| a compliment. A second definition In
| the dictionary would not mt many TO
whom the original meaning was Weli
| adapted, and Gen. Dawes. Will save
much Misrepresentation when ne eX, ,,
| plains what sort of demagogues Will
| become the objective in his great
4 summer drive.
| The secondary definition is: AN
unprincipled and factious pubic
orator, who obtains an influence over
| the mob by great professions and by
suiting his addresses to the prejudice
! of his hearers" Mr.. Macauley says
"In every age the vilest specimens
of human nature are to be founc
herring to the original meaning, OF
combining both definitions, 1t might
still be said in complimentary way
that our own party" in. the Senate
consists of worthy demagogues
while amongst them" are the vile
Specimens" of other parties. Surely
Gen. Dawes should specify as tc
| which definition he adheres to, OIL
some readers, in utter confusion, will
box the compass of his points.
* X
| There have been demagogues ant
demagogues from the oratorical con-
tests of Athens to the interstate ora.
torical contest of Continental Hall.
There were the jewelers., who
started the hue and cry of the
Atbenian mob: Great is Diana oi
the Ephesians" The mob became
wild through the eloquent oratorJ
of its leaders-not through compre-
hending any logic. What attribute
of Diana made her great! The 3oos
of the profteer1ng jewelers.. .
| Have there been no modern IN
stances of wild running after sucf
demogagism, with no more comp Gonpre e,
hension of it's vacuity as 10 logic OF
truth? Is not the chance that dema
lgogism will give unholy profits Z
somebody the stimulus of all thu
"shouting and the tumult"? The dem
lagogue thrives only when ne car
lries his hearers off their feet witt
his specious eloquence-
The greatest performance OF MOD
ern demagogism was that of. the
Scotchman. John Laws, who origi
mated paper imitation of "cheaI
Il money" and Herewith demoralizet
both England and France. He wa'
the first to exploit the Mississipp
valley, and somehow the mississippi
Bubble" Just burst only to reform
more iridescent than before. 1t II
] with no inyidious spirit, but in th4