Let the churches of the Western states hold entertainments, let
suppers, masked balls, ice cream socials, cider picnics and barbecues
be held by the good women of every village and the proceeds devoted to
the equipment of "Bryan wagons." And after they are started out, each
well provisioned with literature, blankets and food, and containing
two good speakers and workers, the good women who raised the money to
start them should continue their benign activities and proceed at once
to raise a fund to keep on hand, so that when our missionaries send
tidings of persecution, accident or neglect, they can be answered at
once by a generous remittance.
In order to insure the permanency of the venture, and that the wagon
and horses may continue to serve the cause even if the men traveling
with them desert their posts, a bill of sale or transfer of the wagon
and horses should be sent to our National headquarters or to our state
officers on the day of departure. The friends of the organization would
then be communicated with in advance wherever the wagon went, and in
case either one or both the speakers tired or deserted, the vacancies
would be filled at once from headquarters, and in the meantime the
horses and wagon would be cared for.
OUTDOOR MUSIC.
There can be no greater aid to the success of a "Bryan wagon" than for
the volunteers to carry with them and be able to play a banjo, guitar,
violin, or small organ. Music is one of the world's forces and as rare
music, like all rare things, is a very small part of the whole, it
is not necessary that our music be of that sort. If we have the best
arguments, we can afford to let the other side have the best music.
But we must not, for this reason, give up music altogether. Therefore
a man who is proficient in any musical instrument that can be played
out doors, is a valuable acquisition to a Bryan wagon. But by far the
most popular and most effective music in the world, if well rendered,
is the exercise of the human voice in song.[6] To open a meeting with
music always strikes a sympathetic chord with the people. It aids and
strengthens every word that follows. If our speakers do not know how to
sing when they start out, they should practice singing our songs until
they do know. This should be part of the young speaker's education.
[6] A volume of songs, prepared for our volunteer work, and
for all sorts of Democratic meetings, will be ready shortly,
and can be obtained of our National Bureau or from any of our
volunteers.
STEREOPTICON PICTURES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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