Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-10-22
SEN. cUMMiNs' EULooY

In this. the darkest and most sor-
|rowful hour OF personal bereavement.
when the heart il torn with the
anguish which the living feel as the
death Is given back to Mother Earth,
it is impossible for me to summon
the composure that one must nave
when he attempts to define the place
this beloved son Of iowa held among
his fellow men, and especially among
his associates in the senate OF the
United States.
Just now every heart is breathing
the old, loving refrain.
"Oh for the touch Of vanished
hand,
The sound of voice that IL still,
and until time softens the sharp pangs
OF grief we cannot render full justice
to the splendor Of his useful career.
In behalf of his colleagues Of the
senate am bidding him last good
bye rather than uttering the euloSy
which later on will pour from the lips
OF his friends in the chamber which he
SO often filled with the lofty strains
OF his inspiring eloauence. am
lamentins over the irrepara .,r
thinking OF his work. nightly ad.
ranced, but still unfinished. We shall
miss him as we. would have missed no
other man. To him was given meas
ure OF affection rich in Its quality and
royal in its extent. Not the least of his
striking and shining characteristics
was the Astounding good fellowship
with which he enveloped. not only his
associates, but all humanity. Notwith-
eminence in debate I hazard the pre-
diction that when we meet again
around his vacant chair the first
thought will be OF his kindly presence.
his cheerful greeting as he passed
from desk to desk during the hours OF,
tiresone discussion. Of the never fall
ing wit and humor with which he IL
sation. He was always welcome be-
cause his heart was not only overrun-
ming with friendliness. but because as
he went his way he left behind him
the smile born OF his felicitatinx COM
ment OF the delightful reflection
awakened by the keen thrust Of his
satire. In debate he was easily the
leader Of the senate. No man surpassed
him in the accuracy Of his analysis,
oughness Of his investigation, and no
man approached him in the art OF ex-
preston. He was nobly endowed with
a mind that could explore all the re-
gions Of morals. philosophy. literature,
and statecraft. and he reasoned con-
vincingly upon all these things: but
unquestionably his browning gift was
his marvellous power Of speech. He
could so use his mother tongue that
every word he spoke challenged i'm
mediate attention and carved itself in
to full relief upon the memory Of his
audience. His language was plain and
simple. but 1t had a fundamental
quality that made it the best possible
garb for the idea he was seeking to
convey Those who heard him remem-
bered what he said because 1t was
instantly recognized that he had put
his case in the, strongest way in which
it could be put. and there are very
few Of his speeches in which will not
be found passas es whichs have right
fully become classics in form and q
permanent part of the literature OF
the subjects to which they relate.
His was master mind and It is
inexpressibly sad that at the climax
Of his influence. the zenith OF his
grea tness when his vision was clearer
and broader than ever before that We
must give him up. The burdens which
he was so manfully and rageously
bearing must fall upon those less able
to sustain t'en, hut we All boz {, t,'e
decree uf an inser;tsi,le 'i~cTice~ca
.nd march CT ra--.-'n- w. - n
heavy sorrow Of lis death: brt rhesr-
ed. strengthened and inspired ~ the
lesson of his life. .