The Washington herald., 1910-04-17
BY JAMES b. MORROW.

against rider of the snake fence, he
discovered his son and namesake reading
a book
There was a sudden pounce and Will
lam Edgar. jr. eating abominable fruit
in private, and deaf TO the sounds of ap-
proach, felt the book jerked from his
hand Looking up. he saw his father
turn to the title page. and then observed
his moving lips as he read: Some Of
the Mistakes of Moses" by Robert c.
1ngersoll. free-thinking and hysterical
collection of catchy qulps and dashing
phrases popular with village and coun-
Try boys Of that period.
Now Uncle Billy" as he was called. in
respect and affection, was a solid man in
the communicable agrlculturally. po-
lItically. and theologically. Having pow
er and skill with language he sometimes
addressed his neighbors on the issues of
the coming election. Going 10 the Pres
byterian church on a Sunday morning
and finding the minister I'll or absent he
read a text and preached extemporane-
ously. Rare was the clergyman who
knew the Bible any better than Uncle
Billy.
nEAShtn N
The episode at the edge or the corn
field, in religion and logic. not to mention
social economy, could have but one end
ing. Moses was carried of and thrown
in the fire. no doubt. Another detail need
not be dwelt upon except 10 say Uncle
Billy did not know when he walked away
that he had thrashed a future Senator
in Congress from the sovereign State of
Idaho; nor would Uncle Billy have cared
a continental. Years afterward, the son
having stopped in Illinois on his first
journey from Boise 10 Washington for a
parental greeting, he said. William
you should have stuck 10 your profess
sion"
The Inquisition never converted any
one. The boy Of the cornheld now con-
fesses that he followed Ingerson until
he read the life OF Napoleon. Ingersou
was nIppant. funny. and superficial Ma
poleOn was a philosopher and states
man. So he traded heroes. Tell
me-" Napoleon said on the deck Of a
ship bound for Egypt. to the learned.
inquirng. and controversial infidels who
accompanied him. who made the frma-
ment. and then I shall talk 10 you about
religion" And skepticism vanished and
the rod Of the father was justified. but
st was the intellect that conquered.
In the matter Of thrilling human ex-
periences Senator Borah is a drama Of
the untamed West Desperadoes are
grouped around him. Dead men and a
gallows are In the distance Exploding
dynamite shakes the earth beneath his
feet. As a prosecutor Of the lawless-
resourceful, relentless. and fearless-he
reads like a romance rather than like
narrative OF actual facts Furthermore.
he Is an able constitutional lawyer and
his standing. although a young man, is
very high in the Senate
Picked the Right Man.
Picked by President Roosevelt, he ar
Eued the case against the battalion OF
negro soldiers dismissed from the army
for rioting at Brownsville, in Texas.
BOrah is a Republican. once he res
cued a negro-hiring a special train at
midnight and riding TO Nampa. twenty
miles distant-after a party Of lynchers
had broken down the door OF the jail
and were shooting their rifles and pistols
Historically. sentimentally. and in other
ways, President Roosevelt, therefore,
chose the right man to explain and de-
fend his drastic action.
Since then. Borah has made three great
speeches in the Senate uphoIdlng the
power Of the national government to Jay
a tax on incomes. The proposed sixteenth
amendment 20 the Constitution Of the
republic, taxing incomes. was vigorous
ly pressed by him. It passed Congress
and has gone to the country to be voted
on by the legislatures Of the different
States In. the debate which he carried
through With remarkable grace and
learning. he met the hostile questions and
arguments of some Of the best LAWYERS
I'm the Senate He first came 20 the no
tice Of the country. however. as one Of
the prosecutors Of William D. Haywood.
charged with completely in the murder of
Frank Steunenberg. a former governor OF
Idaho, who was horribly killed with dy-
q Mantle at the gate leading into his own
garden. Borah's argument closing the
case occupied two days. and would have
filed forty columns OF newspaper.
His Life i'm Danger.
Manifasuy he would be incomplete
were the striking and dramatic events of
his life omitted from his record But he
talked about them with repugnance.
slurring them over, begging indulgence.
and cOurteously protesting Physically.
he is not a large man. but he is 1.-the
and muscular. His head IS broad. his
face Is wide, and his eyes are as blue
as q Holland teacUp and saucer. While
his voice IS low and his manner most
agreeable. II is plainly to be seen that he
is a determined and intrepid personality.
Threats Of assassination were never
taken seriously. but l dare say he was
ready. Idaho, however. had passed
through its cycle Of gunfghters. of ghast-
ly sheep herders, dead In the tall grass
Of lonely valleys. and OF vengefui miners
hunting for their enemies with bombs.
rifles. and daggers. Borah, therefore.
coming into the tranquil present and look
ing toward serenity II not culture |
minimizes the past, with its terrors and
tragedies.
In a word. necessary to a coherent !
comprehension Of his story. Borah worked
on his fathers farm until he was six |
teen years old. when, being restless and I
wanting an education and TO be a law |
YER" he went 10 his sisters home at !
Lyons, in Kansas Il didn't know how
was 10 get an education. nor had I |
any definite plans. but 1 thought fate In |
some manner would take care Of my
case. My father had previously signed |
notes for another man and lost a con- |
siderable part Of his property"
You completed your education I said |
at the Kansas State University"
POpuIism Is Rampant.