Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-06-17
$50 q sENAToR MoReAN.

Atlanta JOURNAL AHS "a bu0 oSAi-
warts OF Democracy and one Of the
Veterans Of national legislation pass
ed away in the death OF United States
Senator John t Morgan Of Alabama,
who breathed his last IN Washington
on Tuesday night Within few days
he would have celebrated his eighty
third birthday and thirty years of
that extended span OF life was spent
as a member of the upper house Of
Congress.
His civic career, long as It was,
came to round out a life of honor and
usefulness during the stirring days Of
the Civil war. He was distinguished
officer Of the Confederacy. and if he
had done nothing more to endear him
to the people among whom he lived
his name would have ranked high in
the annals of the South.
And yet the period of his military
service was slight indeed compared
to the length Of time he spent in the
Senate
One was always sure of finding him
on the safe and conservative side of
all public questions, and his high in
tegrity coupled with his great ability
gave force and prestige to anything
he might say.
But in his public career he was the
striking type of the man who dedi-
Gates himself to great idea and de-
votes all the energy Of his mind and
heart to IT'S furtherance. 1t was with
a clear and prophetic vision that John
T, Morgan long ago saw the immeas-
urable benefit that would accrue to
the South by the construction of an
inter-oceanic canal. He was far and
away the highest authority on that
great undertaking. He was the un-
wavering champion of the Nicaragua
route, and he was always able to
present vigorous arguments in sup
port OF the faith that was in him. He
steadily adhered to his conviction to
the last, and there can be no doubt
that there was much to be said in
favor OF his contention.
But it is not as the protagonist Of
the Nicaragua route as against the
Panama or. any other route that. he
should be remembered. For many |
weary years he had to combat all |
the powers which opposed the con- !
struction of any kind OF canal. The
great transcontinental railroad inter-
ests were always at work, not in the
open, but in a subtle and hence more
dangerous fashion to undermine this
project Of a canal across Central Ameri-
ca. The energy and ingenuity with
which he uncovered the source Of this
opposition and laid bare its hollow
give MIN clear claim to
the consideration Of the people. He
is not to be remembered merely as
the partisan Of the Nicaragua route,
but as the advocate of a canal, as
against the combined opposition Of
selffshness and obstruction. While
the final decision Of the Government
was not in accordance with his spe.
cific recommendation, II is in a large
measure due TO his presentation Of
the needs of an inter-oceanic canal
that the project, in some form, was
finally set on foot, and he must be
allowed to participate In. the glory OF
the achievement.
Senator Morgan was native OF
Tennessee, but his life has been al.
most exclusively identified with Ala
bama, and she may well rank him as
among her most gifted and devoted
sons. The people Of that State viii
render him high tribute Of gratitude,
now that he has gone to rest. and the
people Of the whole country make due
acknowledgment Of HIS energy, abil-
ity and incorruptible integrity.
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