Mexico weekly ledger., 1898-09-01
qARKS LETTER
Congressional Humorists
Past and Present.
FIVE ONLY REALLY GREAT.
"Private" John Aliens Recent
Speech In the House.
HARD J0LTs FOB REPUBLICANS

Speech In tine Rouse.
HARD J0LTs FOB REPUBLICANS.
Grosvenor md His Xix Scored For Unjust
and Cnwarranted Attacks on the Loyal
IL and Patriotism OF Democrats and Pop
Why the Minority Opposed q
Bond Issue-Jobbery Denounced.
Especial Washington letter.
First and last five great humorists
have sat in congress-Tom Corwin,
Abraham Lincoln. Samuel Sullivan
Cox, J. Proctor Knott and John M.
Allen, popularity called "Private''. John
Allen. Of the vast army of humorists
outside Of congress only two are fit to
be named with these five, Artemus
Ward and Mark Twain. Thomas Brack-
cit Reed says as many amusing things
as any of the seven, but there is SO
much more Of sarcasm than humor in
what he says that it would be q mis-
homer to call him o humorist. He is
more properly speaking q wit.
The strangest part Of the story is that
Lincoln, whose humorous stories and
sayings now constitute the bulk Of sew
eral volumes, made no reputation as a
congressional humorist.
A great many people who have not
ingenuity enough to originate a bit OF
wit or humor and not heart enough to
appreciate it after it is originated, dub
the wit or humorist a fool. They are
badly mistaken. Certainly no man who
has any reputation to lose would pro-
nounoe Corwin, Lincoln, Knott, Cox or
Allen q fool
A great many representatives and
senators are humorists occasionally.
That is, once in q while they rise into
humor just as silas Wegg sometimes
dropped into poetry.
Humorist and Philosopher.
John Allen is the only man now in
public life who is always humorous.
Yet he is a great deal more. He is a
thinker, o philosopher and a debater Of
rare power, as many a member has dis
covered to his sorrow.
In his first speech John astonished
the house more perhaps than it was
ever astonished either before or since.
In closing he said. "Mr. Speaker, hav-
ing completely demolished all my op-
ponents and having answered all their
arguments, I will retire to the cloak
room to receive the congratulations Of
my admiring friends" That was sub
IIS-1 ,LooL nc r,ot1 o1 wsoh h,ynor
From that day to this he has been one
Of tho most popular orators of the
house and will be so long as he remains
o member.
Like Lincoln, he has a countenance Of
preternatural solemnity, which is a
splendid accessory to his humor.
Recently he made a speech on the
bill to compel soldiers to eat four ounce
Of cheese each week. As a cheese speech
it vas much like the play of Hamlet
with The Prince Of Denmark left out.
He was after bigger game-General
Grosvenor and other ablebodied Repub-
lican prevaricators. John made what
Amos Cummings-a fine judge Of men
and oratory-has pronounced the great
est campaign speech delivered in this
congress.
After giving Grosvenor a diff about
his speech before the Ohio state conven-
ton Allen pounced on MI. Overstreet of
Indiana, secretary Of the Republican
congressional campaign committee,
about an interview in the Washington
Post, charging Democrats with lack of
patriotism and Democratic states with
being behindhand in furnishing their
quotas Of troops. Allen went after him
in this savage manner:
Fodder or No Fodder.
sin my Judgment, there was never a
more unjust and baseless accusation
brought against any political organiza-
ton than the charge that the Demo.
Gratis and Populists had exhausted their
patriotism when they voted for the first
$50. 900, 900 appropriation. If ever set
Of men marched up to the rack, fodder
or no fodder patronage or no patron
age, cheese or NJ cheese, and gave their
unstinted support to an administration
opposed to them in politics, the Demo-
Gratis and Populists of this house have
done so in their support Of the admin
~istration in the conduct of this war.
. "We have believed that when our
country is engaged in a wal with Spain
or any other foreign country we should
forget all partisanship, forget, SO far as
measures necessary to successful conduct
Of the var are concerned, whether we
are Democrats or Republicans and only
remember that we are American citi.
zens.
"Thus believing, we have stood here
recognizing William Mckinley rs the
president Of our common country and
have given him and his administration
everything asked for. I do not believe
that the history Of this or any other
country will show money as 1s,vishly
appropriated, with as few restrictions
on its use and with as little opposition
from the political opponents Of che ad-
mtnistration that was to expend it, and
not only in the matter Of %appropria.
tions, but in every recommendation
made by the administration as advan-
tageous in the conduct of the war we
have, almost without question, voted
for.
Test Of Patriotism.
t'It is true that most of us on this
side Of the house did vote against the
proposition to issue bonds. There was
more than 800, 900, 900 of unnecessary
DR.. Luckie is in receipt of a letter
from his two sons, John and William
who, with Clarence Mcintyre, also o.
| this e0untv ara In Hoodsc Rooinaut