Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-05
UNCLE "PETE" AND UNCLE "L0N..

In the house of congress yesterday
two old men few mad and exposed
each other. "Old Uncle Lon" Living
! ston, of Georgia, man nearly n years
| of age broke out at "Old Uncle Pete"
! Hepburn and accused him of being in
! his dotage. Then Uncle Pete retorted.
He went into pantomime to show how
Uncle Lon" holds his hands behind his
! business of the house and generally
! showed up the doddering old fellow
| from Georgia. Uncle" Pete left it to
| the house to say who was in his dot
age" And g. kindly dispositioned and
| charitable house never said word to
i hurt the feelings of either of these two
old men. Your uncle Peters is himself
but seven months and one day younger
! thant''old Uncle Lon" from q section of
Georgia where men grow old and with
| er and dry UP and sometimes blow
| away but never die. That is why they
are called Crackers"
| The scene in congress is one not I'M
commonly enacted between old men. 1t
| is hard for an aged person to realize
| how old and decrepit he is but he sees
the marks OF time on the faces and the
failing of faculties of his contemporary
les with the keenest vision. Such
! -.
ancient war horses of the house often
! take place in the corner groceries of
out to sit a while together. 1t Is at
once comic and pitiful. The toothless
rage of senility is in such ludicrous and
pitiful contrast to the virile fierceness
of physical and mental prime that 1t
makes for laughter as it does for tears.
Most pitiful of all it emphasizes the
sorry fact that these old men have
kpassed the boundary between the men
who live and the others who are wait
ing, waiting.
Uncle Pete" and Uncle Lon" are
old, old men How Old and weak may
be gathered by observing the aged men
who walk painfully in and out Of the
gates that open to the soldiers home; for
''Uncle Pete was soldier and an Of
ficer with these nearly a half century
ago when they were lusty with the
strength of manhood. No doubt Gun
Gle Lon" answered their cheer with the
rebel yell" and matched the strength
and courage of his prime against theirs.
That was long, long time ago. These
are old, old men. The grasshopper has
long been a burden to their STOPPING
frames and desire has faded and failed.
II is time that these old men took
of their armor and sat down to rest
while the twilight fingers. They do not
realize how old and worn they are;
neither it would appear does the coun-
try which returns them to the center of
the bitter struggle where a nations de-
TIMES are balanced on the strength and
Ssco1
withstand clamor and guard public |
rights. This is new century. 1t de-
mands men of the century. The old
men who linger like stranded wrecks
upon the hither shore of time have
done their devoir fought their battles
and spent their strength. The need is :
for new strength, fresh vigor and eyes
that see the future When men have
grown old philosophy and necessity !
should teach them and the country the
common sense of retirement.
And in the light of all this the sug
gestion of Mr.. Hepburn for the inter-
state commerce commission brings up
a very serious question and one that
vitality concerns the welfare of the
country The commission might much !