The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-24
Washington
Day by Day

the board of visitors to the United States
Naval Academy. West Point, adds new
interest to a current story told at the
expense of Henry Watterson.
The somewhat frisky beau of the Star
eyed Goddess can make an exceedingly
interesting speech when he Is In proper
form, but there are occasions when he
would seem to become trihe lurid.
Thus, upon the recent occasion OF the
meeting of the Washington Democratic
Association of Virginia, Mr.. Watterson'
who was the star attraction In the way
of oratory, delivered a rather startling
denunciation of President Roosevelt, and
of the very nebulous condition of imperial
ism which year or two ago Democratic
stumpspeakers and newspapers talked
about wildly and excitedly in order to Kill
time and lend the impression that they
were seriously and bravely fighting some
thing which they knew did not exist.
Mr.. Wa.terson assailed President Roose-
welt with Enthusiastically fierce fierce
ness, brave bravery, earnest earnestness,
and eloquent eloquence, not to say poetic
poetry, calling the President by the hard
name of Bronco Buster" and the mean
ingless title of 1.-The Man on Horseback"
which same title Mr.. Watterson applied
more than thirty years ago to the amia-
BILE Grant whose chief weakness was his
supreme virtue of being faithful to his
friend. Somebody comes forward and
says that the definition of Man on Horse
back" is tyrant, dictator, imperialist'
royalist, usurper, anti-constitutionailst;
but nobody has yet ventured to dehne
Bronco Buster" except to hint vagely
that 1t means aman who "busts bron-
Goes, a species of horse in the horsey
West.
Still Mr.. Watterson was so fierce In his
outburst against the President and the
Republican party that some of his closer
friends, the story goes, mildly suggested
to him that the language he used might
be construed as being personally ana
needlessly offensive to the President; put
'Marse Henry" as Kentuckians lovingly
call the erstwhile ardent lover OF the
Stareyed Goddess, stuck to his oral
ordnance, that is to say, to the big guns
of his oratory, and is said to have laugh
ed at his anxious friends and to have
banquet of the bottles was done.
There is an adage In English high life
which indeed has found currency
throughout Europe. to the effect and In
express terms that no gentleman ever
speaks of last night"-in faith, a most
wise, doctrine of society, meaning that
after men have had "a night of it, to-
gether none of them shall speak of 1t to
any one But the story goes that "Marse
Henry" was led in most unexpected
manner 20 refer to his last night" with
the jolly Virginians In Washington, some
of whom were afraid President Roosevelt
might feel personally offended by Mr..
Watterson's very personal remarks.
1t appears that the Presidents secre-
tary whose duty it Is to place before
him such newspaper publications as are
deemed desirable for him to see, sub
mitted to him a copy of Mr.. Watterson's
speech, and 1t further appears that the
President laughed uproariously at the
bread humor OF the thing as it impressed
him. In other words, Mr.. Watterson's
"Bronco-ouster" and the like afforded
the amiable President great amusement.
"By George exclaimed he. II must
give Mr.. watterson an appointment"
Musng awhile, he suddenly declared
by George, 1 have 1t! I'll appoint him
a member of the board of visitors to
West Point
And so the President forthwith caused
Mr.. Watterson to be informed of his
friendly decision to honor him. Then the
laugh was on 'Marse Henry" who per-
force declined the honor of one of the
most eagerly sought temporary honors
under the government
The honor which the President has
conferred upon Judge Howe, and which
will give great pleasure to the multitude
of Alabamians who hold the distin-
guished Birmingham lawyer In highest
esteem, was applied for by Congressman
Bankhead last December, as the notifca-
ton letter from Adjutant- General Cor
bin shows. General Corbin's letter. adj
dressed to Colonel Bankhead, Is dated
War Department. Adjutant- Generals
Office. April 49, and reads:
Dear Sir: Referring to your letter of
December 10 last upon the subject, 1 beg
to advise you that the President has
been pleased to appoint Hon. A. c. Howe
OF Birmingham, Alabama, member of
the board of visitors to attend the annual
examinations at West Point for the pres
ent year. Very truly yours. H. c. Corbin.
Adjutant General. Major General, United
States Army"
When Judge Howe made It known to
Colonel Bankhead that he would be.
pleased to receive this honor, Colonel
Bankhead orally and in writing urged his
old friends claims upon the President.
The appointment gives a double pleas
ure to Judge Howe for the reason that
one of his sons is a cadet at West Point.
This was the principal reason why Judge
How're asked for the honor; and it will
afford him a most delightful journey in
distinguished company. Besides, the gov
eminent will allow Judge Howe twenty
cents mile in mileage Travelled between
Birmingham and West Point and twenty
dollars day for expenses. He will be
engaged two or three weeks. The board of
visitors consists of ten members.
Judge Howze's great and deserved pop-
ularity with his own people was striking
ly shown when he was nominated with
out opposition to represent the Ninth
Congressional district In the recent con-
stitutional convention of Alabama. In
deed, Alabama has no better or worthier