The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-02-03
VETERANS
STIRRED To
EL0QUENCE
APPROPRIATION FOR CON-
FEDERATE H o Me
ARoUSES DEBATE
COUNTY EXCISE BOARD
MEETS OPPOSITION
Feature Of Bill By Anthony
Proposing a Limit to
Taxation


The house yesterday afternoon,
working fom until 6, passed to
final roll CALL the Gilmer, Maxey and
Castecl bill creating and appropriate
ing $4,000 for the Confederate home
at Ardmore, after two hours of ora.
tory, which at times was not only elo-
quent but touching. The climax to
the speech making was the speech OF
the veteran, Representative G. W..
Lewis of Beckham county, the oldest
member Of the house ana an osd Con.
iede ate soldier.
Gilmer, Casteel and Smith of Del
aware had all made speeches which
Filed the galleries and kept the house
in continual applause. even the Re.
publicans occasionally joining in the
hand -capping tribute to some well
rounded period Williams Of Push.
mataha followed them, with another
splendid plea for the bill
But Clark, one of the Republican
leaders, after an able talk, changed
the rend Of his speech and stirred
he house by saying he was opposed
to and would not vote for the bill
He said Oklahoma had not sent 4
soldier to either army in the great
Civil war, and had done nothing for
the Union soldiers. Why. then, he
demanded, discriminate In favor Of
the Confederate soldiers.
taf ,l..s Dnf d irt n ,
Lewis. who Is very feeble, being in
his seventies, arose from his seat In
the re r. Of the chamber and adyanc.
ed forwa d, trembling with emotion
His voice al first did not reach far,
and the chair had him advance TO the
front. where he delivered an address
in favor of the bill, which touching
as II did on stirring times OF long
ago. was rendered doubly pathetic by
the visible emotion Of the aged and
feeble man delivering il. His voice
grew full and strong as he proceed
ed
I'VE fought for what we thought
was right" he said. I'VE were not
disloyal 10 the American people.
When The great conflict had ended
we went back to our destroyed homes
and pillaged lands ana took up thf
duties OF good citizens. The scat
tered stars were gathered up again
ITO their old place on our fathers
flag. We held no malice; were not
su len unde" defeat" Further along
he said, relative to ClarkS declara
ton that Oklahoma had done nothing
for the old soldier. Il have been
paying tax ever since came home
from that war TO enable the Nation
al government 10 pension Union sol
diers. Don't say TO us, that we have
done nothing for them. For forts
years we have been assisting In pay
ing their pensions,
As the old veteran proceeded with
his speech, the house grew yerl
cniet, for he talked with such an CIV
ident effort, though his delivery wal
good and well susi aimed, that severa
OF the house officers and legislator
gathered near him for fear he Nigh
collapse or fall. firing out, he ga
down finally for u short time. with
out in the least disturbing the eours'
of his rema kablo speech, which al
ternately brought cheers and lens
silence. As he concluded. Civ
them this little pittance prayed for.
and sat down with trembling hand
and features. the applause given hin
left but little doubt as TO the sue
cess OF the bill.
Ewell OF Bryan followed him. say
Ing. Il thank God that the Souther
cause lost. Otherwise, We woul
have had a divided America. NJ
father was a Confederate soldier. m
mother los all she had In the wa
! Yet hold no malice voted agains
I this bill the last session. but vot
Z Tor II now. We owe II to these ol
men" Ross Of Comanche spoke !
favor Of the bill. also the yetera
/ Turner OF Murray, who, In his RI
marks. said I'VE are OF that bloc
which knows 70 defeat
Partridge. Republican, said .hi
while his father was a gaion soldie
his mother was a daughter Of Kel
4 tucky, and that her father was Co
federate veteran. and that he had 7
\ feeling OF malice 30. that Tie STA
was now g oanirg beneath ihe bu
cen Of awful taxes, and that Se didu
4 want 70 odd anything more. r
fmshetl Said the appropriation woiil
BE- Illegal since L vas mnde Il
something which did mol YET exist
Hanison ~ pItlsbnrg. Democra
arose Immediately afier Partridge, n
moved thai The bill be adopted
\ full -dthout furthof disfussfon. fs
{ irs hai after l.sttnin< % fasir1dgf
'frrsfrr IA "a s3tifhed he b
cr-.. 60 s-z-
The Anthony hill limiting /
lcflcs aud creating county excl
board, was iakqn ~, aud was 1eii
hoily fought OF tho TING tbr hou
: adjourned. Faulkner of kiona lodg
o motion 70 chl oul the section cfel
lnk county excise board, s8yil
4.t. -