Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-11-12
IS oRAT0RY A "TRICk2'

There are two great gifts which be-
slowed upon individuals allure human
ity to their possessors as irresistibly as
an arc light draws NOTES.-The gift of
song and the gift OF CAB. That is part
Of the lesson of history and of Mar
shall county experience. There We're
skeletons in plenty about the rocks
whence the mythical sirens lifted their
song. Likewise the tuneful Marson, of
musical memory. left his own little
satacomb behind him when he departed
from Marshalltown in ths urgent in
ierests of the state. That oratory is no
&hit behind song In its power to charm
the soul and loosen the purse strings
rRev" A. J. Wheeler. whilom oratorical
expert in the Marshalltown third party
yabfest of last year, is Fastening hith-
)r to make good. His progress, it may
}e said in passing. is under the aus
pices and materially accelerated by the
statutes of Iowa and the sheriff OF
Marshall county. Thru correspondents
the county attorneys office it is
harmed that other communities are
anxious enquirers after Mr. Wheeler.
From his record the reverend gentle
man and political spellbinder appears
20 be one peculiarly popular among
lrd much sought after by third party
leaders and sheriffs.
Mr. Wheeler came into Marshall
county with mission, in fact with two
missions One was to fight the demon
Rum as incarnated IN the republican
party. The other was to keep wicked
and designing men from cozening cred
ulous Christians out of their money
by swindling them himself The lat
ter mission developed lutest. He was
Oleaginous and he dripped sanctity as
the comb drips honey. An uncompro-
missing third party prohibitionis,, rs
was an expert on hobnailed liver and
lad minute knowledge of the ulcera-
lions, popular eruptions and congested
spots with which red liquor paints the
insides of its devotees. He lectured on
the evil physical effects of alcohol before
and did it we'll. He led LeGrand house,
holds In prayers, which tho lacking IN
righteousness awaited him much. Blu.
his GROWING glory came when as
)hird party orator he demolished
Brown, his pseudo-republican oppo-
lent, trod the rum-soaked republicans
under his, triumphant, feet and exalted
the horn OF the partisan prohibition
lists.
Wheeler Brown debate that the T.-R.
unearthed the cheat, identified Wheeler
and Brown as partners and tricksters
and exposed their graft. For this good
service instead of receiving their gra,:-
tude for the exposure of the imposture
the T.-R was made the large; of every
local third party popgun which hap
pened to be in commission. and the ,e-
gitimacy of Wheeler ct al. was vehe-
mently asserted Individually they now
wish they had been more wise and less
vociferous. Some one has called ora
tory trick. The Marshalltown inci-
dent supports him.
The school of experience is famous
for the quality of its system of mnemo-
mics and proverbiai as to the cost of
tuition. Only fools fail to learn there
in. There are lessons which the wise
will draw from the Wheeler episode.
One is that when a reputable and re-
sponsible newspaper makes assertions
depgatory to the character of an in
dividual 1t has satisfied itself as re-
CARDS their correctness. When 1t pub
fishes an interview it is almost invaria-
bly, accurate and fair. Another is that
willingness and ability to denounce
the republican party as the partner of
the liquor traffic is not all which should
be considered by partisan commit
tee when it makes up its list of prohi-
bition spellbinders. Still another. but
this Is an old one. is that long winded
prayers and pharisaical assumption
are poor security upon which to loan
money. OF course there are many 9th
err moral lessons which Mr.. Wheeler as
horrible example may serve to exem-
piify, but the ones referred to above
are at present the most evident, But
really oratory seems to be trick.
doesn't it?