The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-30
OLD SENATORS GUIDO YOUNG.


markable fact in the history Of the SEN
ate Of the United States that at this, the
second session of the Fifty-seventh con-
gress, the three youngest members of the
body have been disabled by inhrmaties,
while the three oldest members have been
on hand and have not missed a day for
any cause
It is a mere coincidence, but certainly
singular enough for a small wonder. The
three youngsters are Bailey. Carmaek
and Culberson. The three Oldest are Pet
tus, Morgan and Bate. All three Of the
young men are of the vigorous lusty
sort, and bear the promise of long life.
The cid men are all three simply Won
ders. Fifty three years ago Senator Pet
tus rode horseback from Alabama to
California after having for years of his
youth been a sufferer and almost a help
less cripple from rheumatism. Senator
Morgan was practlcing law in middle Ala
bama, when the fathers of Bailey, Car
mack and Culberson were mere youths.
Senator Bate was a clerk on a steamboat
running from Nashville to New Orleans
before the war with Mexico. Yet behold
those who have been men of action
through long generations! The strenu-
Gus life was an old story with them half
century or more ago. But see them
nowl They have traversed continents.
They have been through many storm.
They have fought in the wars. They
have breasted and caught the bullets.
See them now.
There is General Pettus-"The Chief"
as they proudly call him over in Alabama
a-grand old Anglo Saxon, the Oldest man
in the senate, sitting easily at his desk
with head set straight on broad should
ers, statue of the survival of the fittest,
an enduring epitome of common sense,
superior to all foolisnness, shining
through and over his specs. Look at
him, talk to him; you will realize ben
efaction to your kind in the fact that
here is an intellect born strong, kept
strong over eighty times twelve months
and that is yet undimmed by the mist
of years. He came to the senate a ready
made senator. He came a great lawyer,
a sagacious politician, a veteran soldier
and long years before accredited by his
people a statesman. Yet with all his
ripe attainments and rich experience,
Edmund w. Pettus. octogenarian, has
grown in the senate as grows the great
oaks Of his southern Alabama that gath
er strength with years from earth, air
and heaven.
And Morgan, pre-eminent among the
greatest who have sat with him in that
body for more than twenty-five years.
He is watching developments as to the
formation of the greatest enterprise that
ever captivated the genius of a nation or
attracted universal interest. The mans
intellectual capacity is a veritable mine
of riches of memory and learning.
quarter of a century his utterances, de-
livered without strain or labor or mo-
mentary break of idea, yet always with
the highest bravery of conviction, have
garnished and illuminated the chronicles
of our national legislature as indellible
impression and expression of American
craftsmanship. They say that Morgan
has dreams, but who will say that there
is not in them an exalting poetry that is
the creation of aspirations for higher
and better things for all mankind?
And there is Bate, a fit type of a land
of soldiers and statesmen-Tennessee-
The Pioneer State-The Volunteer State.
He went to Mexico with those volunteers
who were accepted after the state had
more than filled her quota and did battle
down there more than hair century ago.
In less than a generation later he led
the thousands of Tennessee youths to
battle in the cause CT the south, led them,
loved by them, in a way that made him
the heroic commander of that "incompar-
able infantry" that has worn the I'M
stinted praise of valorous souls the world
over. He has faithfully served his people
the greater part of one century, and he
is serving them with truth, honor and in
dustry even in another. True to his
friends, true to his country, true to his
party. He is fighting today for the guar
anteed rights Of the people of the terri
tories seeking admission into the Union
and Endorsed by the pledge of his party.
These are the three old men doing the
things to be done as though the path of
duty led them to where the springs Of
youth dubbed amid blossoms.
And the young men-Carmack, Bailey
and Culberson! Each one of them a bril-
liant exemplar of the courage, the intel
lect and the virtue of the youth of the
south. Bailey has had a sore throat this
session. Carmack has HAD an infamed
eye. Culberson has had a pain in his
side. But all three are all right. They
have caught a few passing "shocks that
flesh is heir to- In their walk and talk
along private ways among the assem-
bled statesmen of the nation, they are
erect in form an character. wearing the
fronts of courage, candor, truth and
honor. Their people have caught them
young-these three and in time, what
may not be made of them-Bailey. Car
mack and Culberson? With the same
chances enjoyed by Pettus, Bate and
Morgan, there is something in store for
them surely.