Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-02-16
new news OF YESTERDAY
Senator Carpenter, Real Hero of
Peace.
BY E. j. EDWARDS.

For years CnlS country anu the
other great powers of the earth have
maintained courts in China for the
benefit of their respective citizens and
subjects. These courts of extraterri-
toriality, as they are called, China now
wishes to abolish, and proposes max
ing treaties to this end with this and
other nations.
Naturally, the government at Wash
ington is most Interested in this pro-
posal in a positive way; but had it not
been for as fine display of patriotic
duty as ever was made back in the
early eighties by a member of the
federal senate, Secretary of State
Knox would not now have to give
more than academic attention to this
new Chinese question.
1t was in the early winter of 1881
that determined effort was made in
congress to do away with our consular
courts in the celestial empire. That
is history, and it is also history that
this attempt was frustrated by
speech delivered by the late Senator
Matt Carpenter of Wisconsin. 1t is
also on record that two days after he
delivered his speech the senator died;
but it has never been told before that
Senator Carpenter, when he made his
speech, knew that he had only two
days more of life left, yet neverthe-
less insisted on doing in full what he
considered his duty by his country in
making the speech.
Months before the senator had been
told by eminent physicians that he
was suffering from an organic disease,
and, when he requested them to do so,
they described to him as gently as
possible the progress it would make
towards the end.
How do you know-how am to
know?" he asked, when they had fin
ished.
They described to him the tests
which could be made each day.
Can l make those tests myself?"
the senator asked. He was told that
he could.
So every day the senator would
make a record of his departing vital
ity. He studied his own case as though
it were that of a stranger. At one
time he would say to his old law part
hnef, "Well, have just a-month longer
to live At another time his words
would be, Counting to-day, l have
just Is days more of life" And all
the while the doomed man was faith
full in his attendance upon the senate,
for he knew that an attempt would be
made sooner or later to legislate out
of existence the consular courts in
China, and such a step he held to be
inimical to the best interests of Ameri-
ca and Americans in China.
Finally, there came a time when the
senator, turning to his confdant, said,
81 have just three days, more of life
left
The next day, a snowy one in Feb
ruary, when everything in the outer
world was dismal, the senator entered
the senate chamber, passed around the
rear desks to the cloak room, there
| left his heavy fur-lined overcOat, and
re-entered the chamber. When he rose
to speak senators left the remOter
parts of the chamber and took seats
near him; they knew he was i'll, and
were very considerate and tender OF
him. Yet his preeminent reputation
as an orator would have assured him
attentive hearers in any event.
| Many of those who heard this speech
declared long afterward that it was
one of the best the senator ever de-
| livered.
The speech finished, the warm trfb-
utes of his colleagues cOurteously re-
ceived and smilingly acknowledged,
and firm in the knowledge that his
effort had won the day for the con-
sular courts, the senator retired slow
| ly to the cloak room. Then, his fur
coat placed over his shoulders by the
attendant, he went from the cloak
room by the rear aisles to the main
entrance of the senate chamber.
There he stopped and, turning around,
swept with one brief, penetrating and
all-comprehensive glance the entire
chamber. He was taking-and he
knew this last view Of a chamber in
which his oratory was esteemed as
unsurpassed.
For q moment he stood sweeping
infinitely, lovingly, the room and every
one in it, his old friends, his political
enemies, every one hen he signified
to the doorkeeper that he wished to
go out. The door swung open-he
was gone. He had done his duty as
he knew it, and was resigned.
Two davis later senator arose and
announced that Senator Carpenter had
that morning passed away, and the
senate was instantly adjourned.
Copyright, 1909, by E. ]. Edwards)
/ The PHILOSOPHER of Folly,