Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-02-25
His Reward Came When he Sat in
Seat Of Big Man Wednesday.
SORRY FOR THE MnL1ONArD'
He Thinks John D. Rockefeller
Much Prosecuted Man.
TALKS OF his WAR RECC
He Fought, BIed ana skedaddI
FrequentIy--TriBu Paid to
Generals Grant and
Lee.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24-what Senator
Depew characterized as a farewell unique
in the senates history was delivered today
by James Gordon, senator from Mississippi
who said goodbye 10 the senators with
whom he had served for the last sixty days
Practically the entire senate listened with
rapt attention to the address of the vener-
able Mississippian.
Beginning with tho statement that the
deadlock In Mississippi had been broken
and that Mr.. Percy had been chosen to take
his place, Colonel Gordon said that he had
felt a desire to express his feelings towards
the senate before returning to his home in
Mississippi.
He then told how. when years old he
had been presented with toy board which
was checked over with different objects,
some Of them good and some of them bad
One OF these objects was the capitol of the
United States and his mother had told him.
he said. that IL he would be good and would
live correct life he might some day hope
to cit In the seat Of the big man who was
pictured there.
'She never had told me a lie and 1 knew
that what she said was true. / knew that
would some day occupy the seat of that
big man and God helping me 1 got there
yesterday (referrlng to the fact that for a
time yesterday he had occupied the seat OF
the presiding officer). l was born a multi
millionaire" said Colonel Gordon, but
never was happy until l got rid of my
surplus money / spent much Of It en- my
slaves and the rest Of my funds l spent
like gentleman and got rid Of the entire
encuynbrance.
Sorry for MiIIiOnaires.
Il have listened with interest to the
speeches here and the more 1 hear of them
the sorrier am for the millionalres why.
IL there is fellow In the United States
that am sorry for it is Rockefeller. He
can't got on the street with one Of his
grandchildren unless he Is afraid that some
one might kil him. ,ssa
''why, / know that ne loves one of
those children much better than ile loves
his money l think Mr.. Rockefsllsr is a
good man. 1 see his employees speak well
I OF him, and am told that he never had
a strike. / am told also that he has given
much money to churches and education.
Now, I don't suppose that everybody Will
like that, but those who don't like 1t can
put II in their pipes and smoke It.
'Td like for 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 wanted, for
know THAI in my time coal oil has been
reduced from 40 cents to 10 cents per "a
on"
Fought, Bled and SkedaddIed.
Referring to the fact that he mad been
a confederate soldier. Mr. Gordo nsaid
Il fought and bled. but L did not die.
However, skedaddled frequently"
He then told of some OF his exploits in
the war and how he had captured General
UnbIrn nf Indiana 10
shafter he said. had fired at him five
different times during the confederate
charge without hitting him. He said that
whenever the union and confederate SOL
diers met they were always good friends
Asserting that he loved the negro. he de-
clared that he wanted Mason and Dixon's
line obliterated from the map OF the
United States because he did not want any
more strife.
"a few more blab-mouthed people down
our way talk differently" he said, but
they are 50 Insignificant that they are
not worth cussing, they are not worth
wasting invectives upon"
Tribute to Soldiers.
Paying a tribute to soldiers OF both the
north and the south, Colonel Gordon said:
You say as well attempt to storm the
heights OF heaven and pluck the diadem
from Jehova's crown as to take away from
either Of them any OF the glory Of the rec
ordE o fthe two men who stood under the
tree at Appomattox and brought the war
to close"
This is the finest body Of men that
ever associated with" he continued, speak
Ing OF the senate itself, and he beamed
upon his colleagues.
Again, returning to the negro question.
he said:
we don't want TO hurt the Niger; why
! love him and to convince you that do
I WIN quote from my own poetry concern
Ing him"
He then read two OF his poems in which
strong personal sentiment for the colored
people OF the south was expressed in
rhymes
Referring to Senator Heyburn's recent
protest against General Lees statue being
allowed 10 remain In Statuary han. Colonel
Gordon Invited Senator Hepburn to visit
him on his plantation. and said that he was
sure that after the Idaho senator had seen
the south through his spectaeles he would
take off his hat to Lex as he. Gordon
was willing to doff his 10 Grant