Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-02-24
GHHMF GEHRK ST0RIGS ;
Budget Of tuit and Hunoor Gathered by I
the Cuay
fCopyright 1902, by Champ Clark.

WIu Ill cApIcSSIHk tuCil ~ lAS
hOuse-as mere incident OF speech.
First and last there have been five hui
morists of the first class in 1.-The more
numerous branch of the national legis-
laturc"-TOm CorWin. Abraham Lin
coin, Samuel Sullivan Cox, j. Proctor
Knott and John NJ. Allen. Four Of
these were congressional humorists-
Corwin Cox, Knott and Allen. 1t
will thus be seen that differentiate
between a congressional humorist and
q humorist who is in congress. Tn
4ucstionably Lincoln divides with Ar
temus Ward and Mark Twain the hon
OK Of being the greatest American hui
morist-for it is an honor no matter
what the dry as dusts may say by way
of dissent, detraction or carping criti-
cisni-but most aSsuredly and most en-
phaticalIy Lincoln was not Il congress
sional humorist Indeed there is pre-
eious little tracc-tle merest color, as
miners would Say-of his humor or OF
ATTY other Of his many great faculties
in his con greSSional career. The truth
seems to be that congress did not suit
uliN ttliN lEuI IN tilt jitb III tOli = S'o'o-
At any rate in his brief service in the
house there is Rot even the faintest
prophecy OF that astounding career
Witch wrote his name in the Scanty list
nf the iulmUrtaiS.
Private Joha Ali5n.
With the possible exceptions of Nc
kiieley, Bryan aad Roosevelt there is
perhaps no Amtfiean spokesman of this
generation whose name is more famil-
iar 70 the ears and tongues of the
American people than that of Hon.
John NJ Ailcn Of Mississippi, yelept
"privatc John Allen. lle has not on
u immoftaiized himself. bat he has
lifted into continental fame I'Upelo, the
little town where he resides. After Il
lea@ aud distinguished career in the
house he voluntarily qntt public life
{or the practice o.laW
How Ic!in Cot Thee.
THE dry as duSts sole9!nly asseverate
that humor never dil ;inH good. They
are cockS3sre Of that. Now. lets see.
How did John Allen set to congress
lie iokea himself il. enc fetching bit
Of humor sent him to Washington as a
national taWmatef.
The first time John ran for the con-
gressonal nomination his opponent
was the Confederate general Tucker
who had fought Gai!antly during the
civil war and Who had served With dis
tinction two or three terms in con
gresS They met on the stump. Cen
elal Tucker closed one of his speeches
As follows:
sSeventeen years ago last night my
fellow citizens. after Il hard fought
battle on yonder hill bivouackcd un
der yonder clump Of trees. These OF
you who remember as do the times
that tried mems soUls viii not. | hope
forget the humble servant when the
primaries shall hc held"
That was Il strong anneal in those
days, but John raised the general at his
own game in the following amazing
Htanncr:
My follow citizens what General
Tucker says to You about the engage
mcnt some years ago Cn Eondcr hill is
true. What General Tucker says tC
you about having bvo1acked in yol
clump of trees Oh that night is true. II
Is also true my fellow citizens, that
was vedettc picket and stood guard
over him while he slept.
"Now, then. fellow citizens. all of you
who were generals and had privatcS tc
stand guard over you while you slept
vote for General Tucker. and all of you
who were privates and stood guard
over the generals while they slept vote
for Private John Allen"
The people caught on. took John al
his word, sent him to congress. wher,
with his acclaim.
Johns Maiden Speech In Congress.
OF course every representative must
make his maiden speech" in congress
--th3t is. if he intends to try the ora
torcal caper at all Frequently it is {;
painful ordeal Much depends on that
effort. The congressional tyro feels
that the eyes of the house. of his con
stituents, perhaps of the whole coun
try and of pOsterity. are fixed upon
him. Generally he is mistaken as tt
the number of eyes riveted upon him
hut nevertheless he feels as he rises t.
say Mr.. Speaker" for the first tim,
that he is sort of universal optica
target, and so feeling he is liable to al
attack of heart failure or stage fright
5.ucSy the member who catches the eal
of the house and of the country in de
Nvering his maiden speech He is
not only lucky. He is scarce, almost a
scarce as hens teeth.
In due time John delivered his 'maid
en- speech" in congress, proved to bt
one of the lucky ones and took an in
slant secure hold on the auricular ap
pcndage of the house. whi"" hA h"la