The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-11-29


Fun IL good thing IN lis place and there
re- lnnumefable appropriate places for Y but
deposition 10 create iun IL often n yerS
prlous drawback 10 man In life. TbS'hu'
norists are not the men whose regulations
row treener by the lapse Of years nor are
hey the men who nre called upon to come
o the front when serioIs matters are to be
discussed and handled No matter how
ieep the learning, nor how strong the Will
Of man tbe world will regard him as
wanting m strength II he succeeds at aby
time,in fastening upon himself the reputa-
ton Of ester. He may be greater phil
ospher, scholar, poet, scientist, statesman
than all his fellows but he Is doomed always
to play the clown If he once commences II.
H passes into proverb as "a fellow oil in
Il lite jest" and is kept especially to un'
bend the mind with when others have
wearied US by deep suggestion and weighty
converse.
Mr.. SAMUEL SULLIVAN Cox is one OF the
brainiest mon in the United States. Be-
sides possessing classical and finished ed
ucation, he is a man of extraordinary read
ing, versed extensively and infinitely IN
politics, history, science and light litera-
ture, a statesman from Doth experience aud
study, finished orator ard skilled parlia-
mentariau, and one acquainted with the
life and needs of the time. He has capped
his splendid intellectual attachments by
travel and contact with the most polished
society until he stands forth prominently
as one of the first men of the country and
the peer certainly in all tuat makes a man,
statesman, and presiding officer OF any
m An in congress.
But Mr.. Cox was gifted or cursed with
the brightest Of wit and broadest numor,
and has yielded so often to its seductive
promplings that he has become the houses
lester. History would belle itself if Cox
the humorist were selected to preside over
the body that he has been simply amusing
for years in its moments OF relaxation. The
king never placed his lester in high Official
position, though the clown might have had
more philosophy and wisdom than the
king. Perhaps the shafts "at random sent"
have left some snlarting wounds; many a
m an made ridiculous by the electric light
of wit may have not forgotten his tor
meLtor, and perhaps other old scores are
r9mem oered. but it is more than probable
t nat Cox, as all other humorists have ever
had to do, will have to content hlm-
slf with the laugh that his
flashes occasion. The speakers
chair is associated in the public mind with
all that is heavy and practical IN olitics.
The humorist is associated, on the other
hand, with all that is light and airy and in
sincere, and the two things consequently,
the speakership and the humorist, present
an incongruity that itself produces mirth.
Hence Cox's candidacy, until just recent
ly, has hardly been recognized as serious,
and has been characterized as one OF the
funny mans best jokes. Even now when
he has become a formidable candidate, the
public eau with difficulty be brought TO
believe it and it is Just from this fact chiefly
that we look for his defeat. His JOKES have
kept honors from seeking him. his jestine
has amused without e3listing the public
He may possibly win in the presen!
contest, but we cannot believe be
will. Should he succeed he will
make brilliant as well as strong and patri'
otto speaker.
| Those who remember Tom CoRwIN or are
familiar with his history will call to mind
how bitterly he cursed the day when he be-
came public jester. He was fitted for the
highest honors but himself confessed thai
his disposition to create laugh had rend
cred life comparatively failure to him
Even in these later days other cases thar
those of Cox are forthcoming illustra'
tive of all we have been saying, PRocToH
KNOTT from the day of his Luluth speech
could never hope to become leader in the
house though admirably fitted therefor.
He has stopped his jokes of late years and
is gradually getting to a point he might
have reached long before but for yielding
to the vagrant impulses of a humorously
turned fancy.
These cases are lessons. 1t isn't the fun
ny men who win the greatest successes or
enjoy the substantial honors. 1t Is the
stern, strong, Woodworking fellows like
RANDALL at last who succeed in impress
ing the public with an idea Of their impor
lance. The men who create the laugh are
haue1 as splendid fellows" bat Tue guile
toilers are SCI ected for the heavy work. II
is the pubic's way in everything, but II IL
still beyond question that in majority o
cases the testers are the wisest and strong
est men after all.