Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1907-06-15


of roprcSc ltativcS
- "rrivatc' John NJ
kXlSA Isa ~ Allen of Tupclo,
%SS e83k&N Miss. Voluntarily
A retired t. the more
lucrative If less
conspicuous vocation of I've law The
memory of his stories ana numor still
survives In the national ca 'Nl. where
few men have been more pDD"lar.
The story of the way Allen got his
title of private" is still worth telling,
though the incident happened over
twenty years ago. 1t was when he
first ran for congress. His opponent
was Il General Tucker. and the two
campaigned together. The general at
one meeting told the crowd how hc hrd
saved their town during the war and
grew particularly eloquent in dcScrib-
ing his sleeping I'm tent the night be
fore the battle.
Allen. who was not within Il hundred
miles of that battle rcjo.ned in his
inimitable manner:
Friends and Fellow Citiz"ns-lt's all
true what General Tucker told You about
the battle. l know all about It, for was
guarding that tent all niSat long IN the
cold and wet on picket. And now ! Just
want to say to all of yOu who were gen
erals In the war and slept ut nights in
your guarded tents like General Tucker.
you vote for him. hut all YOU fellows
that guarded the generals tents in the
wet and cold. like me. you vote for Pri-
vate Allen.
That speech gained Allen his sobrl-
Quet and his election at one and the
same time.
One Of Mr., Aliens most famous
speeches in congress was delivered in
the summer of 1896. whel Speaker
Reed and Major Mckinley were both
candidates for the Republican presi-
Dental nomination and as Il conse-
quencc We're saying little on public
questions.
Allen began by stating that there had
! been considerable comment in the
newspapers respecting the somewhat
unusual silence which had characters
lied him in this session. "Hut. Mir
Speaker" he continued, there has
been little in this So ;Sion of congress
to inspire Christian man to he To-
quaclous. | am not the only one who
has been silent in these days. There
are many Of us leaders who are not
talking much lately"
Mr. Allen said the Republicans were
evidently going to select for their can
didate man who had the qualities for
which the colonel of cavalry regi-
ment selected animals for his troops,
"IIe must turn quick and 90 fast"
On later occasion Allen had diff
Guilty i'll securing recognition. When he
finally got the floor, lie said in a deeply
injured tone:
There is an evident disposition on
the part of somebody to suppress my
impassioned oratory. | wish to assure
the speaker and the house that it is not
my purpose and | have no desire by
my fervid and persuasive eloqucnce to
overpcrSuade this house into the aQop-
tion Of any unconstitutional or hurtful
measure Sir | would scorn to take
any such advantage of the weakness
of the house.
One of the most amusing speeches
Private" Allen ever made in the house
was in support IF the bill to tax oleo-
margarine. Representative Tillman of
South Carolina. brother of Senator Ben
Tilman, had claimed that Oleo is Su-
perior to many brands of butter and
that 1t was an Injustice to the poor
T., Ian, it,,T n
ply Allen told story of an old negro
who had eaten Il box Of axle grease,
thinking it cheese. Upon being asked
how he liked it the old man replied:
"Fo' God, boss, dat was de ransom
est cheese ebcr has eat yet"
"Now, Mr.. Chairman" commented
Allen, II have no doubt that if prop
osition were pending here to prevent
the sale Of axle grease for cheese the
gentleman from South Carolina would
deliver us II scientific lecture and try
to persuade us II was much better and
more wholesome than cheese and that
1t would be n great outrage on the la
boring man to suppress the fraud"
At n banquet given by millionaire
senator one evening Allen hcstated as
he was entering the magnificent dim
ing room and then remarked to his
partner:
MY dear young lady, let us pause
homent or two. | doubt If can re-
strain my feelings"
There seemed to he trouble on his
fnce, and the lady said:
"Why. Mr.. Allen, what is the matter
with you?"
Il am sad" was his reply.
"For what reasOn?"
"Oh. It makes me sad to look at this
room. 1t reminds me so much of my
own dining room ut Tupelo."
Tho"c who knew poor Aliens fnan-
Cial circumstances could appreciate the
point OF his joke.
Shcn showing one of his Mississippi
constituents about the house, the de-
lighted countryman asked:
''WhO Is the leader of this house,
"Oh." said Allen modcStly, you will
find out when they call the roll. The
first man on the list IS the leader OF
the house. They are just now getting
ready for Il call"