your newspapers, not our profits!' Agriculture growls: 'Cheap shoes by all means, but abate not a jot of the duty on hides!' Sugar raises the slogan in the South: 'Preference for home products!' In short, tariff reduction, in theory acceptable to all, is well-nigh unattainable, simply because every group insists on retaining all the privileges it now enjoys."

II. Choice of Words

a. Simplicity

In securing force through choice of words, two principles are to be observed. The first of these, simplicity of diction, has already been dealt with in relation to clearness; but it is of scarcely less importance as a factor of emphasis. This statement is apt to appear questionable, if not paradoxical, to an immature speaker since bombastic diction and long, involved periods are so much more impressive to the ear. The effective speaker, however, aims, not at the ear but at the mind, which is not to be captured by the explosions of blank-cartridge diction. It is true that the subjectmatter of some speeches is so thin that the speaker finds it desirable to attempt to hide his poverty of material by a covering of words. How often, indeed, one is tempted to cry out with Hamlet, "Words, words, words!" But the substantial

address, which is our concern, gains strength by simplicity, just as does a statue, a picture, a bridge, or a piece of machinery.

b. Precision

Precision, the second quality of diction which makes for force, means the employment of words which express the speaker's thoughts with exactness. This requires more than the mere avoidance of misusage, such as "ingenious" for "ingenuous,' "allusion" for "illusion," "infer" for "imply," or "arraign" for "indict"; it calls for a choice between words which mean something similar but are not synonymous. In other words, the precise speaker is not satisfied to convey his ideas approximately. If a circumstance is merely "apparent," he does not term it "evident"; if an act is only "objected to," he does not refer to it as denounced." Nor does he carelessly sprinkle his addresses with such colorless and inexact words as "thing," "factor," "and so forth"; nor habitually begin sentences with meaningless timemarkers like "why," "well," and "now." On the contrary, he aims to make every word not only count, but also express the thought so aptly that any change would weaken the effect. Like many other qualities discussed heretofore, such precision in extempore speaking, where revision is impossible, is an ideal to be sought for rather

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than attained absolutely. Furthermore, it is, frankly, a quality of especial difficulty because it requires a large working vocabulary. But since, next to a well-stored mind, words are the speaker's chief tools, he cannot afford to allow difficulty to discourage him from persistent cultivation of an adequate and readily-available vocabulary.

c. Vocabulary Building

In what ways can we work toward this end? First, it is to be noted that many people do not take full advantage of the vocabulary which they already possess. Many bright, expressive words are allowed to lie like swords in their scabbards. except on rare occasions when unusual stimulus brings them to light. Again, many words are constantly employed in hackneyed combinations, with a lifeless, colorless result. The explanation is that it takes energy, initiative to speak freshly and precisely. Much easier is it to talk in a common-place manner, using over and over the words which, through repetition, have become the first, if not the only, line of expression. All too complacently we say "a long-felt want,' "a notable occasion," "the pages of history," "let us, therefore," " "every walk of life," "an impressive scene," "last but not least," "then, and then only." We likewise overwork certain single words which come easily, and neglect others

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of equal or greater aptitude which we know, perhaps, but are too indolent or indifferent to draft. As a random example take "keen" in the expression "a keen wit," an excellent word but often less opposite than "cutting," "trenchant,' "sharp," "acrid," "caustic," "biting," "incisive,' "drastic," "poignant," "vivid," "virulent," or "corrosive." An examination of such a book as Roget's "Thesaurus," or Crabbe's "Synonyms, will awaken a realization of similar varieties of expression at the speaker's command. And the student owes it to himself to put into active service at least those words which already belong to his vocabulary.

But he should not be satisfied with his present equipment. Perhaps he can extend his vocabulary by using various devices which have been helpful to eminent writers and speakers. Benjamin Franklin tells us in his "Autobiography" that he benefited by paraphrasing literary passages which required the use of terms new to him. Robert Louis Stevenson carried about with him a notebook in which he wrote practice sketches, using the words which arose in connection with the new activities and scenes encountered in his travels. Rufus Choate found advantage in translating foreign languages. Robert Browning and Lord Chatham studied the dictionary outright. It is obvious that such exercises take time, and it is,

therefore, fortunate that every person who reads and converses must necessarily increase his supply of words by absorption. This unconscious process, indeed, is largely responsible for such vocabularies as most of us possess. The accumulation is too slow, however, for the speaker who would rapidly strengthen his style through precision. It is highly desirable that he increase his word power by some form of conscious effort. He may not be inclined to put into practice any of the exercises recommended above, but certainly when he reads, converses, or listens to speakers he should be on the alert to seize upon any words, or felicitous phrases with which he is not familiar. These should be jotted down for dictionary reference at the earliest opportunity. It is then essential to make use of these words, soon and frequently, in order that they may become a part of the speaker's working vocabulary. This simple and natural method is within the capability of even the busiest people. Therefore, while the speaker is enlarging his knowledge of men and affairs, there is no excuse for not keeping his vocabulary abreast.

III. Illustration

A liberal use of illustration is another means of adding forcefulness to our speaking. The reason for this is that the concrete is proverbially more