So through all the years of our nation’s history, in the hours of her peril and of her achievements, she has been saved from shame and has been crowned with glory by the deeds of her average men. Great men have arisen from time to time to lead her armies into battle or to defend her principles of liberty and justice, but, after all, these leaders had been powerless and, indeed, impossible except for the rank and file—the host of average men, who followed them and put into effect their teaching; not as slaves, but as free men doing their duty as intellect and conscience had directed. Who is it that will determine the future policy of this nation and write success or failure above her gates? Not her millionaires, nor her statesmen, nor her scholars, nor her soldiers, but the average men whose votes count millions in the aggregate and whose will is law. Thomas Jefferson understood this and read the future with unerring mind. Therefore he made it his chief concern and his great political work to protect the rights and enlarge the privileges of the average man—the bone and sinew of the state. [Illustration: HON. ALF TAYLOR, One of the most eloquent and scholarly contributions to the intellectual menu of the coming season will be the new lecture of Hon. Alf Taylor, “If Columbus Should Wake.” ] [Illustration: SAMUEL SIEGEL. Samuel Siegel, the great mandolinist, who is known to more people than any other player of this instrument, is very popular throughout the South. He is the originator of the system used by the Siegel-Myers Correspondence School of Music, and is also exclusive mandolinist for the Edison, Victor and Columbia Phonograph Companies. Mr. Siegel will tour the South next season at the head of the Siegel-Meyer-Reed Concert Company. ] The Lyceum Platform. By Dr. James Hedley. The Lyceum Platform is one of the world’s evangels. It has its teachers, heroes, apostles and prophets. It has had a wonderful history, and is still making history. It is a marvellous power for intellectual, social and moral good, and never more so than to-day. Its lecturers are strong not only in their ability to entertain, but in all those attributes which make for the best in human character. It goes without saying that such men come to the people with a message. Whether it be Watterson or Graves, or De Motte, or Conwell or Wendling, or Willitts; whether Dolliver, Gunsaulus, Hillis, Miller, Bain, McIntyre, McClary, or delightful Bob Taylor, the minds, hearts and consciences of men are turned in the direction of right things, and there is an impetus and an uplift which blesses all who hear.