The Washington herald., 1907-12-20
4 MYSTERIOUS Disappearance.

Is the Hon. JEFF" Davis, the Unpar-
aileled Arkansas trust-buster, lost? Has
he strayed, OF been stolen? Nobody seems
to know, but everybody will be anxious
until somebody finds out.
But yesterday. it seems. Mr.. Davis came
20 Washington, full-panopued and girt
about the loins for war; to-day, 10. and he
is not-yea, verify, he evaporateth as the
dew before the sunshine, and is seen no
more.
Surely. this intrepid warrior and gladia-
tor unafraid has not thus early grown
aweary OF the octopus hunt. and the very
echoes Of his first assault not yet rip
pied into silence? 1t cannot be that he
who came so boldly. saw so clearly. and
charged so readily has fallen back dis
mayed or seriously embarrassed? Perish
the reasonable thought; out upon the
monstrous suggestion. But he is gone
vamOOsed, skidOOed, skedaddled, or
whatever you choose to call it in your
philosophy.
Our private opinion Is that Mr.. Davis
longing to see the old folks at home, and
the overwhelming necessity that ne per-
sonally carry the truthful tidings of joy
incident TO his first great speech in the
United States Senate are the things that
have snatched him hence. 1t Is our firm
belief that he is now at large in the
wilds Of Arkansas. among the wool
hats" the hin-biHies," and the red
necks." shaking hands with "the boys, -
and telling them all about it and how it
happened.
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Davis
charged the telegraph companies with
refusing 10 transmit a number Of his
messages TO Arkansas admirers imme-
diately following his maiden effort in
the Senate. Being part and parcel Of
the octopus, and being for the moment.
/ mayhap, illustrated, if not immensely de-
pressed. the companies wot not what they
did. True, some Of the noble Senator
messages are said to have contained
rather vigorous language, even for a
telegraph wire; one, in particular. so re-
port has il, casually mentioning the un-
doubted and undisputed fact that his
speech raised HI IN the Senate" To
the transmission Of this. for Arkansas,
mollycoddIish language, the telegraph
companies are said to have mildly de-
INJURED. As 90 just what happened in
this crisis reports differ. At any rate,
there was heard a noise-Iike unto the
bursting OF a $3.50 automobile tire-and
the Senator hasn't been seen anywhere
around or about Washington since.
Our theory is that he went straight UP
in the air. described a number Of eccen-
trio circles at an altitude Of 5S7 feet.
lurched westward. and 'lit'' ultimately
in Grandoldarkansas. militant. aggres-
sive, and determined that his constituents
should know the truth, despite the hire
lings of the trusts disguised as telegraph
operators and messenger boys. More
over. and finally. We give it as our opin-
ion that he will return-like Lucullus-
with victorious eagles. He will return
more grimly determined to exterminate
the minions Of corporate greed than ever
before Having met the enemy. it is,
to use a choice expression OF his own
concocton, 'n'-almost. Upon his
next appearance on the floor of the Sen
ate he will be accompanied by a strong
iron cage. balls and chains, handouts,
and striped clothes. Then and there, in
full view of mis- colleagues, the octopus
will be lassoed. thrown, bound, gagged,
and put in irons for the rest Of time.
The aching void in the Senate cham
Der to-day, a sad result Of his somewhat
precipltate departure. win be filed again,
we predict, generously and so plentifully
that his absence at this time will be for
gotten and relegated to the land Of things
too painful to be recalled.