The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-25

HEARTY APPLAUSE is
GIVEN TO THE SENATOR
Senator Depew CaiIs Speech of Gordon
Most Remarkable as Farewell Adj
dress--coIonei Gordon Praises
the senate as a Body

washington, February 24.-What Sena-
for Depew characterized as the most
/ unique farewell ever delivered in the
Senate chamber was heard there today
+ when at the close of the session, and at
tho end of his term, James Gordon. the
senator from Mississippi, said goodby to
the senators with whom he had served
for the last 60 days.
Colonel Gordon spoke for perhaps half
an hour, and when he had concluded Sem
ator Depew addressed the chair saying he
rever had heard or read any speech of its
kind which was so unique and impress
xive as the one which had been delivered
4 to the Senate.
The New York senator said he was sure
he voiced the sentiment of all the MEM
bers of the Senate when he expressed re-
greet over the passing of the MISSISSIPPI
pan
"No matter said he, .'how wonderful
a colleague succeeds him, he cannot be
James Gordon of Mississippi
Practically the entire Senate listened
| with rapt attention to the address of the
| venerable Mississippi statesman. He
stood back of his own desk on the ex
IRENE right of the vice president and in
hcnely phraseology and almost without
gesture talked to his colleagues as if they
had been old-time friends.
Twice Mr.. Gordon quoted from his own
book of verse, which he afterward pre-
| sented to the vice president. His remarks
We're frequently punctuated with applause
nnd laughter. The galleries were well
filled and th occupants of them Joined
| freely in the manifestations of approval.
Desire to Express Feelings
Beginning with the statement that the
keadieck in Mississippi has been broken,
| $3.50 that Mr.. Percy had been chosen to
take his place, Colonel Gordon said that
| he had felt desire to express his feelings
toward the Senate before returning to his
home in Mississippi He then told how.
when Z years old, he had been presented
II with toy board which was checked over
q II with different objects, some good and
4 come bad One of these objects was the
II capitol of the United States, and his
n mother had told him, he said, that If he
would be good and would live a correct
A life. he might some day hope to sit in the
seat of the big man who was pictured
there.
''She never had told me a lie" the
/ Espeaker went on to say, 'and knew that
what she said was truth; l knew that
|would some day occupy the seat of that
| big man, and God helping me, l got there
yesterday" Referring to the fact that
| for time yesterday he had occupied the
seat of the presiding officer the sentiment
was acknowledged by his auditors. II was
never happy until got rid of my surplus
| money said Mr.. Gordon, land l spent
much of it on my slaves and the rest of
! the funds l spent like any gentleman
and got rid of the entire encumbrance.
Sorry for Rockefeller
'T have listened with interest to the
| Ispeeches here and the more I hear of
Ia 4
| fnl I am for the experience and the
lsorrier | am for the men of great wealth
| like Rockefeller. That is his misfortune
| He can't go on the street with one of
his grandchildren without being afraid
sthat someone might kill him. Why,
Ifknow he loves one of those children much
abetter than he loves all the money he
has got. l think Mr.. Rockefeller is a
| good man. l see his employees speak
kwel of him, and | am told that he never
had a strike. | am told, also, that he
has given much money to churches and
education
Nov, do not suppose continued the
speaker, everybody will like that, but
those who do not like it can put 1t in
their pipes and smoke it. l would like
for Mr.. Rockefeller to come down to
Mississippi and run his pipe lines through
my land. He could have right of way
Efor all the lines he wanted for | know
that in my time coal oil has been reduced
from 40 cents gallon to 10 cents a gall
1on.'
Referring to the fact that he had been
a Confederate soldier. Mr. Gordon said:
II fought and bed, but l did not die.
However I slsedaddled frequently"
He then told of some of his exploits
In the war and how he had captured
General Coburn Of Indiana and General
Shafter. Gene.al Shafter. said he had
fired at him five times during the Con-
federate charge without hitting him. He
admitted that on more than one occasion
he had been 'skeered,' but added when
ever the Union and Confederate soldiers
met afterward they were always good
friends.
Asserting that he loved the negro, the
speaker said he wanted Mason and Dix
on's line obliterated from the imaginary
map of the United States. "A few blab-
mouthed people down our way talk diff
ferently," said he, but they are so insg-
nifcant that they are not worth cussing
they are not worth wasting invective on
Paying tribute to soldiers of both the
north and the south Colonel Gordon said:
you may as well try to storm the
heights of the ethereal place and pluck
the diadem from the crown as to take
away from earth the glory of the records
= OF the two men who stood under the tree
at Appomattox and brought the war to
close.
"This.'' said the speaker, 'is the finest
body of men have ever been associated
with in statecraft."
Again returning to the negro question
Mr.. Gordon said
I'VE do not want to hurt the negro;
why, | love him, and to convince you
that I do I will quote from my own
poetry concerning him."
The speaker then read two of his poems
m which strong personal sentiment for
the coored people of the south was ex-
pressed in rhyme. Referring to Senator
IIeyburns recent protest against General
Lees statue being allowed to remain in
Statuary hall, Colonel Gordon invited Sen
ator Hepburn to visit him on his planta-
ton and said he was sure that after the
idaho senator had seen the south through
his spectacles he would take off his hat
70 Lee. as he, Gordon, was willing to
doff his to Grant.