The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-17

lions and deliberations of the Lower
House when he was member of it, but
being a republican, his power and in
fluence in that body was not source of
particular qualification to me. Since his
elevation to the Senate [ have again
watched with interest the career of Mr.
Bankhead, and while in the Senate, as i'll
the House, he has taken practically no
part in the debates, it has been tele-
graphed all over Alabama and we read
in every paper as a tremendous achleVe-
n1ent, and as reason why, under no
circumstances, could the state dispense
with his services, that he has succeeded
IN getting on another committee with MI
Burton of Ohio.
ITO what base use do we come at
lastl
II am thinking just now about John c.
Calhoun of South Carolina. | see him re-
turning to his constituents after 20 years
OF service in the House and In the Sen
ate, and the people of South Carolina ask
him what have you succeeded in ac-
complishing?' And he answers, I have
succeeded In getting on a committee with
Daniel Webster Of Massachusetts,; he IL
a very able man; he controls things his
way, and while l am of different politi-
cal party, my relations with him are
very friendly, and it would be a great
calamity to our state to appoint any
one else In my place..
And then there comes to me the reco-
lection Of another scene in which there
occurred one of the greatest debates
which ever took place in the United
States Senate. 1t was a debate between
Daniel Webster and John c. Calhoun,
one as the representative of the north
and the other as representative of the
SOUTH When / first read this debate 1
was boy of II years of age, keeping
books in a hardware store. The reading
of this debate changed the whole cur
rent of my life. l need not say to any
student of history that in that debate
John C. Calhoun, as the representative
of the south, defeated and overthrow
Daniel Webster, as the representative of
the north SO much so that although
Mr.. Webster was entitled to reply he
did not attempt to do so.
'It is a grand thing to speak for your
people and to speak for your section
No other man has ever approached John
c. Calhoun in the capacity and ability
to discharge this duty'
1--WE are mistaken if we think that
the people of other states do not take a
lively interest in such action as we may
take in the case of filling a position like
this. Confirmatory of this view | beg
to refer to a speech made by Senator
Spooner OF Wisconsin before the Ala
bama colony in New York.
1.-The Alabama colony in New York,
should say, consists of prominent Ala
bamians who live in New York, but who
still love their state and meet annually
to emphasize and reassert their allegiance
to the grand old state of Alabama. The
occasion to which | refer occurred after
Mr.. Bankhead had occupied his seat in
the Senate for several months. 1t &C.
Cured at dinner given by the Alabama
colony, at which Senator Spooner was
present In his speech on that occasion
he paid a high tribute to Senator Nor
gan. In referring to the Panama canal
he stated that although the route adj
vocated by Senator Morgan had not been
adopted that the canal would always be
known in the minds of the American
people as 'Morgan's canal
HE stated that while he was of a
different political party he had watched
Senator Morgans career in the Senate,
and said that wherever the interests of
the American people were involved Sen
ator Morgan could always be counted
upon to prove himself to be an Amer
lean. He wound UP his speech upon that
occasion with this remarkable statement:
Gentlemen of the Alabama Colony, There
is vacant seat in the Senate of the
United States from Alabama, and the
American people have not yet been ad-
vised that 1t is filled!
when Mr.. Bankhead was candidate
for the Senate four years ago, after
service of 20 years in the House, he sud
denly discovered that the federal gov
eminent should give. aid to the construc-
ton of dirt roads throughout the country
If he has done anything to accomplish
this result I have not heard of it, ex-
cept this, that when he is about to offer
as a candidate for reelection / see 1t
stated In the public press that he is about
to propose in the Senate some measure
along this line. A distinguished citizen
said on one occasion that you can fool
all the people some of the time, and
some of the people all of the time, but
you cannot fool all the people all the
time! He has now been in the Senate
four years and although a quarter of a
century has run since his first election
to Congress the federal government has
never contributed penny to the build
ing of roads in this or any other state
If Mr., Bankhead should remain In the
Senate another quarter of century at
the end of that time the government
might perhaps be willing to take up the
question and consider 1t!
II am not coming before the people
with any catch-penny platform. but II
should be elected to the Senate l do
pledge the people of Alabama that will
consecrate to their service Whatever tai
ents God has given me-