The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-05-25
SENATOR VEST AT JEFFERSON CITY

enato never looked better i'll his O
lie. 1t il true that his sandy locks c
ave turned TO gray, and that a lew L
rows feet alb nut the eyes show that Il
le is not as young as no was when he 1
irst came to the capitol az a member '
If the legislature twenty-nine years
and made red hot speeches which I
,aptiyated the hearts of the boys TO
such an extent that they nave nj for {
gotten him TO this day. The senator
10 u little %stoutcr, and a little older as |
reluctantly admit, but his eye is as
keen as ever, his complexion and his
voice are better than we have ever
them, and he really looks
younger than he has done for some
wears. OF course there is no serious
to Senator Vests return TO
the senate two years hence, and II
there was he would be elected just the
same, so, as Missouri's senator tor still
some years, he is all object OF interest
to all. Like Maj. Edwards the honesty
of the man, in his partisanism as in
other things, makes tor him, if an &C.
casionsl enemy, a multitude of friends.
On Friday of last week the senator
visited the senate and house OF repre-
sentatives, aud in each was received
with applause which could be heard
throughout the entire building.
In the senate he said:-'I recognize
the improperly of any extended re-
marks on my part at this time. | am
in Jefferson City simply for social pur-
poses, unless | include a little business
in the supreme court, and L have not
the slightest desire of interfering with
your official work. | thank you for
your kindness in inviting me to speak
to you. 1t is a matter of sincere con-
graduation to every Missourian that
the State is nov progressing so rapidly
and so favorably in all the elements
that constitute greatness. Upon my
return home l find on every hand the
most ample evidences of wealth at
once benificent and permanent, of the
energy of the people of the state and
the blessings of God upon their labors.
From present appearances the people
are assured that their laws are being
administered without favor. l have
no respect whatever for that man, no
matter what may be his political afiIia-
lions, who, In the heat of personal or
political controversy, maligns the great
commonwealth of which we are all SO
proud. Missouri is in the front rank
Whatever may have been the mistakes
of her past history, in the future ouI
natural resources, wisely and justly
administered, will make this state
what God and nature intended II
should be, the greatest state in the gal
axy of the Union. 1t is not my pur-
pose, however, to discuss anything OF
a public character. But OIL yesterday
I met q prominent citizen of the state
as | came from ST. Louis and he al.
luded to what he called the neglect 0
the great river which flows at the base
! of the Capitol. There has been mucl
Injustice done 10 this river, but ther'
has been injustice done also to the Ia
:. tional congress in connection with it
The river is IN its present condition
!, unfit for commerce.. No legislation cal
fight against the courses of the stars
; Commerce, to-day, extends from eas
to west, not from north to south. 1t !
just as inevitable, just as sure, that tn
steamboat must give way to the rail
road, as that the old OK of IN
boyhood should have given way to th
Concord coach, and that in its turn I
the steam car. The Missouri river
hen 1 was a boy, fioated on its bosoi
. 70 packets. To-day not one singl
steamboat is upon this river, and l ws
- told by an old steamboatman at He
IL Springs a few days since, a man ell
: gagged in buying the wreckage of oil
boats, that he had bought the last bot
IN that had navigated OH this river, ft
10 $5, 900 when it cos $50 900 TO bull
8, it. Why is this? Because the railros
lie car takes the place OF the steamboat
l. an instrument of commerce. All tn
B. we can do to-day for the Nilsson
e. river, and for the Mississippi in
to which it flows, and their tributaries,
to hold them IN such condition by In
proving as that they shall be a col
ss s~ervative influence and a restrai
g. upon the railroads; that they shou
10 be held as a menace, 30 that exorbita
le prices should moi be put upon the pc
it Piles commerce. All that we can
now in congress is to prevent the pro
IN erty from becoming an instrumental
of harm against the property along i
.s, banks. l will not speak longer les,
sh might interfere with your duties.
tie thank YOU for the kind reception y,
OF have given me-"
OF In the house of representatives the ne
ator seemed to be somewhat affected
he recuIlections of his early years VIII
g. he made his political debut in I
Mt same arena. lie said that as he sto
m in the halls of the Missouri assent
OF his thoughts carried him back 80 yea
to the time he represented Cooper [
mt on the floor of the house. Many
his old associates had since that til
n passed over to the other shore. Rec
to lections Of those men who had go
In were pleasant 10 him, nOtwithslandi
the fact that he had often been G
gagged with them in almost deaC
strife. Continuing, he said: - 81
nd inc ask you, gentlemen OF this asset
a. bly,, if you can, to put yourselves
by my place. Lay aside your polite
is prciudices and work tremendously
rs, gether for the common welfare OF
greatest state in this union-MissOu
- TApplause.l Her career must be
ne ward and upward, and the man or !
.itical party that dares to retard /
progress mnst suffer the consequent
ga of his own acts. | am tempted to
Ia one word about the work you he
done here. If you will permit me Ter
of tN. ~ ~ =, tD1 wont IN