The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-03-10
SENATOR BATE.

SENATOR BATE.
Death is seldom a welcome visitor;bu
when it comes to man full of honor!
and ripe in years,it comes as the shadows
of evening come, the heraids of a sweet
repose from the toll and fretting cares
of the day. And so, while there will be
much of sorrow and sincere regret al
over Tennessee and in many homes il
other states at the sudden and unex-
pected death of Senator Bate, still there
Is much comfort in the thought that he
had been spared through the days of his
strength and usefulness, that "he had
fought good fight, that he had finished
the COURSE" and that there is lain
away in the hearts Of his people, crown
they will ever and always revere and
love and honor and cherish his memory.
In these days of corruption in high
places; when senators and congressman
and judges and chief officials are being
impeached 10 the public mind and be-
fore the courts for corrupt practices
and the base prostitution of their
trusts; in such times, when the
smell If distrust is upon the garments
Uf so many, it is pleasant to review the
life and character of such man as Will
liam B. Bate.
He was Tennessee product. He grew
up before the war. He belonged to the
Old South. He was reared in a school
of politics where principle and honor
were the foundation stones; where one
drop of coward blood ostracised the ma
and marked him as fellow. He was
men was esteemed no less virtue than
the chastity of its women. In cline and
country where the blight of CONNER
cialism was yet unknown. He grew in
chivalric age, and he was a chivalric
man. He was tall of statue; his hair
was soft and wayy; his mouth was strong
and firm; his eyes were dark and speak
ing and told the love and loyalty of his
soul He was type of the old time
Southern gentleman, the highest type
humanity has ever attained
The age of his young manhood called
for heroes, and he was one. With the
down oa his cheek he fought through
the NJ exican war, and then took up his |
eatchel and books and went back to
school. Ia the war between the states
he was heroic figure for four long
years, and then he took up his books
again and began the practice of law. But
the people had yet more public work for
him to do, and they called him from his |
law office to the Governors char, and |
from there sent him to the Senate of the |
United States, the highest law-maKmg
body in the world.
In war and in peace, as civilian or !
citizen, soldier or statesman through the |
turbulent times of war which tried men |
souls, or on the treacherous sea of poll
tics which try mems worth and honor,
he was always true to himself, his country
bAuu us 1Ou. N6V6T d bdIuI Vi suspicion,
never word Of scandal, never a breath !
of reproach, never a thought of corrup-
ton attached to his name or reputation
Whatever he was not, he was brave and
he was honest and he was true, to his
to his southland, to it's
interests, it's traditions. it's sentiments
and its people. He was 30 far above re-
proach that his n ame has been syno-
nym in Tennes 90 for high ideals and
clean living in public life. We doubt
IL any man ever enjoyed in so marked
Q degree the perfect confidence OF ali
the people as did William B. Bate. And
It was that that made him strong. They
knew that neither the greed for gold,
nor the desire for place, nor the wiles
OF women, nor the flattery of men. nor
the fear of anything, could make him
etoop to do one mean or ignoble thing "A
richer legacy no men can leave than this:
That his stout heart never quailed |
through two memorable wars, and that |
10 the fierce heat of political life for a |
fourth Of century or more, no dart of
the enemy ever found spot upon his |
armor or a weakness in his character |
where it could leave its mark.