Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-30
SENATOR BA11ETs LATEST BREAK

SENATOR BAlLEY'S LATEST BREAK.
Joseph Weldon Bailey, senator OF the
United States from Texas, admittedly
is one of the greatest constitutional
lawyers in the nation. a splendid de-
batter and orator and one of the hardest
working men in the national congress,
but apparently he has a faculty amount
ing almost to genius for flying of on
mental tangents that land him in rldicu-
lous plights, When he first went to
congress he achieved considerable noto-
riety by refusing to wear a dress suit,
but time and environment weaned him
from that foolish position and his abil-
fly as a debater and parliamentarian
won him the leadership of the minority
in the house, a leadership that he came
near carrying with him to the senate.
Then came the charges of his alleged
connection with the Standard Oil com
pany, resulting in a nasty investiga-
ton by a committee of the Texas leg
islature, in which Bailey fairly ecllpsed
Senator T1llman's record In coming new
epithets and hurting them at his op-
ponents. He is out now with an entirely
new illustration of his strange mental
makeup. In an address to his fellow
citizens, quoted by friendly organ, the
Fort Worth Record, Senator Bailey
said:
know that I can never be president of
this nation, but that Is not true because
of anything that they (his enemies) have
said or done; Il is true because OF things
have said and done. "a voice; "You
have too much confederate blood in your
veins.'') All, that Is true, my dear SEN
ator Kellie. In my modest home over there
hang three pictures. the picture OF Thomas
Jefferson. the picture of John c. Calhoun.
and the third. the hneal descendant and
successor OF both, Jefferson Davis. CWild
| applause and cheers) I know, and I know
It as well as any man who lives knows Il.
that no man OF my generation win ever be
elected president of these United States
with portrait of jefferson Davis hanging
in his home. But, so help me God. my
countrymen. / would not take that por-
trait down for the presidency OF this ma
ton. ovid continued applause.)
| have no sectional prejudices; have
never found Il In my heart to hate the
soldier who wore the federal uniform; my
| grandfather was a union soldier; he fought
| in the same battles with my father, who
wore the confederate gray; we have nc
sectional prejudice at our house. but we
do have sectional devotion. l do not teach
my boys that their great grandfather was
wrong, but / do teach them that their
| grandfather who wore the gray, wal
eternally right CWild applause and cheers.l
The distinguished Texans pride in his
father is commendable. but It might
cause him some difficulty to explain
in this year 1907, how the revered an,
cestor was externally right" In his cham.
pionship Of slavery, states rights and
all the issues that were proved wrong
by the civil war and the verdict JUST
fed by the events Of the last forty
years. It Is possible, too, that the ma,
ton would not elect man to the pres
ideney who has the picture of Jefferson
Davis proudly displayed ON his parlol
walls, but there is a better reason thar
that why Senator Bailey can not be
elected. The country may overlook the
jefferson Davis picture, but II WIN re
tain a mental impression OF a hfe-size
rainting OF Henry Clay Pierce. Standard
on magnate, whose close friendship and
BUSINESS relations with Senator Bailey