The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-10-04
The Humorous
Side OF Politics

extended remarks. But when he go
started. in the earnestness of his tall
he forgot all about his physical trou
bles and entered upon a comprehensive
discussion of the issues of the cam
paign. When half an hour had passed
Sheridan, who was seated on the plat
form, began to get uneasy. At the enc
of an hour he was fdgety. Two hours
passed, and as the stream of eloquenc5
flowed on Sheridan showed signs OF
disgust. The audience, which haC
come to hear him, was also getting
which the speaker was held prevented
any demonstration. As the third hour
was nearing its end, Sheridan got up,
and after putting on his overcoat sat
down again. The people applauded,
and Judge West, innoeently enough,
supposed the applause was meant for
himself and took a fresh start. His
strength, however, had really given
out, and few minutes after IL he
closed rather abruptly, saying he would
discuss the subject he had just taken
up some other evening when he was
feeling better But the people who had
waited all this time to hear Sheridan
were not going to be disappointed.
They called for him uproariously, and,
without removing his overcoat, he
came forward. His talk was something
like this:
"Fellow Citizens: The hour is late
L was advertised to address you to-
night. L came all the way from Gin
cinnati to do it. / want to keep my
promise, but before / begin you must
understand the situation. 1t is only
fair to warn you that | am not feeling
very well myself tonight-''
Sheridan never finished the sentence.
The crowd laughed itself wild. Then
it promised to take the consequences
of his ill-health, and for half an hour
he told inimitable stories without both
ering much about their application.
But the address ne expected to make
to the Toledo people was never deliv-
cred.
How Foster Trapped Thurman.
Though humor had no large part in
the makeup of the late Allen G. Thur
man, the red bandanna statesman once
figured in a most amusing incident on
the stump. When that noted fiat money
advocate, Gen Thomas Ewing, was
nominated by the Democrats for gov
ernor of Ohio in 1879, resumption of
specie payment had been accomplished
and the credit of the government car
ried paper money on an equality with
gold and silver. Very little of the
coin, however, as compared with the
volume of paper money, was distrib-
uted over the country. Senator Thur
man went an the stump in Ohio where
in his first speech he ridiculed the idea
that resumption had been effected and
called on his audience to know if any
Of them had seen any gold or any sill
yer. He then cited the absence of
the coin as proof that resumption was
,nly a sham. Being one of the great |
men of the party, Thurman was only |
'alled upon to speak once in three |
lays. His next appointment was at |
a thriving manufacturing /
own in Eastern Ohio, where it hap |
'ened that pay day occurred the day /
before he was announced to speak.
Charles Foster, who was running
gainst Ewing, having all these facts
,efore him, telegraphed to a number
f banker friends at Bellaire, and had
he funds for pay day told off to the
in gold and silver. The
were then asked to go to
Judge Thurman s meeting. The old
tatesman was greatly elated at the
pparent enthusiasm in his honor. He
tarted into his speech with much vigor
nd presently, coming to the money
uestion, snorted out the question:
Resumption is a sham, for what
have seen any gold or
lver9''
Instantly two or three hundred right
ands dove down into as many pockets
nd as quickly went up in the air ex-
hitting shining coin, while as many
lroats shouted in deafening chorus:
"We have.'
Thurman was confronted by ibis {
tactical answer to his inquiry. He
nished his speech as best he could and I
len on plea of illness cancelled his en-
agements for a week while he rested I
. Bellaire and revised his manuscript. '
Buchanan and the pickpoekets.
One of the amusing stories Hannibal {
amlin, of Maine, delighted to tell in 8
is last years had the dignifed and t
'lemn President Buchanan for it's
gro. In 1852, when Hamlin was a l
emoerat, he was announced to ad &
ress a meeting with Buchanan in Ian
Ister, Pa. Simon Cameron presided.
he meeting was held in a large hall
ON which all the seats had been re- G
owed. the hall was packed to the z
oor by men standing up. Hamlin was a
he first speaker, and for an hour or /
ore held the undivided attention of o
e big audience. While he was talking o
.veral persons in the rear of the hall t
ID been relieved of their pocketbooks. i
he sergeant of police, who was in the
III, worked his way through the
'owd and whispered to Cameron a t
quest to announce that there were o
ckpockets in the hall and that the o
sOple should be on the alert to protect o
emselves. Cameron intended to make I
e announcement at the close of Ham t
/ s speech, but in the applause that h
llowed he forget it. When quiet was a
stored he introduced Buchanan to the 8
ldience as their distinguished fellow Il
tizen. Buchanan got up and survey t
g the crowd of his old neighbors be- C
n: e.
81 assure Won nv fellow ei+izeus a