The age-herald., 1902-02-18
Washington Day byDay

It is now known outside of Kentucky that there is a member of Congress named Wheeler, for many of the news papers have printed his name in connec- ton with some of the most extraordinary language yet spoken in the House of Rep resentatives. In the course of the five minutes which he secured for private pension bill this Kentuckian made fling at the British ambassador, whom he re- ferred to as this man Pauncefote;" sneered at Prince Henry of Prussia, who is about to be the guest of the American people, as that little Dutchman' repre- senting the "kingism of flunkeylsm;" lik- ened Secretary Hay to "a pitiable flunkey;' and after saying that he was restrained "by the ordinary amenities which should obtain between one gentle man and another" he did proceed to ring in an unhappy reference to the approach ing visit of the Presidents young daugh- ter to England, saying the President had ''seized' upon the opportunity to send one of his family to the coronation of King Edward. We all know the opposite of these statements, or at any rate be- leve we know.
 The personal views of Mir. Wheeler are of no consequence in themselves; but un- happily his violent and harsh language was made use of at the very moment of it's utterance to strengthen the Republi- can position before the country, for this Kentuckian is q Democratic member of the House and millions of copies of his speech will be circulated as Republican campaign literature at the very moment when the Democratic party will be mak- ing a desperate effort to regain control of the House. Quite naturally the Repub- licans are in great glee over the speech for unquestionably it takes a number of | districts out of the doubtful list.
 The Democratic party has been laboring | for thirty years to secure reasonable division of the great German vote in the | east and west; but such speech as MT. | Wheeler's circulated in it's entirety, will re-solidify that vote for the Republican | party. And he needlessly offends every | British-born voter in the United States. ! To every German, Germany is Germany, l and their six-foot tall fellow-countryman ! who Is coming to be the guest of their adopted country is no more Dutch man." little or large, than is the Ken tuckian himself; while the British-born, the English and Scotch citizens or Amer | ica love their native land too well not | to resent at the polls such language as that employed by Democrat Wheeler. This combined German and British vote 1 in the United States runs into the mill lions, and Mir. Wheeler's language will tend to strongly array 1t all against the Democratic party.
 MT. Wheeler is both a young man and young Congre ssman. He will get over the first of these conditions; whether he gets over the second, or artificial, one depends upon the Kentucky politics of the First district. From his autobiog- raphy on page 95 of the Congressional Directory it is learned:
 Charles Kennedy Wheeler, aged 39 years and 10 months, less one day; resi- dence - Paducah; place of birth-"on a farm in Christian county, Kentucky; oc- cupation-lawyer; public service-city at- torney of Paducah for two years, Presi- dential elector in 1892, and Congressman since 1896.
 It may be added that MT. Wheeler was candidate for United States Senator a few weeks ago; but his name did not reach the Democratic legislative caucus. "The maddest set of men in the House today" declares the conservative Even l ing Star, "are the Democrats who have large German vote in their districts; by the same token the gladdest are the Republicans who are similarly situated as to constituencies. It all comes about over MT. Wheeler's speech" This is true.
 "A rambunctious yawp," the Star edi- torially terms this mighty effort of Ken lucky statesmanship. "The only regret to be expressed in connection with MT. Wheeler's outburst is that it should have occurred while the country Is engaged at Its Lenten devotions. It is all ill-timed. The American people have keen sense of humor and during the season of jollity would have received this comico-tragic or tragico-comic deliverance with roars of delight. They will enjoy 1t even while in penitential mood. It will prove too strong for the obligations of the hour. The gravest of men will for a moment yield to the temptation provided by this rehash of yellow journalism, spiced with Ignorance and assurance of the most ag gressive character. The newspapers are simply having little fun, and incidental ly figuring on circulation. But MT. Wheel CT seems to have lashed himself into a solemn fury.
 "There will be those to fancy that the gentleman from Kentucky is maneuvering for a reelection. But the suspicion will do him an injustice, He had notion for awhile last year that he was in the race for the seat in the Senate now occupied by Mir Deboe, and while laboring under the delusion pledged himself not to stand for another term in the House. After a canvass of the state his heart failed him. There was really no race at all. Ex-Gov- ernor McCreary, in the lingo of the turf, made a holy show of his company, and galloped home an easy winner under an idle rein and in long loose stride.
 "There will be those to fancy that Mr. Wheeler speaks for Kentucky in this in- suit to Germany. But that will do that old commonwealth an injustice. To apply in slightly altered form famous line of Mir Lowell God help Kentucky, she is kneel- ing with the rest! The city of Louisville. anpa lxfnp for tha stnta baa rao,,aatad inc