The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-03
HuMoRlsTs IN potITIcs.

hear him cOugh.-GQOd news.
HUMORiSTS IN POIfTlCS.
The Election ef Bad Boy Peck Governor
of Wisconsin.
Especial Correspondenca.l
Jew YORK, Nov 24-The election of Mr..
George w. Peck as governor Of the state of
Wisconsin is a rather curious and anoma-
lous development of a career which had its
beginning in pure, broad fun. Mr.. Peck
possessing the humorous gift, and being
convinced that it was talent which could !
be turned to pecuniary advantage, began
the publication of sketches in his weekly
paper which first set the whole northwest
to laughing uproariously, and then at
tracted wide attention throughout the
country. His gift proved to be his fortune
pecuniarily, and to the profits that came
from his newspaper circulation were added
handsome sums realized from the play
known as ''Peck's Bad Boy" and from the
sale of the sketches collected in book form.
Financially independent, Mr. Peck turn
ed his attention to politics, and being
personally popular, as well as in accord
with the majority in his state on certain
question relating to education, he was first
the chosen governor of the STATE This is
the only case on record where aAtrofession-
ally funny man has entered political life
to win some of the chiefest honors 10 be
found therein But it should be remem-
bered that Mr.. Peck, W lille funny man
by profession, was always a politician, and
in political activity, rather than in the Gre
alton of humor, his chief delight was
always to be found.
The only other case where professional
humorist has been seriously thought of for
political preferment was that of Mark
Twain After Mr.. Clemens had obtained
the foundation of his wealth he removed
to Hartford to live, mainly that he might
be nearer by the publishers of his book.
For while after he went there he seemed
to take some interest in political move
ments. He was ready to discuss politi-
cal problems seriously and did so. He
wrote upon political subjects, and on one
or two occasions appeared at political
meetings, delivering what were meant to
be serious addresses But Mark Twain,
unlike Mr.. Peck, had no talent for political
management, and the humor of politics
diverted him, while, strange to say, fond
of fun as he is, Mr. Peck is the most
relations.
Nevertheless, there was serious talk at
one time of nominating Mark Twain for
mayor of Hartford. 1t was abandoned be-
cause, as the humorist himself saw, the
public would be likely to regard it as he
himself did-as a great joke. There is no
doubt at all had Mark Twain been elected
mayor of Hartford he would have been an
IL, i
tor of the public business There is moth
ing funny in Mark Twain's business meth
DDS He is as severe and as rigid in his
business dealings as ne is whimsical and
peculiar in his literary work. No one who
has had business dealings with him ever
smiles or attempts to pass the joke with
him.
Mr.. Locke, better known as petroleum
Y. Nasty" after he had acquired the fame
Of . humorist and the fortune which il
apt to go with that fame, had a serious in
clination to enter political life. 1t was hi.
desire to represent his district in congress
and very likely, had his health been spared
and his life prolonged, he would have re
ceived his party's nomination. For Mr.
Locke although humorist. was, unlilz
Peck, satirist, and most of his fun wa
really political dissertations disguised un
der the cover of satire and humor II
= was student of American politics, mai
= of deep convictions, and it was his desir
!, to reap a more substantial if not NOR
lasting fame than that which he possesses
> as the writer of "The Nasty Papers" Hi
: illness and death, however, ended the mat
7 ter.
Of all the other funny writers none c
;, them seems to have had the slightest poll;
8 ical inclination. Artemus Ward had II
conception at all of political movements
;, John Phoenix found never ending sourc
= of humor in the political life OF California
= and ''Doesticks," the author of Sparrow
y, grass Papers, " and "Orpheus G. Kerr'' ha
:, no political inclination whatever.
:; On the other hand, however, there ha
= been number of men in public life, som
of them distinguished. who would prob;
. oily have won great fame had they sougt
\ the literature of humor, instead of the al
Invites of politics.
-. Prince John Van Buren,, the son of MAJ
y tin Van Buren,, was a delicious and accon
- plished wit, who could have easily set tW
II continents to laughing had he chosen
- make literary use of it. Tom Corwin Wa
= wit who had all he could do to subord
- nate it to his political ambition. Proctt
-. ~ Knott has ever restrained his humoror
faculty, excepting in the case of his D
- luth speech. Roscoe Conkling in his pr
-, vate lie bubbled over with humor al
i, wit. 1t is not generally known that at oil
- time in his early life James A. Carrie
~ had a serious idea of undertaking hume
~ Gus writing believing that there was pro
~ in it. But Tom Corwin to whom he su
ne gested it told him that If he set out to ea
Iy his living by fun people would never tai
10 him seriously.
GO Perhaps the most accomplished hume
ct list who has succeeded in politics was Su
no set Cox; but he always asserted that /
NV reputation for humor had interior
eS greatly with his political career. Co
l.. however, never wrote for money un
of after he had won his greatest political V
,St tories, and his humor, too, was too delica
iS and subtle ever to have become so wide
nc popular as to bring him great pecunia
10 returns. e. J. EDWARDS
'h~ Notes About Rev. Il. e. Hale.
10 Boston, Nov. 24.-When Rev. Dr. I