But just think for a moment of the mind, the strange inscrutable mind,
of the man who wrote that, of the editor who approved it,
of the people who are probably impressed by it, of the incredible
American working-man, of whom, for all I know, it may be true.
Think what their notion of "common sense" must be! It is delightful
to realize that you and I are now able to win thousands of votes
should we ever be engaged in a Presidential Election, by doing something
of this kind. For I suppose the nails and the board are not essential
to the exhibition of "common sense;" there may be variations.
We may read--

"A little common sense impresses American working-men more than
high-flown argument. A speaker who, as he made his points,
pulled buttons off his waistcoat, won thousands of votes for his side."
Or, "Sound common sense tells better in America than high-flown argument.
Thus Senator Budge, who threw his false teeth in the air every time
he made an epigram, won the solid approval of American working-men."
Or again, "The sound common sense of a gentleman from Earlswood,
who stuck straws in his hair during the progress of his speech,
assured the victory of Mr. Roosevelt."

There are many other elements in this article on which I should
love to linger. But the matter which I wish to point out is that
in that sentence is perfectly revealed the whole truth of what
our Chamberlainites, hustlers, bustlers, Empire-builders, and strong,
silent men, really mean by "commonsense." They mean knocking,
with deafening noise and dramatic effect, meaningless bits
of iron into a useless bit of wood. A man goes on to an American
platform and behaves like a mountebank fool with a board and
a hammer; well, I do not blame him; I might even admire him.