Evening journal., 1910-01-11
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Stone Eagle That Defeated
Senator Eugene Hale
BY Holland"
BY "HolIaud."


Just because Eugene Hale, senior
senator from Maine, seems pretty
much to have his way in things polit-
ical these days, and especially when
a tariff is in the making, you shouldn't
get the idea that he has never known
political defeat. He was defeated once
and it was a stone eagle that did it.
too.
Those ancient inhabitants of the
Pine Tree state whose memories go
back vividly to the year 1879, will tell
you that then it was that Gene" Hale
was Unexpectedly defeated for con-
gress by an obscure stonecutter Of the
name Of Thompson H. Murch, young
fellow who espoused the cause of
greenbackism, and on that issue had
laid low the brilliant representative
from Maine. They'll tell you that, in
good faith. too. But Murch himself,
when | called on him a few weeks aft
er his election, gave me an altogether
different version of the cause of the
defeat Of his nationally famous oppon-
ent.
Have you ever noticed the granite
eagle perched high above the main en-
trance Of the New York post-office
building?" Murch asked me. 1T isn't
much of work of art; in fact, it is a
pretty crude piece Of sculpturing. But
whatever it is, / am responsible for it.
l learned the trade of a stonecutter,
and had some knack for the better
kind of work with the chisel so that |
was permitted, while working In the
Quarries on the island yonder off our
Maine coast, to do some figure cutting.
THE contract for the granite with
which the New York post-office build
ing was to be constructed was award
ed to my employers, and was told
that / was expected to carve out of a
solid block of granite the eagle which
was to be used as an ornament high
up above the main entrance.
We'll, l felt highly honored to be
picked out for that job, and as / was
slowly outlining the eagles form there
/ began to dawn upon me all that it sym
| bolized With the coming of that feel
ing / began to realize my own limited
| education, and l made up my mind to
study as much as l could of the history
I Of our country.
Il got a copy Of some Of Webster's
/ speeches, and I remember that Mr..
/ Hale sent to me at my request the
/ document in which the speeches and
/ proceedings of congress are reported
! each day. AS / read and studied, l
tried also to use good language, and
began to see what could do with my
pen.
Then, one day, while was clipping
away at the eagle, there came to me
tn thought that congress is open to
anyone who is 25 years of age and an
/ American citizen, if he can persuade
the people of his district to vote for
him. wondered whether it would not
/ be open 10 me, and as l was finishing
the eagle was also deciding to do
what could to fit myself Tor congress
if an opportunity ever came to me to
be a candidate.
Next, l found that l understood
what skilled workmen are looking for
when they join labor organizations.
By this time l had some faculty for
writing, so / started a paper for work.
men, and was for a time both stonecut-
ter and editor. Then there came this
sudden excitement in Maine over
I grenbackism, when everything
seemed to be turned topsy-turvy, and
Labor party men and greenback men
came to me and asked me if was will
ing to run for congress against Eugene
l Hale.
We'll, It was no little honor to be a
candidate for congress against Mr.
Hale, even if was defeated. So told
them that l would be a candidate, and
the Democrats supported me. too. and
when the election was over I found
that the dream the stone eagle had
made me dream while l was carving II
had come true at last"
Gentle reader, the next time you
find yourself in front of the main en-
trance of the post-ofice building in
New York city glance upward. Perched
high above you, you vii see the gran
ite bird of freedom that administered
to Eugene Hale, senior senator from
Maine. the only defeat he has suffered
during his 50 years in state and ma
tional politics.
Copyright. 1909. by L. j. Edwards.)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards viii tell o
the Diplomatic Nose that Discovered
a Great Trade Secret"