Richmond planet., 1910-03-05
Picturesque VaIedictory of a Two
Months Senator.

Months Senator.
Washington. Feb. 24.-Gen. James
Gordon, the venerable Senator from
Mississippi, arose from his seat In
the Senate this afternoon and de
livered a farewell address IL was
hardly an address, though. 1t was
more like a heart TO heart talk at
small town gathering or prayer
meeting. For more than half an hour
the aged Mississippian held the at
tentioE OF the Senate, which seemed
at first TO be hesitating between sur
prise at the character OF the speech
and admiration of the Senator's un.
alloyed frankness.
Finally. however, the simplicity
and homeliness of the speech caught
the dignified members, and they ap-
plauded, not once but twice This
violation OF the rules OF the Senate
brought no rebuke from the presid-
ing officer. Old timers in Washington
say IL is the first time they have
known the Senate 20 indulge itself
in this way in many years.
Love one another" was the SEN
timent that Gen. Gordon chose to
leave with the Senate after his two
brief months of service. He included
within the scope OF his text John ID.
Rockefeller. whom he pitied because
or the suffering that money had
brought upon him, and also Senator
Hepburn OF Idaho. who recently pro.
tested on the floor OF the Senate
against the loaning OF Government
tents 10 Confederate veterans and
against the erection OF a statue OF
Gen. Robert Z. Lee in Statuary Hall
The retiring Mississippi Senator
had kind word for almost every
body who had come IN for criticism
during his term OF service in Wash
ington and the whole was inter
spersed with delightful anecdotes of
his own personal experiences and as
pirauons.
When Senator Gordon began the
speech there was only a sprinkling
of Senators in the chamber. 1t WASH I
long, however, before the news Of
the speech reached the corridors and
the committee rooms and IL needed
only the first round of applause 70
bring nearly every Senator who was
in the building TO his seat.
Senator Root sat only a few seats
away from the Mississippian and he,
together with Senator Lodge, Sena-
tor Hale, Senator Cullom and few
others on whom the dignity OF the
Senate rests heavily, paid little at
tention to the speaker at first. Some
of Them were studying law books,
but finally they Joined with the others
in paying a tribute to Gen. Gordon
Even Senator Hepburn, who look
ed displeased when the Missippian
began to talk on Confederate affairs,
Joined in the line that shook the
Senator's hand when he was through.
Senator Depew at the conclusion
Of Gen. Gordon's speech arose and
said that IL was the most unique
speech ever delivered in the Senate
and expressed the regret of the Sen.
ate at parting with the General. mo
matter who his successor may be-"
said Senator Depew. he can't be
Gen. Gordon"
Senator Gordon told in the begin
ming how he came to be q United
States Senator. He started out to
go to the Senate when he was FIVE
years old.
II Will tell you a story" said he.
You may tell your children, and
you old fellows can tell your grand
children"
The Senator went on to say that
when he was little chap his mother
gave him a little pasteboard map.
1t had squares with numbers on It
and a picture OF the Capitol at the
top. The numbers represented all
the passions that had escaped from
Pandora's box, all the temptations
that would befall a youth who is
growing up. There was also a little
totem with numbers on 1t that he
used to spin.
"If you spun It," said he, "and
1t landed on one of the bad places
in the square--that is, one OF the
bad rzassions--you had to so back,
but IL you escaped the bad places
you went on up to the great Capitol
of the United States at the top and