East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-07-02


democrats In the United States senate
after the loss OF German, the astute
politician from Maryland, began look
ing about for new leader, they pass
ed the brilliant Bailey. the argumen-
tative Bacon, the eloquent Daniel, and
the matter of fact Simmons, and cast
their choice on Charles A. Culberson
of Texas.
When a great party makes de-
cision of such moment there must be
among its members a. supreme conf
dence that the man of their choice
possesses the necessary qualifications
Of resourcefulness in debate, alertness
OF intelligence, political sagachy, and
the ability to command the support of
his colleagues.
In none of these important matters
has Culberson been found wanting.
The position of leader OF the minor
ity in the senate Is thankless one
at best. But Culberson has made the
most possible out OF it, and has real
lied as much from 1t as his colleagues
had any reason to expect.
Always vigilant, he has fought for
and maintained the rights of his fell
low democrats on the floor without
pushing himself forward to offensive
prominence. In fact II any criticism
might be made It would be that he
lacked aggressiveness as a leader.
Possessed of a retiring modesty-
and perhaps knowing the men with
whom he had to deal-he has never
had recourse TO the party whip as an
offset to the big stick
A Six FOoter.
Culberson is SO years old, but ex-
cept for his curly iron-gray hair, It
would be difficult to believe 1t. A
trifle below six feet in height, he is
erect, we'll built and active, with
clear complexion and merry gray
eyes that can, at times, get very steely
and piercing.
Himself an athlete and a boxer Of
no mean degree while at college, Gull
berson is responsible for the fact that
no exhibitions of the "manly art of
self defense" can be pulled off in
Texas. While governor Of the state
in 1895 the match was arranged be-
tween James ]. Corbett and Bob"
Fitzslmmons for the title OF champion
pugilist of the world. then held by
the former Searching about for a
place where the laws did not pro-
hibit such exhibitions, 1t was decided
to fight the contest at Dallas. As
soon as this announcement was made.
| Culberson declared that he would
prevent it, It was pointed out to him
that there was no law of Texas against
boxing, but one bright day Culberson
proceeded to one of the busiest cor
ners of Dallas and mounting upon
box soon had a crowd gathered around
him. The burden of his speech was
something like this: do you men of
| Texas propose to allow n prize fight TO
| be held i'm our state? Are you will
ing to let these men from New York
and California say that the law won't
allow them to fight at home, but they
can come down to the rowdy state of
Texas and pull off ring battle? Do
you want to have our state disgraced
| before the whole civilized world?"
and much more along that line. Some
one in the crowd called out that there
was no law against it. no." replied
Culberson, but there soon will be-"
Against Public Sentiment.
The public sentiment in the state
was in favor Of allowing the fight
to go on and it was advertised as the
greatest battle in the history of the
ring. Three days after his street
speech, Governor Culberson called a
special session of the legislature, di-
recting attention to the lack of law
on the subject and declaring that
every legislator with a decent regard
for the opinion of mankind should
hasten to enact a proper statute. The
bill was passed and there has been NJ
prize fighting in Texas since.
! Old timers around Washington well
! remember old Dave Culberson. father
of the present senator, with his great
shock of hair and his slow, cumber-
Gus method of getting about AL
though a pretty successful politician
he was in congress for 22 years
he conceived the idea that his heavy
| gait was a drawback to him. SO he
determined that Charley" who even
at that early age frequently accom-
panied his father on his political cam
paigns, should be trained differently.
With this end in view he sent him to
the Virginia military institute. It Is
to the drill that he received there
that the erect, military carriage of the
senator now Is due.
Admitted to Bar.
After taking a law course at the
| University of Virginia, Culberson was
admitted to the bar in 1877 and, re-
turning to Dallas, entered partnership
with his father He became one Of
the most successful lawyers in the
state. Elected county attorney of
Marion county in 1890, he was soon
afterwards made attorney general OF
| the state which office he held until
1894, When he was elected governor.
This place he held for two terms and
then came to the senate, defeating
for the nomination two such veter-
ans as Roger Q. Mills, the tariff re-
visionlst, and General John H. Rea-
gan, formerly a member of Jeff Davis
cabinet.
In April of last year, on invitation
OF both houses Of the Texas leglsla-
ture, Culberson gave his Views on the
trust question, incidentally opposing
the government ownership of rail-
roads idea advanced by Bryan. In
the course of that speech Culberson