The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-01-03
HUMORlsTs IN POLITICS.
rhe Election Of Bad Boy Peck Governor
of wisconsin.

OF HlSc0nsin.
Especial Correspondence
New YORK, Nov. 24.-TFhe 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.. Peek
possessing the humorous gift, and being
convinced that it was a 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 uprosriously, 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 beng
personally popular, as well rs IN accord
with the majority III his state on a certain
question relating to education, he was first
elected mayor of Milwaukee and now Is
the chosen governor Of the state. This is
the only case on record where a profession
ally funny man has entered Political life
10 win some of the chiefest honors to be
found therein. But it should be remem-
bered that Mr.. Peck, Y bile funny man
BIZ profession, was always politician, and
in political activity, rather than in the ere
alton of humor, his chief delight was
always to be found.
The only other case where a professional
humorist has been seriously thought OF for
political preferment was that Of Mark
Twain After Nr. 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 a 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. lie
wrote upon political subjects, and on one
or two occasions appeared st political
meetings, delivering what were meant TO
be serious addresses. But dark 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
serious and solemn of men in his political
relations.
Nevertheless. there was serious talk at
one time OF nominating Mark Twain for
mayor of Hartford Is was abandoned be-
cause, as the hunoriJt himself saw, the
public would be likely 10 regard 1t 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
| extremely able and successful administra-
tor Of the pablo business. There is moth
ing funny in Mark Twain's business meth
ODDS He is as severe and as rigid in his
business dealings as he is whimsical and
| peculiar in his literary work. No one who
| has had business dealings with him ever
smiles or attempts 20 pass the JOKE with
7, him.
Mr.. Locke, better known as Petroleum
| Y. Nasty" after he had acquired the fame
| If humorist and tho fortune which is
apt to go with that fame, had a serious in
| clination TO enter political life. 1t was his
! 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 M,
! Locke, although a humorist, was, unlike
! Peck, a satirist, and most of his fun was
really political dissertations disguised un
! der the cover of satire and humor. HI
was student of American politics, mar
! of deep convictions, and it was his desire
| to reap a more substantial if not more
lasting fame than that which he possessed
as the writer of 1.-The Nasty Papers" His
illness and death, however, ended the mat
| ter
OF all the other funny writers none o
them seems to have had the slightest polit
ical inclination. Artemus Ward had M
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
grass Papers" and "Orpheus c. Kerr" haC
no political inclination whatever.
On the other hand, however, there ha
been a number of men in public life, SOM
of them distinguished, who would proba
bly, have won great fame had they sou2h
the literature of humoT, instead of the &C
| Invites of politics.
Prince John Van Buren,, the son of Mar
tin Van Buren,, was a delicious and accom-
piished wit, who could have easily set tw,
continents TO laughing had he chosen Il
make literary use Of it. Tom Corwin wa
a wit who had all be could do TO suhordi
nate it TO his political ambition. Procto
Knott has ever restrained his humorous
] ldCuAlA. excepting III Jut CttSc Oh MS Du
! luth speech. Roscoe Coz klinC in his pr
vate lIfe dubbed ove- with humor an,
wit 1t is not generally known that at on
time in his early life James a. Garfiel'
had a serious idea Of undertaking humor
Gus writing, believing that there was prof
in it. But Tom Corwin 10 whom he sug
gested it told him that if he set out TO earl
his living By fun people would never tax
him seriously.
Perhaps the most accomplished humor
list VINO has succeeded in politics was Sun
set Cox; but he always asserted that hi
reputation for humor had Interfere
greatly with his political career. Cox
however. never wrote Tor money unit
after he had won his greatest political vie
tories, and his humur. too. was too deiicat
and subtle ever 10 have become so widel
popular as 10 bring him great pecuniar
returns. L. J. EDWARDS.