The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-30
ALLEN GOT THE WORST OF 1T.
HIS ENCOUNTER WITH AN OFFICIAL
OF OPPOSITE POLITICS.

His Love for the South Which He
Says Is Far More Romantic and
Inspiring Than the North.
Washington, April 2S.-It is admitted by
Representative John NJ. Allen of Tupelo,
Miss. himself that there are greater
statesmen than he in the lower house of
Congress, but it is doubtful whether that
branch of the Legislature has another
member of such general popularity 1t Is
doubtful, also, whether it has another
member with so widespread a reputation
as a humorist. He has not been quite 30
much in evidence in this direction of late
as formerly perhaps, especially, In the
newspapers, but still he manages TO hold
his own fairly WELL despite the lapse Of
years.
Though not given to playing tricks that
produce serious embarrassment Mr.. Alien
is a practical joker of the subtlest sort
and naturally those who know him well
are delighted when they can turn the ia
bes on him. Stories that show him com
ing off second best are rare, however, Tor
like most practical jokers, he is constantly
on the lookout, but one such story was
told TO the writer the other day. 1t dates
back to the Harrison administration.
Among those who were brought here as
government officials under that admins
tration was James S. Clarkson, before then
editor of the Iowa State Register. Mr.
Clarksou was appointed fourth assistant
postmaster general, and as such official
Ii was his duty to look after the appoint
ment of postmaSters below a certain
grade Being a thorough going Republican
he proceeded to decapitate Democratic
postmasters with all possible speed, eclips-
ing the records of his predecessors to such
an extent that such nicknames as "the Az
man." "the Headman,' - 1.-The Executioner,'
and the like were soon applied to him
Partisan Republicans everywhere natural
ly applauded his activity. while many par
fisan Democrats denounced IL.
Not so Private" John NJ. Allen of Tu-
peio. He said it was all part of the
game" and jeered his Democratic con-
freres who made objection. To him, he
said, Executioner Clarkson appeared like
q pretty good fellow who was doing his
duty as he saw it-as Mr. Allen would
himself were he in his place, with the
difference that then it would be Republi-
cans and not Democrats that would be
beheaded. Meeting David B. Henderson,
the present Speaker, then, as now, an
intimate friend of his, one day, Mr.. AL
len expressed himself upon the subject az
some length, winding up with the ex-
presse wish that he might make the ao-
quaintance of so valiant a party man and
Nothing was easier, for Henderson and
GARRISON were from the same state. and
an introduction at the fourth assistant S
office was comprised on that very day.
Naturally, Mr.. Allen complimented Mr..
Clarkson in the course of their conversa-
ton, whereat the latter smiled expan-
sively. AS Mr.. Allen arose to depart,
he said, earnestly:
I'm mighty glad, Mr.. Executioner that
you believe the victors ought to have the
spells, for that is good Democratic doc
trine. Maybe / wouldn't be so glad,
though, if there were any Republicans in
my district If there were I'm afraid
my good Democratic friend who holds the
Tupeio Postoffice would lose his, job pred
ty soon; as il is, I'm sure he is safe, even
from you"
That made Clarkson smile again. AZ
ter Allen had gone the fourth assistant
made a little investigation which showed
Allen to be correct-at least there were
no Republican applicants for the Tupelo
office. After thinking a moment, Mr..
Clarkson sent telegram 1t was addressed
to an acquaintance of his then living in
Mississippi, fifty or 100 miles from Tupelo
"a Northern Republican, who had gone
South to make fortune, but failing, had
asked for help from the administration
which had not been forthcoming. This
telegram read "Move to Tupelo at once.
When you have lived there thirty days
wire me-"
Thereupon the fourth assistant forgot
all about the matter. Two days more
than a month afterward he was reminded
of 1t, however, by telegram dated Tu-
pelo, which read: Have lived here thir-
ty days. What shall do now?"
The next mail carried a commission as
postmaster for Tupelo 90 the fourth as
sistant's friend, and Private John NJ. AL
len soon came to regret the day that he
had expressed himself SO freely to 1.-THE
Headsman."
Though Mr.. Allen has been a member
of the House for nearly sixteen years,
first serving in the Forty-ninth Congress,
he is not old, as congressman go. being
only 50. He was born in Mississippi and
his education prior to the Civil War was
confined TO the public schools. After the
war, in which he served as a Confeder-
ate, of course, he studied at the Cumber-
land University In Tennessee and at the
University of Mississippi. After his adj
mittance to the bar he practiced law,
serving as district attorney for four years
before being elected to Congress. So
far as he is concerned, at least, there are
no Republicans in his district to this day,
for his election TO the present Congress
was by an unanimous vote.
Personally, Mr.. Allen is a jolly good fell
low, companionable alike with political
friends and foes and as loyal at heart TO
the South as ever he was. Being a man
of tact, however, this loyalty never is al
lowed to lead him to speak Ill of the
North, though he does occasionally In
dulge In a sly dig at certain Northern
pecuharities. Thus In a recent talk with
a resident Of Admiral Dewey's native
state, Mr.. Allen admitted freely that the
North had more business push than the
South and was entitled to due credit
therefor But, he added. that after all
the North did not have all the desirable
attributes
at lacks the inspiring qualities that
make for poetic feeling" he said. There
Is not q Southern state whose children
have not written songs in memory of Its
attractions, but songs celebrating North.
ern states are rare. Memories of the
South viii be perpetuated as long as
songs are sung in the English tongue
by Maryland. My Maryland My OLD
Kentucky Home Garry Me Back TO Old
Virginia. and the like. But who ever
heard any one sing Cary me back tc
old Vermont. or New York, or Pennsyl-
vania,' or any other Northern slater"
NEGRO WOMEN IN A FIGHT.