Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-08
JEFF DAVIS QUESTION.

At this point MT Hepburn received
his only interruption.
1t came from Senator jeff Davis OF
Arkansas, who. even without awaiting
the permission of the Idaho senator,
abruptly interposed the question:
Were you in the war;"
"Oh. no." responded Mr.. Hepburn.
that ls the stock question of the
cheap reporter"
IT understand" replied Mr.. Davis,
that the senator represents 264 mig
gers in his state"
Responding to the last interruption,
Mr.. Hepburn said II there were 264
negroes In his state, he intended to
try to represent them. He added that
he was not senator from his state
alone, but n senator of the United
States as we'll. AS for his participation
in the war he stated that he had been
too young for that, but that he had
been very anxious to enlist while the
war was In progress
Mr Hepburn said, that II there were
senators who thought that 1t was prop
CT that the "rebcl' flag should wave
over the property of the United States,
they could vote for the measure. but
he would remind them that there were
millions OF people In the United States
who have implanted deep In their
hearts the spirit of patriotism and
who would not follow them in that
course.
From the consideration Of the pend
Ing resolution Mr.. Hepburn turned
temporarily to the question of the
wisdom of placing a statue of Gen.
Lee in the hall of fame In the national
Capitol. He did not mention Gen. Lee
by name. but left no doubt the he had
him In mind.
He spoke of the fact that the object
of his remarks had been an officer In
the army of the United States when
the war broke out and said he had
done much to render more serious that
conflict which had cost the country
millions upon millions OF money and
thousands upon thousands OF lives. He
appealed to the people of Virginia and
the south to take the statue back.
I'm sending us figures for the ma
tional hall of fame, I would advise
you" he said, mot to overlook your
Marshalls, your Earlys. Lees. your
Nonroes and your Henry's.
Don't violate a sentiment which
you know to evxist and which exists
today az 1t did in the COS.
II ask you In the interest Of 10y
atty and harmony to say to the peo-
pie who have sent here this image to
come and take 1t away. 1t may be
dear to you, but 1t is not dear to US
Take 1t and worship 1t if you please. but
do not lntrude 1t upon the people who
do not want 1t. Take him home-place
him in the most sacred spot; give him
the dearest place In your local tom
pies. but for Gods sake. don't again
start this spirit out Of which the ter
rible troubles of the past arose"
Mr.. Hepburn here declared that he
had no personal feeling in the matter
and that It was not his intention to
"wavc the bloody shirt"
IT am he said, "as far from do
Ing that as any man you ever
dreamed of. but love my country too
well to see It drifting on the shores
OF discomfort and personal strife"
Declaring that he would stand
againet such legislation as was pro-
posed IL his was the only voice to be
raised In opposition to that he would
vote against It If no other senator did,
he insisted that he did not desire to
be interpreted as imputing disloyalty
to any senator who might differ from
him.