East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-02-25
Venerable Mississippi Senator
Bids Farewell 10 United
States Senate.
ENTIRE BODY LISTENS
WITH RAPT ATTENTION
Retiring Scion Airs His Views on
Many Questions-Pities the Million
aire and Believes Rockefeller d
Good Man-Got Rid OF His Sur-
plus Money Easily-Pays Tribute to =
Lee and Grant.

Washington, Feb. 25.-what Sena-
tor Depew characterized as a fare
well unique in the senate's history,
was delivered yesterday by James
Gordon. senator from Mississippi, who
said good bye to the senator's with
whom he had served for so days.
Practically the entire senate listen
ed with rapt attention to the address
of the venerable Mississippian.
Beginning with the statement that
the deadlock in Mississippi had been
broken and that Mr.. Percy had been
chosen to take his place, Colonel Cor
don said that he had felt a desire to
express his feelings toward the SEN
ate before returning to his home In
Mississippi.
He then told how, when five years
old, he had been presented with toy
board checked over with different OBJ
jects, some good and some bad. One
OF these objects was the capitol of
the United States, and his mother had
told him, he said, that if he would
be good and would live a correct life.
he might some day hope to sit in the
seat of the big man who was pictur-
ed there.
Believes His Mother.
"She had never told me lie, and
knew that what she said was true.
knew that would some day occu-
py the seat of that big man. and God
helping me. I got there yesterday
Referring to the fact that for a time
yesterday he had occupied the seat
of the presiding officer.
"I was born a multi millionaire"
said Colonel Gordon, but I was never
happy until 1 got rid of my surplus
money I spent much of It on my
slaves and the rest of my funds
spent like a gentleman and got rid IL
the entire encumbrance.
81 have listened with interest to the
speeches here, and the more I hear
of them. the sorrier 1 am for the mil
lionaires. Why, II there is fellow
in the United States that 1 am sorry
for. it is Rockefeller. He can't go on
the street with one of his grandchil!
dren unless he is afraid that some
that he loves one of those children
much better than he loves all hb
money.
Rockefeller Good Mar.
81 think Mr.. Rockefeller is good
man. see his employees speak wen
of him, and am told that he never
had a strike. I am told also that he
has given much money to churches
and education. Now don't suppose
that everybody will like that, but
those who don't like 1t, can put It In
their pipes and smoke It.
I'D like Mr.. Rockefeller to come
down TO Mississippi and run his pipe
lines through my land. He could have
right-of-way for all the lines he want
ed. for I know that in my time coal
oil has been reduced from 40 cents to
10 cents per gallon"
Referring to the fact that he had
been a confederate soldier. Mr.. Cor
don said:
Fought. BIed and Skedaddled-
'T fought and bled. but I did not
die However, skedaddled frequent
ly" He then told OF some of his ex-
ploits in the war and how he had
captured General Coburn OF Indiana
and General Shafter. Shafter. he
said. had fired at him five times in
the confederate charge, without hit
ting him He said that whenever the
union and confederate soldiers met
they were always good friends. As
serting that he loved the negro. he de-
clared that he wanted Mason and Dix
on's line obliterated from the map
of the United 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 wasting invectlves on"
Paying a tribute to soldiers OF both
the north and south, Colonel Gordon
said:
you may as well try to storm the
heights of heaven and pluck the dis-
dem from Jehovah's crown as to take
away from either OF them any OF the
glory 90 the records OF the two men
who stood under the tree at Appo-
mattoN and brought the war to
close.
This is the finest body OF men
that ever associated with" he con-
tinued, speaking of the senate itself,