The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-02-25
Retiring Senator James Cor
don of Mississippi Makes
Unique Farewell Address to
His Washington Colleagues.
MOTHER TOLD HIM HE
WOULD OCCUPY CHAIR
Having Reached the Goal of His
Ambitions to Sit as PreSi-
dent of the Senate, Vener-
able Statesman Is Satisfied.
PRAISE FOR ROCKEFELLER

Washington, Feb. 24-What Senator
Depew characterized as a farewell unique
IN the Senate's history was delivered to-
day by James Gordon, Senator from Mis-
| sissippl, who said goodbye to the Sen
ators. with whom he had served for 60
| days.
Practically the entire Senate listened
with rapt attention to the address Of the
venerable Mississippian
Beginning with the statement that the
deadlock in Mississippi had been broken,
and Jnat Mr.. Percy had been. chosen to
take ms place, Colonel Gordon said that
ne had felt desire TO express his feel
lngs toward the Senate before returning
TO his home in Mississippi.
lie then told how, when five years old,
ne mad been presented with q toy board.
checked over with different objects, some
good and some bad. One Of these objects
was the capitol Of the United States, and
his mother told him, he said, that IL he
would be good and live a correct life, he
might some day hope to sit in the seat
OF the big man who was pictured there.
Mother Never Told Lie.
She never had told me a lie, and 1
knew that what she said was true /
knew that l would some day occupy the
seat Of that big man, and God helping
me, got there yesterday, referring 10
the TACT that for d time yesterday he
had occupied the seat OF the presiding
officer.
was born multi-milliouaire." said
colonel Gordon, but / never was happy
until L got rid of my surplus money /
spent much Of II on my slaves and the
rest Of my funds L spent ike a gentle
man. and got rid Of the entire encum-
brance.
4 have listened with interest to the
speeches here, and the more I hear them,
the sOrTier / am Tor the mHlionaires.
W n.y. II lhere is fellow in the United
States that J am sorry for. it IS Rookie
Teller. He can't ~ ON the street with
one of his grandchildren unless he is
afraid that some one might hill him
Why, l know that hs loves one Of those
children much better than he loves all
Il think Mr. Rockefeller is good
man. 1 see his employees speak well -
hlm. and l am told that he never had Il
strike. l am told also that he has given
much money to churches and education
Now / don't suppose that anybody viii
ike that but those who don't like it can
put il in their pipes ana smoke il.
He Likes Rockefeller.
I'd like for Mir. Rockefeller to come
down TO Mississippi and run his pipe lines /
through my land. lie could have right
ot-way for all the lines he wanted, for I
know that in my time coal oil has been I
reduced from 10 cents 10 ten cents per :
gallon"
Referring to the fact that he had been /
a confederate soldier, Mr. Gordon said 1
L fought and bled. but I did not die. /
However, l skedaddled frequently"
He then told of some Of his exploits /
in the war, and how he had captured .
General Coburn Of Indiana, and General /
Smarter. Shafter, he said, haG fired at [
him five times in the confederate charge /
without hitting him. He said that when
ever the union ana confederate soldier /
met they were always good friends As
sorting that he loved the negro he de-
clared that he wanted Mason and DixOn-s
line obilterated from the map of the |
/ nited states, because he did not want .
any more strife.
"A few 'blab-mouthed' people down our
way talk differently" he said. but they
are so insignificant that they are not
worth cussinG. they are not worth vast
ing invectives upon
Tribute to Soldiers.
Paying a tribute TO soldiers Of both the
north and the south, Colonel Gordon said;
You may as well try to storm ~ |,
heights Of heaven and pluck the diadem
rom JehOVahs crown as to take away
rom either of them any Of the glory Of
The records of the two men who stood
under the tree at Appomattox and
brought the war to a close.
This is the finest body of men I ever
associated with" he continued, speaking
# the Senate itself. and he beamed upon
his colleagues.
Again returning To the negro question,
ne said: we don't want TO hurt the
Niger why, 1 love him. and, to con-
vince you that I do, I will quote from
ny own poetry concerning him"
He then read two of his poems in
which strong personal sentiment for the
negroes of the south was expressed.
Referring to Senator Heyburn's recent
protest against General Lees statue be-
ng allowed to remain in statLary hall,
Colonel Gordon invited Senator Hepburn
o visit him on his plantation, and said
hat he was sure that after the Idaho
senator had seen the south through his
pectacles ne would take off his hat 10
ZEE, as he. Gordon, was willing TO do 10