The sun., 1910-02-13
ELECTION WIT AND HTMOR.
Candidate ana IIeekier In English Polti'
cal Campaigns.


More often than not the hcckler has the
best OF IL and Ian Malcolm hits the nail on
the head when he says apropos Of the voice
in tho crowd. You are powerless in face OF
Il: the lilt of your sentence is ruined. Your
withering scoTn is turned to laughter and
after laughter no retort appears effective
Even Bernsl Osborne, the wit of the Vic
torian age. was nonpmsed when after
glowing speech at Waterford upon patrio-
tism and soldiers duty there came voice
from the gallery: Och, what's the world
TO a man II his wfe's a widow"
Another election story OF the Emerald
lsle which Mr. Malcolm tells is that con-
cerning a leading member o; the Irish bar
who in an eloquent speech upon the
woes and iniustices Of his native land
sought to impress his audience still further
by squeezing out few tears which trickled
over his expansive cheeks. But the sublime
was turned TO the ridiculous when the wit
of the gallery shouted out: "Shure. boys,
there's a fine field for hydraulics"
This was as disconcerting as the reply
made TO Sir Richard Tenn pie. who returned
posthaste from his duties in India to coatest
a seat. In the course OF a speech he re-
marked that he had travelled 5000 miles
and surrendered G5.ooO for the privilege
Of representing this great constituency,
and the audience were impressed until the
oh, what a fooli"
And the heckler silenced Lord George
Hamilton on one occasion when the latter,
describing the late Mr. Gladstone as "a
political adventurer who always had his
eye on the Treasury bench. was met with
the shout: Yes. and he II have his body there
soon II you don't watch itl-
During the last general election q speaker
at one meeting was somewhat irritated by
member OF the audience who continually
repeated. We won't have our food taxed;
no taxes on food" But IL was not long before
he silenced the lnterrupter with the cutting
remark. Console yourself. my friend:
Joe isn't going to tar thistles."
The voice" at another meeting shouted
out. Talk to Us in language we can under
stand" because a speaker had quoted
cry from the platform. "Hee-hawl Hse-
hawl" And the heckler vanished.
The son Of a certain lord was address,
ing a meeting and was Interrupted every
few seconds by the voice" saying. FMS
good as you; what'sh the dun'renoe tween
youn me?- Suddenly the answer came.
One difference is that you drink and don't
work, and j work but don't drink"
Lord Morley Is one Of the few political
speakers who can silence a heckler with q
smiling retort as effectively as the famous
Campbell OF Monzie, who. when he asked
an Edinburgh burgess to vote for him and
received the angry answer. Vote for you'll
I'D sooner vote for Satan himser, sweetly
replied, Yes; but II your friend doesn't
stand, may 1 depend upon your support1-
"A remark that earned him a stsnch
adherent.
The fact that a blind man. Mr.. Walter
King. IL standing as Liberal candidate
for one Of the divisions Of Somersetshire
recalls a story OF Prof. Fawcett. who as
a candidate for Brighton was asked by
an elector how he. a blind man. was going
to catch tho Speakers eye" and vote
in the right lobby. Mr.. Fawcett scored
effectively by replying that he would de-
pend on the kindness OF friends. But,
as to mistaking the lobby. he said he might
occasionally vote wrong. but at all events
that would not be so bad as your present
NJ. p. who is always in the wrong lobby,
and he does il on purpose!" Tho answer
was cheered to the echo.