The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-20
Watchful Mr.. Hepburn.

II IL NNAb HUI AbA vi W NUN ia alAth'4-
Hepburn crises galore never would be
faced in the Senate Of the United States.
we fear. and emergencies without num-
her would go unrisen TO.
We advance the conclusion advisedly
and after mature consideration. We have
watched the public career Of Mr.. Hepburn
with a quality of interest that would
easily classify as amazing were its object
less VIGOROUSLY 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 peri
odicals have been very good 20 the Sen
ator. They have not said much about
him. for one thing, though they are i'm
proving with respect 10 that. McClure's
Magazine. for instance. carried but re-
Gently an extremely handsome picture OF
the adable statesman from Idaho. ac-
companied by a measure Of more or less
impressive information. Let that pass for
the moment. however; it was something
else that tempted us to bespatter and be-
spangle these columns with the Hey
burnesque 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 collector 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 f, Lee. Mr. Hepburn evil
IDENTIFY has heard a good deal OF this
particular Lee, and We fear there is little,
II anything, in Lees more or less pictur-
esque career Of which Mr. Hepburn ap-
proves. Indeed. the New York Sun quotes
Senator Hepburn as having said, with
Gen, Robert F. Lee IN mind that "Statu-
AIRY Hail was no place for traitor"
/ We shall not dispute the possible sinister
significance Of the Treasury Department
action in the Newport News matter. The
mere fact that we do not see it will not
be considered-even by ouTselves-as con
/ elusive evidence that II IS not there. since
/ Senator Hepburn entertains an opposing
view Perhaps there are unspeakabls
/ conspirators IN that branch Of the govern
ment service bent on involving Us in an
other civil war, or the same old civil war
| all over again. Who knows what mischief
may be afoot, or what dark designs some
obstreperous underllng may be framing
/ 10 for this great and gIee-o-rious coun-
( try's undoing?
There may be those who claim TO be-
I lieve that the Treasury Department merely
sought to confne itself to the common
sense aspect of the situation and close
Its custom-house at Newport News on a
| date declared by Virginia's authority &c
be dies non for business purposes. Il
such there be. go mark them WELL fol
them no Hepburn songs shall swell
! living, they forfeit fair renown. and
1 doubly dying. shall go down to the vii,
dust from whence they sprung, unwept
! UnhonOred. and Unsung-Or words TO tha
/ effect. Common sense, plainly enough
could have had nothing whatever 20 d,
with II. II was a palpable attempt Il
bring about an awful something; and +
ought TO be aired the applause Of a hypo
theucany listening Senate 10 command.
At the same time. We do not believ,
there IS a Presidential issue hidden in tn
incident somewhere; nor does it disprove
or In anywise offset, the fact that Nc
| Clure's Of recent date carried, as afore
said, a particularly handsome picture o
Mr.. Hepburn.