Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-11-16

Joseph Wheeler and that the green
eyed monster is feeding upon his
damask cheek? Can it be that Major
General Otis has censored Major
General joe II would really appear to
be true, sadly true as the following
excerpt from a private letter from
General Wheeler to Il friend would Ia
dicate:
ION the 9th Of September / had a
little fight with the enemy at this
point but it did not amount to much.
although as important as some other
engagements which have been digni-
fed in the papers as fights am sorry
to say that much which appears IN the
papers of the United States is gross
exaggeration."
With becoming modesty our Ala
bama hero refers to his own victory
as "a little fight" and then naively re
marks. But it did not amount to
much" Then he writes words which
Indicate delicately tis true. but new
ertheless eertainly-his opinion of the
great canned victories from Manila, .
for he says. Although as important
as some other engagements which
have been dgnified in the papers as
fights Then Fighting Joe" lets the
cat cut OF the bag by saying bluntly.
Il am sorry to say that much which
appears in the papers of the United
States is gross exc ggeration." Now
taking into consideration the fact that
nothing appears in the papers of the
United States from that quarter of
the globe until it has been properly or
| improperly censored or doctored by
Major General Otis or some of his
subs General Wheeler's remarks are
a severe arraignment of that martial
| jecting our Alabama warrior TO the
pains and penalties of INSTRUMENTATION
and of speaking disrespeetfully of his
superior officer superior in rank. but
not in merit. service or fame
| 1t is safe to say that General Wheel
er's letter was not circulated as cam
paign document by Mark Hanna &
Co in the fight for Ohio. If it had been.
no doubt Nash's great majority would
have sagged in the back and bagged
at the knees.
After awhile the American people
will grow weary of Major General
Otis and his press censorship
Grent Missouri story Teller.
In no portion of Uncle Sans i'm
mense domain is political warfare
waged with more relentless fury than
in imperial Missouri Thomas II. Ben
ton set the pace He was an Indian
frontier fighter of the Andrew Jackson
school in whose vocabulary there was
no such word as surrender" /" com
promise" or Cancellation To slug or
be slugged was all he knew of practical
politics. The plan which Benton
brought into the state has been the
fashion ever since. AT the same time
there is no place where the bitterness
| of political fighting is more happily
tempered by the delightful art Of the
/ story teller. No state has so many pub
!, lie men who excel in this regard
Taken all in all, perhaps Senator
| George Graham Vest outranks all the
others as story teller. but of the
younger generation ex-Lieutenant Gov
ernor David Alexander Ball. who is
competing with ex-Congressman Alex
ander Monroe Dockery for the govern
orship. is entitled to the belt 1t is a
singular race these two are making,
and as whichever wins the gIittering
prize will become a national figure in
! politics | hereby introduce to my read
I ers Mr. Ball He is small. wiry, clean
shaven as a priest and auburn haired
He boasts that be is the ugliest man in
Missouri, which is not true. but which
assertion nevertheless. made and re-
peated on the stump in the most COM
ical manner. has served him good
purpose.
A Funny story.
He usually begins a speech thus:
"When I was candidate for governor
in 1896. one day | went to Pleasant
Hill. where did not know soul.
had to introduce myself SO, after reg
istering at the hotel, | started down
| the street and met strapping big fell
! low, nearly as tall as the Kentucky gi-
ant Iwalked up to him and said,
My name is Ball The big one looked
down on me and said, Ball Dave
Bally / replied. Yes, Dave Ball The
big one asked, Are you the Ball who
is running for GOVERNOR | answered,
Yes. | am the man.. whereupon the
big one exclaimed, Well, I'll be ever
lastingly dasheds This humorous ex-
ordium never fails to put 4the redhead-
I ed hustler from Pike" as his friends
enthusiastically call him. upon good
terms with his audience, and then be
i proceeds to discuss the issues of the
day in mastery fashion, interspersing
his speech with enough anecdotes to
keep his audience in fine humor
TO hold Democrats in line on all oc-
easions and under all circumstances he
tells this snappy story: De you know
| how a Democrat would look voting the
Republican ticket? If you don't, l will
inform you. Down in my county an
old fellow undertook to commit sui
eide by hanging himself with blind
Bride Just as he was going off his
boy cut him down. He rubbed his
eyes and said to his son, John. If you
hal let me alone a minute longer
would have been in heaven. where
upon John replied, Yes you would
have cut mighty fine figure in heaven
looking through blind bride,
wouldn't you?
ExDerlence Tells In Congress.
More than once have written in
these letters as to the advantage east
ern states have by keeping faithful
members in congress for long periods
but as certain ungodly persons might
conclude that was animated entirely
by selfish motives l hereby quote al
editorial from the Washington Stal
| headed Experience In Congress
i With force and truth The Star says:
at has more than once been re
marked that the people of Maine art
thoroughly alive to the Importance Of
the services of experienced men il
congress. They are not fickle in theil
favor They stand By a faithful public
servant, and they have greatly benefit
ed by that course. 1t was only a few
years ago indeed that the Maine dele
| CATION in congress was. taken in its en-
tlrety. the most famous and influential
delegation in that body. Every mem
-. H.. u nv