Ashton C. Shallenberger: ex-governer of Nebraska

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ASHTON C. SHALLENBERGER Ex-Governor of Nebraska


Introductory
ASHTON C. SHALLENBERGER, who has so suddenly come to the front in western politics, was born in Toulon, Illinois, of German-Swiss parentage on his father's side and English on his mother's side.  He was graduated from the High School of his native town and the literary course of the University of Illinois.  A successful business career gave him the needed knowledge of men of affairs.  He served in Congress from his District, and in the fall of 1908 was elected Governor of Nebraska, receiving a majority nearly double that of his distinguished fellow citizen, William Jennings Bryan.  He is the only democrat elected from his District to Congress and the second Democratic Governor of Nebraska.

There is no better type of American statesman in the United States than is Ashton C. Shallenberger, a close and brilliant student of the events of the world, a logical and bedrock thinker, an eloquent and witty speaker, and with it all a vigorous, whole-souled man.

A committee in search of an ideal statesman-orator will find in Mr. Shallenberger the only former governor of the present time who has all the qualifications of the true orator, and who, since entering upon the duties of his high office, has made no mistake to detract from his popularity as a public official and a star lyceum attraction.



Themes

Political Patriotism
A discussion of the present political and economic issues of the day.  Mr. Shallenberger is non-partisan in his discussion, but the logic, wit and eloquence of the speaker makes this one of the great lectures of the platform.



A Look into the Future
This lecture has been prepared for popular use.  The Governor is a natural entertainer and were the phrase not so old we might call it an Entertainment Lecture.



An Evening With Burns
In this lecture we discover that the Ex-Governor of Nebraska has been all his life a close student of the best in literature.  He has given this lecture at many commencements and his audiences have always been instructed and delighted.





Personal Letters
One of the most promising young men in the house of representatives is Honorable Ashton C. Shallenberger.  In addition to being a very able man he is very impressive, in the flower of his years.  His style of delivery and the modulation of his voice remind one somewhat of Honorable William J. Bryan.  Shallenberger has a great career before him if he stays in Congress long enough.  There never was a more systematic or successful fight made in the Congress of the United States than that made by the advocates of the great irrigation scheme, and no one among the advocates of that great enterprise conducted himself to better advantage than did Shallenberger.  He had evidently studied the subject from every conceivable standpoint, and took the house by storm.

CHAMP CLARK.


The University of Nebraska.
Governor Shallenberger of Nebraska is a very able public speaker.  I have heard him on at least six different occasions, always with the greatest pleasure.  He is polished, fluent and graceful.  His voice is particularly adapted to filling a large auditorium.  In fact he is equally at home in the parlor and in the amphitheatre.  As a public speaker he ranks with the best in the country.

Yours very sincerely,
S. AVERY, Chancellor.

Lincoln, Nebraska
Sept. 3, 1909



Peru State Normal School
Governor Shallenberger is an orator.  His commencement address here was equal to the one in 1907 by Mr. Bryan.

J. W. CRABTREE, President.

Peru, Nebraska Aug. 30,
1909.



Office of The Commoner
Governor Ashton C. Shallenberger is a man with ideas, and he is able to express them in a pleasing and forcible way.  I have no doubt that he will prove a success upon the lecture platform, and I am very much gratified to know that he is willing to spend some time on the Chautauqua circuit.  I wish more of our public men would avail themselves of the opportunity the Chautauqua platform gives to come in contact with the people, for it is good for the voters to hear our public men upon the broad themes which interest the entire citizenship, and it is good for a public man to keep in touch with the public.  I am sure that Governor Shallenberger will prove a success as a Chautauqua lecturer.

W. J. BRYAN.

Lincoln, Nebraska
Oct 7, 1909



North Platte Valley Chautauqua Association.
Governor Ashton C. Shallenberger lectured at the North Platte Valley Chautauqua that was held at Scottsbluff, Nebraska, in July last year; he is a combination of sound business sense and eloquence, and creates a good impression upon the platform, both by his appearance and his elucidation.  He held his audience well, and gave them something to think about afterward.  One of the missions of the Chautauqua is to build up brains, and the governor by precept and example is an inspiration.

Yours truly,
G. L. SHUMWAY, Secretary.

Scottsbluff, Nebraska Feb. 24, 1910





Commendations

J. L. Panzlau, Manager of Chautauqua
I was extremely fortunate in having the Honorable Ashton C. Shallenberger, Governor of Nebraska, with me on different occasions during the Chautauqua season of 1909.  He is one of the few men having a real message for the present hour.  He deals with life as it manifests itself in social and political circles.  He is a man with a vital message.  He puts brain and vim into his lecture and is a very forceful and pleasing speaker.  He makes people think and act.  I most heartily recommend him for any kind of platform work.

Yours very respectfully,
J. L. PANZLAU.

La Crosse, Wlsconsin
Feb. 22, 1910




Seattle (Wash.) Times
For half an hour this morning hundreds of former Nebraskans, packing the auditorium of the New York State Building at the exposition, listened with rapt attention to the most scholarly, powerful oratorical effort delivered since the opening of the fair.  The speaker was Governor Ashton C. Shallenberger, of Nebraska, on orator of exceptional power and pleasing personality.  During his masterful address on the greatness of the agricultural resources of his state, a pin could have been heard to drop, so entranced were his auditors by his words.  Exposition visitors and officials who have heard many speakers at the exposition unamimously declared after the address that they had never heard so pleasing an effort since the fair began.


Aurora (Neb.) Sun
Diogenes of old took his lantern and went about looking for a man, not for the imitation of a man, but for a man.  Were that ancient worthy on a similar mission in our day, we would advise him to leave the gilded, mystic east and come out to the rich prairies of Nebraska, and there in our capital city, in the person of our governor, he would find what he so long sought for—A MAN.


Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald
Democratic day at the Fullerton Chautauqua was an unqualified success.  Ashton C. Shallenberger gave the people a great exposition of the democratic position upon the currency, tariff and trust questions.  For over one hour he treated his hearers to a real educational address on public questions, and his speech throughout was marked by clearness of logic and high statesmanship, such as becomes the utterances from a Chautauqua platform.


Lincoln Nebraska State Journal
The first formal Saturday noon luncheon of the Lincoln Commercial Club was an unqualified success.  At twelve o'clock about seventy-five business and professional men sat down to luncheon, taxing the capacity of the dining room to the fullest.  The feature of the occasion was the speech of the Governor on 'Nebraska.'  In discussing it afterwards, one enthusiastic listener said that it 'made you feel that you would rather live in Nebraska than in Heaven.'  Other men said that it was the most thrilling speech they had ever heard, and that they had never before appreciated fully their advantage in being Nebraskans.


Sidney (Neb.) Telegraph
Proceeding at once into oratory which fairly scintillated in wit and eloquence, Mr. Shallenberger did the never failing stunt of winning his hearers by a few well told stories, delivered in his rapid fire manner, which brought down the house; then he launched into his discourse.  Certainly not a more polished orator has visited this section during the present campaign, nor one who attracted a larger crowd.




WAGEWORKER PRINT, LINCOLN, NEBR.

ALLIED PRINTING TRADES UNION LABEL COUNCIL LINCOLN