Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-03
MORE POETRY BY THURsToN.
Breaks Into Patriotic song in Honor
of Cuba.
Washington Post. May 30.

Washington Post. May 30.
II anyone thinks that the farmer senator
from Nebraska, Hon. John NJ. Thurston.
hasn't published any poetry within the last
two weeks. that person can place his money
with the Post and get quick action. This
is not to assert that verses bearing his
name have found their way into print. We
have seen none and we are not betting on
uncertainties. But Mr.. Thurston has pub
lished poetry, all the same. as we stand
prepared to prove. He has gone further;
he has woven fiction into that poetry and
made It doubly fascinating.
Thurston was in Havana on the goth inst,
when General Wood turned over the gov
eminent to the Cubans. He went there
as the guest OF the New York Journal
second expedition in four years-to certify
to the birth OF the new republic and to deck
its cradle, by telegraph, with a flow of
language. As we all know now. the cere-
monies came of on schedule time. Every
thing was lovely. General Wood. calm,
dignined and commanding" presided over
the occasional. Our flag didn't stay
put" On the contrary. It came down. and
In its place the Cuban ensign gave its glory
to the trade-wind. The feverish ~populace
threw hts Of ecstacy and screamed aloud
ION OOh hNn6hA0 anu NA1h ~ "eo NAah
Thurston seized his harp and smote on all
It's strings with ~might-smote the chord OF
hallelujah, gave us music out of sight:
out of the birth pangs Of conflict and
the travail OF sacrifice and suffering a
n Dss ! has Is born Ssnn to Son the the woT TT1iabS over t its
mother republic and under her fostering
care 1t can grow strong and great.
breezes Of the sea, the Cuban nag broke
o M SALUTE et cannon and the glad accIaim
OF gathered thousands"
Who will recall that ,"rose, oh, rose
etc, after such a burst OF song? It was a
beautiful thought. no doubt-havinE q rose
sleep on his breast while he slept on his
back, with the usual result-but him OF
the sacrifice and the suffering OF the
martyrs. OF the mother republics lullaby
Think Of Gomez in his lonely hammock
among the desolate Santa Clara hills; OF
the long agony OF Estrada-Palma, Que
sada. Rubens q Co., with no refuge but an
apartment at the Raleigh hotel and nothing
to eat and drink except the bestl What
is q fading rose to these great things
What is a whole boquet, or q dozen of them.
II you come to that? This is poetry, In
deed.
And now a touch Of fiction in It's most
a~lluring form:
80 and there. too, the observed OF
all Observers was the grand old hero OF
two successful revolutions, General Gomez.
This old veteran OF innumerable cam
paigns, ~black-eoated, lean. griEzled and
alert-holding no once and refusing all
place-is today the most potential force
n the new government. His dream OF
liberty has come true, and how sweet II
must have been TO him. TO stand in the
palace from which the bloody Weyler sent
forth his edicts OF slaughter and witness the
installation OF Cuban Independence"
The grand old hero OF two successful
revolutions-this veteran Of innumerabls
campaigns! Shall we pause to ask Thurs
ton an embarrassing question? Shall We
break In upon his beauteous romancs
with the query; which two success
full revolutions? Nay, nay; that were i'm
pious. As well inquire why this lean,
grizEled and alert" old hero. who holds
no once and refuses all place. has
been receiving some thousands Of dollars
annually from our authorities in Havana
Once more. nay. nAyl Let us take this gifi
OF poetry entSined with fiction and make
a wreath Of II and put II on our breasts
ltonight AID sleep as SWestly - We can