The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-28
Old ORDER IN THE
SOUTH IS PASSING
Hobson s Nomination Marks Re
tirement of Confederate Vet
Grams From Politics.
BY w. w. Jermane.

Captain Hobson in carrying off con-
gressional nomination in Alabama IS
significant of the passing away of the
old order of affairs in the south, and
coming into action, generation whose
face is turned toward the future and
not toward the past. This is the very
generally accepted lesson of Captain
Hobson s defeat Of Representative
Bankhead.
Mr.. Bankhead has been in congress
twenty years. He is an ex-confederate
soldier with fine record, and his popu-
larity in his district and state had been
supposedly of character to make him
invincible. Two years ago Captain Hob
son ran against him in the primaries,
but was defeated. Now he runs Sec
ond time. and is successful.
Captain Hobson had personal grlev-
ance against Mr.. Bankhead. There was
g. bill before the naval committee to
transfer him to the retired list OF the
navy Gas for disability incurred In the
line of duty'' Mr.. Hobson charged
that Mr., Bankhead prevented favor
able report on this bill, and that, it is
said, determined him to oppose him in
his district. Upon the failure OF the
where he had won enduring fame for
a feat Of daring at Santiago, which has
few parallels in naval history.
Confederate Veterans Are Passing.
Captain Hobson therefore thought
Mr.. Bankhead had injured him, and his
desire to retire to private life was per-
haps natural The strange thing about
it all is that the sixth Alabama dis
trict, which cared nothing for the per
sonalities of the controversy should
have decided to retire Bankhead, whose
history and ideals fitted so perfectly
into southern prejudices and political
policies. In Arkansas, two years ago,
j. K. Jones, q private soldier OF the
confederacy, was retired from the SEN
ate in favor of man who was mere
child when the war broke out, and
only few weeks ago Senator Berry q
distinguished confederate veteran, who
lost a leg at Corinth, was retired in IA
vor Of a man who was scarcely. born at
the opening of hostilities. The sixth
Alabama district is therefore not the
only place in the old south where the
ing away, and where younger men, with
more up-to-date ideas and aspirations,
are coming into prominence in public
affairs.
There will, of course, be many at
tempts to belittle Captain Hobson as
q congressman. His platform is ex-
IRENE, being no less than a proposition
Speuu Ill up IuC
greatest navy in the world. It is sig
nifcant of change that this proposition
should please a southern constituency.
The fear of ridicule will probably tone
down some of MI. Hobson's radical
ideas when he gets to congress, and at
first there may be some attempt, as has
already been predicted; to haze him m!
own against ali corners, no one ac-
uuainted with his real ability and cour-
age can doubt Mr.. Bailey of Texas
was subjected, when he first entered
the house Of representatives, to good
deal Of "guying,' ridicule and hazing.
In a few years he has become the lead
er of his party, in the upper house, and
one of the wisest members of that body,
and, perhaps, it's ablest constitutional
lawyer. It seems but yesterday when
Charles A. Dana, editor Of the New
X1T Sui fba necuisT atVs for R Whleg
the Sun has long been famous, and re,
ferring to him as "jobailey" But all
that has passed and gone, never to re-
turn. If Captain Hobson should achieve
one-tenth Of the success achieved by
Bailey. he will honor his district, the
south and the entire country.
Change Is Widespread.
Alabama is this year to hold. pri
maries for the purpose Of determining
who shall succeed Senators Morgan
and Pettus upon the retirement Of these
gentlemen, by death or otherwise, and
it is significant, as bearing out the
point made in this article, that the
choice will almost certainly fall upon
men who have no war records, anC
were born too late for such records.
Tennessee is another state in point
Upon the expiration of the term Of
Senator Turley, in 1901, it elected a;
his successor Mr.. Carmack, who was
born in 1858, and when Senator Bate
died in office, Mr.. Frazer, also borr
in the late ffties, was made his sue
cessor. Turley had a brilliant con
federate record, and Bate was a con
federate ma or general.
Kentucky has within the past twt
months decided to retire Senator
Blackburn, another confederate vet
eran, from public life, and give hi
place to man of the younger gen
Grafton.
These are but some Of the, Instance
in recent southern political history
tirely new point Of view, and tina
something more than. the fact that {
man served in the confederate arm,
is now necessary in order to equi]
him for high political office.
Captain HobsOn, it will o., thus b.
seen, is by no means an exception t.
general rule, for all over the sout]
that rule is coming to be noted TO
the exceptions it includes. It is yer,
evident that the sixth Alabama dis
trict made up it's mind that Mr.. Bank
head had ceased to represent advance,
ideas and was living on his record
This perhaps might have been foun
out a number of years ago, but
WASH It. The discovery now, in com
mon with similar discoveries made a
to representatives from other parts o
the south, is significant of tina
changed attitude to which attention
called in this article, and which Wash
ington believes is an indication Of bel
ter things. not only for the south, bu
for the nation. .sl H.. 49, ,,.
Opening Of Coded Lands, Crow India
Reservation.
By the president 3 proclamation tn
ceded lands of the Crow Indian res
ervation in Montana, except those VI
DERIVING the Huntley irrigation projec
have been thrown open 70 entry unde
the land laws. This area embraces ar