The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-09
The POise of the Senate.

Now and then there comes an Oppor-
tunity to the Senate Of the United States
10 show itself in its best light; and curl
ously enough, perhaps, such opportunity
comes usually in the guise Of a relatively
unimpertant thing
Neither the fate of empire nor the des-
tiny of man hung on tLe Senate's decision
as to whether a few old veterans Of the
late COnfederacy should be permitted the
use Of a number Of army tents and things
during the progress of a forthcoming
reunion in Mobile. The proposition as
submitted by Senator Bankhead meant
little in itself. Unemphasized by Senator
Heyburn's foolshly bitter TRADE against
the late wearers. Of the gray and their
loved and chivalric leader, Gen. Robert
Z. Lee, the resolution would have passed
quietly and in order on Monday last,
and nothing untoward would have come
OF it whatever. The dead past has long ago
been permitted to bury its dead in the
matter Of secession, thekscivil war, and
all that appertains 10 that fratricidaI
strife, and It is only here and there that
a Senator Hepburn comes upon the scene
with his feeble effort 20 stir it up anew.
The Senate rose superbly to the de-
mands Of the crisis thrust upon It by
4Ir. Heyburn's vociferous vehemenee,
however. and voted TO a man-saving and
excepting Mr., Hepburn himself-to grant
the petition as originally filed by Mr..
Bankhead; and that despite the Idaho
Senator's Earring solo of protest. The
quiet dignity of the entire proceeding
that marked the undoing Of Mr.. Hepburn
was inspiring, and could hardly have
failed to arouse a feeling Of profound
respect for the Senate even in the bosom
of TIE most hardened scoffer. "AyeP said
New York, and Washington. and Kansas
and Wisconsin, and Indiana. aid Mime
sofa, and Utah. and California, and Yer
mont and Ohio. and Michigan, and Maine,
and so on throughout the entire Union
of course, including the South. Idaho's
voice alone was raised in opposition
and only half Of that indeed, since Sena-
tor Borah voted aye"
We think it worth while to note. in
passing, the splendid courtesy and adj
mirable restraint evidenced by the South
ern Senators in refraining from a reply
TO Mr.. Hepburn. The provocation was
admittedly great, but how honestly thrill
ing it was that the temptation was re-
fused! 1t was a fine compliment the
Southern Senators paid their Northern
cOlleagues-if we may use an expression
in differentiating Senators that is. we
think. all but obsolete at last praise be
when the Southerners elected merely to
pass the resolution to vote secure in
their faith that their friends Of the North
would meet the issue IN a manly and
patriotic manner, and that without one
word Of argument from the defensel
Mr.. Thomas Nelson Page, in his Life
of Robert E. Lee" relates the following
incident occurring after the close Of the
civil war:
"0n one occasion. Gen. Lee was approached
with tender Of tie presidency Of life insurance
company. at a salary of S5o0O per aunum He
declined it on the ground that it was work with
which heFwas not familiar But general, said
the gentleman who represented the insurance CON-
pany. you VIII not be expected 70 do any work
what We want l. the uss Of vour usma' DO vo1
not think. said Gen. Lee 'ulat if ny name Is
worth $4,000 a year, I ought to be very careful
about taking care Of it,"
II is, perhaps, that feature of Gen.
Lees character that Senator Hepburn
finds IL difficult TO understand.