The first requisite, therefore, of material gathered in such a manner is that it be reproduced exactly as first delivered.  The man who told a woman that a critic had pronounced her singing “heavenly” had good intentions but he was not entirely accurate in changing to that nattering term the critic’s actual adjective “unearthly.”  The frequency with which alleged statements published in the daily press are contradicted by the supposed utterers indicates how usual such misrepresentation is, though it may be honestly unintentional.  The speaker before an audience must be scrupulously correct in quoting.  This accuracy is not assured unless a stenographic transcript be taken at the time the information is given, or unless the person quoted reads the sentiments and statements credited to him and expresses his approval.

Signed statements, personal letters, printed records, photographs, certified copies, and other exhibits of all kinds are employed to substantiate material secured from interviews and offered in speeches.  If you notice newspaper accounts of lectures, political speeches, legislative procedure, legal practice, you will soon become familiar with such usages as are described by the expressions, filing as part of the record, taking of a deposition in one city for use in a lawsuit in another, Exhibit A, photograph of an account book, statement made in the presence of a third party, as recorded by a dictaphone, etc.

The first danger in securing material by the personal interview is the natural error of misunderstanding.  The second danger is the natural desire—­not necessarily false, at that—­to interpret to the user’s benefit, the material so secured, or to the discredit of all views other than his own.  It is so easy, so tempting, in making out a strong case for one’s own opinions to omit the slight concession which may grant ever so little shade of right to other beliefs.  Judicious manipulation of any material may degenerate into mere juggling for support.  Quotations and reports, like statistics, can be made to prove anything, and the general intellectual distrust of mere numbers is cleverly summed up in the remark, “Figures can’t lie, but liars can figure.”

To have the material accepted as of any weight or value the person from whom it is secured must be recognized as an authority.  He must be of such eminence in the field for which his statements are quoted as not only to be accepted by the speaker using his material but as unqualifiedly recognized by all the opponents of the speaker.  His remarks must have the definiteness of the expert witness whose testimony in court carries so much weight.  To secure due consideration, the speaker must make perfectly clear to his audience the position of his authority, his fitness to be quoted, his unquestioned knowledge, sincerity, and honesty.

Knowledge secured in this manner may be used with signal effect in a speech, either to supply all the material or to cover certain portions.  If you listen to many speeches (and you should), notice how often a speaker introduces the result of his interviews—­formal or merely conversational—­with persons whose statement he is certain will impress his audience.