The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-11-27

Washington, Nov. 26-(SpeciaD-A con-
siderable degree Of apprehension-or, to
express il perhaps more properly. GU
the attitude Of Senator Joe" Bailey to-
ward Solicitor Penfield in the matter of
the latter's fierce newspaper attack upon
the Senator on the 3rd of last July. Not
In our time has any man OF national po-
sition been subjected to such bitter
and direct verbal castigation as that
administered by Mr.. Penfie4d to the Tex
as Senator, and seeing that the AFFAIR
occurred after the close of the last sss-
sion Of Congress Senators and members
as they return to the capital take up
its discussion with manifest curiosity.
Some plain talk is being INDUCED In,
the chief substance Of which Is that
field to personal account or reckon upon
the virtual failure OF his own career;
that neither the people of Texas nor the
public at large will stand for Senator
submission to such grave and premedi-
tated insults as those offered by Mr.
Pentield through the press.
ne seriousness CT the situation for
Senator Bailey, which will strike many
that his quarrel. IL 1t may be so desiy-
mated, with Mr.. Pen1eld Is entirely nom
political and wholly personal. What was
said by the Senator in den )uncing Mr..
Penfield on the floor of the Senate, the
which pre- ,ipitatei the assault upon Sen.
ator Beve"idge. had TO kind Of political
significance similarly Mr.. Pen 1eld's es-
traordiaarilJ bitter counter -derunciation
Of the Senator, the mere publication Of
which astonished everybody IN Washing
ton, was as directly and ne1uvocaily
personal az an educated man enraged
could made IT. In effect Mr.. Penfielo SAID
to the Senator: You attacked me in my
official capacity rs Solicitor Of the De-
partment of State when you were on the
fl1or OF the Senate where / could not
defend myself. Now ! attack Won in the
open. man against mai, and denoun,e you
personally In unmedsured and specific
terms"
Senator Bailey has enjoyed the repu-
tation OF being a man with very full
share Of physical courage, hence the gen.
eral curiosity as to what ne VIII now
fered him by Mr.. Penfield nearly five
months ago. That Mr.. Pentield meant
business" there 8 no doubt whatever.
No man who knows him. even in the
that Mr.. Penfeld IS both morally and
physically courageous. In fact, he is in
no sense an ordinary man. but on the
contrary is one of the most admirable
characters in public life at the capital.
Thus 1t will be appreciated that Mr..
Bailey's unfortunate utterances from his
place as a United States Senator have
resulted in a situation that Is of wide
public interest, which may deveiop oe
plora5!e consequences. 1t Is neld on all
sides that something must occur. AS to
what that something may be, 1t is scarce
ly proper to speculate. One must needs
refrain at the moment from republishing
Mr.. Penfelds denunciations. disagree
able feature of tho situation is that by
many Congressman Mr. Bailey is per-
sonally not liked, they charging him with
being much stuck up and over-proud.
Concerning the truthfulness or untruth-
fulness of this charge this correspond
ent is not in position to pass judgment,
since he has never had the happiness of
meeting Senator Bailey, though dwell
ling constantly in the hotel wherein the
Senator dwells.
Senator Bailey arrived in Washington
Sunday, but departed Monday for New
York, where, it Is said, he will remain I'M
til the end of the current week. 1t is the
Senator's custom to spend Saturday and
Sunday in New York during the sessions
of Congress. His presence here for the
first time since the Penheid episode gave
rise to much speculation on the part OF
newspaper men and such Congressman as
had already reached the capital for the
short session.