The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-01-27
MR.. HEPBURN IS;
VERY WATCHFUL
Senator Who Called Lee n Traitor Is
Not at All Popular In
Washington, d. c.

II IL were not for Mr.. Weldon
Brinton Hepburn crises galore never
would be faced in the Senate OF the
United States. we fear. and emerg-
isOn to, says The Washington Herald
editorially.
We advance the conclusion ad-
visedly and after mature considera-
ton. We have watched the public
career of Mr.. Hepburn with a quality
of interest that would easily classify
as amazing were its object less motor
iously compelling. We grieve that
Mr.. Hepburn harbors a rampant dis
like Of journalism in general and the
senatorial press gallery in particular.
He ought not to. The newspapers and
periodicals have been very good to
the Senator. They have not said
though they are improving with re-
spect to that. McClure's Magazine,
for instance, carried but recently an
extremely handsome picture of the af-
fable statesman from Idaho. accom-
panied by a measure of more or less
impressive information. Let that
pass for the moment, however; 1t was
something else that tempted us to
bespatter and beSpangle these col
umns with the Heyburnesque thoughts
that have of late arisen in us
The sensitive soul of Mr.. Hepburn
was rudely shocked on Monday last
to learn that the office of the collec-
tor of customs at Newport News had
been ordered closed yesterday-that
being a legal holiday in the State of
Virginia and the birthday of one
Robert z. Lee. Mr.. Hepburn evident
~ has heard a good deal of this par
ticular Lee, and we fear there is little,
If anything, in Lees more or less pic
turesQue career of which Mr.. Hey
burn approves. Indeed. the New
"
having said, with General Robert e
Lee in mind. that "Statuary Hall was
no place for a traitor"
We shall not dispute the possible
sinister significance of the Treasury
Departments action in the Newport
News matter. The mere fact that
we do not see IL will not be consid-
ered-eVen by ourselves-as conclus-
i've evidence that ii is not there, since
Senator Hepburn entertains an oppOS-
ing view. Perhaps there are unspeak-
able conSpn -t,.S in that branch of
the Govern at service bent on in
volving as in another civil war. or
the same old civil war all over again.
Who knows what mischief may be
afoOt, or what dark designs some OBJ
streperous underling may be framing
up for this great and glee-o-rious
country's undoing?
There may be those who claim 70
believe that the Treasury Department
merely sought TO COnune itself 10 the
common sense aspect of the situation
and close its custom house at New
port News on a date declared by Nir-
ginia'S authority to he dies non for
business purposes. II such there be
20 mark them we'll; for them no Hey
burn songs shall swell; living, they
forfeit fair renown, and. doubly dy-
ing, shall go down to the vile dust
! from whence they sprung, unwept, un-
honored and unsung-or words TO that
effect Common sense, plainly enough
could have had nothing whatever &c
do with it, 1t was a palpable attempt
| to bring about an awful something;
and il ought TO be aired the applause
| of n alphabetically listening Senate
| to command
At the same time, we do not believe
there is a presidential issue hidden In
the incident somewhere; nor does il
disprove. or in anywise offset, the fact
| that McClure's or recent date carried
as aforesaid, a particularly handsome
| picture OF Mr.. Hepburn.