Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-02-15
Talbert: A Sand Burr
from South Carolina

TaIbert. who exhibited himself as a
wind monger in yesterdays Congress,
is after all no light to dazzle or to
shine. He is only a tallow dip Of a
creature to splutter, and to gutter, and
to go out i'm time In his legislative
effors he reminds one nightly Of a
dog-yellow breed-vociferously chas-
ing an express train. And he has about
the same effect.
Talbert in figuring is small, narrow,
with a head peaked at the top like
quail trap. He has yellow mustache,
and his eyes. like his ideas, are set close
together. He was born in Edgefe.d
county in the suffering State of South
Carolina. The county. by the way,
which furnished Tnlman to the Sen
ate.
Il is Tillman whom Talbert emulates,
and whose bla,antism he seeks to imi-
tate. But Talbert isn't so bad as Till
man. Of whom he is but a weak dilu-
ton
This is Talbert's second Congress,
and by fellow members he is laughed
at as one of the jokes OF the House. He
/ is not regarded seriously, and to bother
with him has never been considered as
worth while. At times he grows dis
agreeable, like an escape Of coal gas.
On such occasions the Speaker hunts
out House rule and stops the leak.
Talbert calls himself a Populist, and
as such is about the worst thing that
ever befeU a weak and struggling
party. His one sole purpose is Talbert
and as far as ne can. like all mon of in
ferior instinct and feeble range, he ap-
peals to the prejudices Of his support
ers. And. possibly, he's all right; at
any rate, it is his justification that ap-
pears to suit South Carolina.
In his House biography which he
writes himself. he tells Of his services
in the Confederacy back in the COS.
This might serve to show how strong
that movement Of rebellion was, when
for four years it outlived such aid as
Talbert's.
Further in his handmade biography
he sets forth with emphasis his church
work and how his voice is uplifted in
the Sabbath school. No comment will
be made ON this; but the thought Of the
Pharisee viii rise to the mind. The
legislative sincerity Of a man may well
be doubted who uses his Bible as a
doorstep to political preferment, and
swarms up the Cross Of Calvary to Con-
gress.
Since the days of Calhoun-whom
the excellent Andrew Jackson usted
to hang-South Carolina has never sent
much besides Tillmans and Talberts to
Congress. This is bad for South Caro-
lima: that State Of pepper, poverty and
poor politics. It has got her laughed
at by other States and endowed her
with the tail-hold in national affairs.
The House will take no heed of Tai
bert and his windy treasons. 1t doesn't
care enough about him; he's too small
to become a general House concern.
The members have his measure. They
know him for willow of politics
plant to every breeze; a growth OF the
boys and swamps: which. PUPPY while
green. punky when cut and dried, is
good neither to burn nor to build with.
Back in the last Congress Crisp. as
Speaker. disinclined to waste daylight
on such folk as Talbert, was wont to
order night sessions. put an understudy
back Of the nocturnal gavel and let the
Talberts and the Picklers and other
nuisances Of legislation make their
speeches then. As no business could
be transacted, no votes taken, save by
unanimous consent, nobody was oblig
ed to attend. and it all served to give
the Talberts and the Picklers a chance
to be great without being dangerous
and at the same time keep them from
under House feet when serious affairs
were on the tapis.
I will recall one Talbert occasion-it
was II o'clock in the night-when I
looked into the House chamber. Alb
solutely. there was nobody in the body
OF the House save a hubble Of sleepy
pages and Talbert, who was talking,
and some member in the chair In the
gallery two or three colored individuals
sonorously. not to say redolently,
dczed.
The lack Of auditors didn't appear to
Worry Talbert, who with empty head
and leathern lungs went laundering
on.
At one crisis a member from one Of