Evening star., 1919-02-23

actors. nor lovable Their faces were
long and their voices sorrowful. so il
was said. Gloom was their compan-
Ion. When they spoke they often
Wept
Wheeler hastily pictured what would
happen TO himself as a lawyer for n
despised and ridiculous class But here
was Russell. smiling and confident.
Whe eler, still in doubt, enlisted for a
year He had come from farm in
rorthern Ohio. AT sixteen he taught
country school Several of his pu-
pills were eighteen years old. ut was
while teaching" he said to the writer.
that learned to control myself while
under hre to keep a smiling exterior
no matter how disturbed i was in
side"
After teaching for two years he
went to Oberlin and entered the pre-
paratory department. He was without
iuhds' Ihe second day he found
Jop ana thereafter until he gradu-
aled ne was janitor of Peters Hair
the nam recitation building of the
coiiege. lie managed the students,
magazine printed programs and score
oants, oaras ana IN summer sold a valuable
red and entitled, Why Some Men Sue.
ceed and Why Some Fail"
re aiso mad time to recite and debate
"u" .W, ~ college oration, dealing with
rum on the kongo," to pour out his
VI II oI II DatlOn that sent
alcohol and missionaries to Africa f" ners
aaps ON the same ship, ''and thus TO
hamstring Christian activity" Poor
m ,iloush t ne was, he contributed money
a1o Il, a,ae hTSt union meeting ever held OF
rfoWard Russells Anti Saloon League
hfaduated with the highest college,
hohors in June, 1894. Wheeler toined
russell at once. In the following Ian
Gh;y Gafy me league took it's first bin TO the
ONO legislature. The bill provided for
ipt'ii ODtIOn and ha Cd Nv
IRON cohta ming 100000 names.
# =
IL was beaten in the house of repre-
sentatives by a large vote. Only thirty
SIX members gave ii their support That
year. 1898. and the next Russell. Din.
widdie and Wheeler carried on cam.
paign to re-eiect the thirty six men who;
hao voted for their bill simultaneously.
'hey undertook to defeat some OF the.
men who had opposed it, The plan of
warfare and of defense followed then I'm
ONO has since been followed everywhere,
IN the election of members of legisla
lures and of Congress. ;
'ohsplcuous in the republican party,
oi ONO at that time, both as an orator,
ana strateeist, John Locke had felt
strong enough to say In the house Of
l1piese,ta,lVes: ,,,, III you would protect
our state from fanaticism and lawless-.
ness. vote against this revolutionary.
measure. IL you want to dig your DO.
htical graves, vote for it,
III 'he spring of 1895 Locke announced
ONO senate. His nomination was con-,
ceded by every one except Russell
Dlnwiddie and Wheeler. There were.
,hfee counties in his district. Wheeler:
On plcyele travelled from house to
mousse and village to village and talked,
"'th preachers. school teachers farmers
ma business men. He held little meet.
ings in country Kitchens and town Sit.
ing rooms. When the republican con
vention met John Locke was not nomi-.
mated. A dry candidate was /.
who defeated John Locke?" the
anu Saloon League asked In letters.
circulars and pamphlets. Wheeler and
nus wheel IL answered in the largest
and biackest type on hand. No noli.
t'cian III Ohio since the year 1895 has
spoken contemptuously OF Howard.
Russell and his ubiquitous associates.
Even Mark Hanna was afraid Of
once told Wheeler, '.are ali right in a
prayer meeting, but you are no good
az circus or q primary" Whereupon
wheeler beat Hanra's candidate for.
the state senate, after all the ropes
and wires had been arranged and
Hanna. admitting that he had been.
mistaken good naturedly and re-
sp2ctfully listened later to the league
whenever it addressed him. {.
Wheeler became lawyer after he
began his iabors with the league. He;
studied with an attorney in Cleveland
ana TOOK regular course at the law
school OF Western Reserve University.
~ the same city. On Sundays he told
about the league at city, village and
rural churches. After being admitted
10 the bar he was appointed attorney
FOR the Ohio league aud later was also
made superintendent .
For thirteen years Wheeler was in.
tult control OF the work in Ohio Under
His management saloons were closed in
Loo townships, 3J counties and 27 cities.
He studied the liquor laws of all the.
states and was consulted about the poll
ganization. Several years ago he. was
transferred to Washington and became:
general counsel of the Anti Saloon
league of America. \ battle was to be
opened for an amendment to the Con-.
stitution of the United States prohibit
ing the manufacture. sale and transpor-,
Il ton of liquor and Wheeler was need.
Ell FOR the greatest contest of the kind
IN the history of this and all other coun-
tries.
-
81 y
Now. at the age OF forty-uine Mr.
Wheeler is in the heyday of his mental
powers He has the usual Oberln voice.