Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-02-11
.HEYBURNS RANCOR
AGAINST SOUTH MET
SEVATE'S CONTEMPT
Idaho Senator's Waving of
Bloody Shirt and Insult to
Lee and Confederate Veter-
ans Got Cold Response

WASHINGTON, Feb. S-Though dis
claiming any intention of waving the
bloody shirt" Senator Hepburn, of
Idaho, made the closing hour of the SEN
ate session very lively yesterday by i
denunciation of the Confederacy and of
the men who had fought against the
union during the civil war. In the cause
he advocated. however, he lacked follow
ers, for when the vote by roll call was
taken upon the conclusion of his speech
he found that he alone raised his voice
against the measure under consideration,
which was the loaning of government
tents for the use of Confederate veterans
at the annual reunion in Mobile, Ala,
next April.
No senator responded to Senator Hey
burns denuncation. When the speaker
had concluded. Senator Bankhead, of Ala
bama, simply said:
| at am sure the senator from Idaho
feels much better, and I ask for vote"
Every senator Republican as well as
Democrat, save Senator Hepburn, voted
to grant the use of the tents.
Senator Hepburn inveighed against men
in rebel" uniforms being permitted to
occupy government property or the
rebel flag being allowed to float above
it. Finally he drifted into the question
of honoring men by placing their statues
in the congressional hall of fame and by
unmistakeabIe inference condemned the
action of Virginia in sending the statue
of Gen. Robert E. Lee to Washington.
DON'T INTRUDE 1T.
Take IL away and worship it, IL you
please" he Numbered, but do not in
trude it upon the people who do not want
It,"
Mr. Heyburn's speech was delivered In
earnest tones, though in well moderated
voice.
This resolution refers in terms to
Confederate veterans reunion at speci-
fed time,' he said, land it proposes that
the government of the United States, in
recognition of it's purposes. shall loan the
property of the United States. I trust
shall not be charged with bad faith
when l say that / have today inquired
from a senator who is interested In this
measure, whether or not, on this occasion,
the men engaged in this celebration would
wear the rebel uniforms, and his reply
was in the affirmative. asked him fur
Their IL the rebel flag was to be carried
over this property of the United States,
and he replied that both the rebel and
the union flags We're always carried at
these reunions"
Mr. Hepburn then proceeded to say
that while he did not want to open the
wounds of the war of the rebellion. he
still thought the south had made great
mistake in that war. He had been told
that the government was in the habit of
making such loans to the Grand Army
of the Republic. and he thanked God
THAI such was the case, because the
Grand Army was composed of men who
had fought on the side of the union, and
their cause was a glorious and honor
able one
CONTRASTS G. A. R.
"Do you expect" he said, going back
to the contrast of the G.. A. r. with the
Confederate veterans, that those who
gave their support to the union cause
would sit idly by and say nothing when
these issues are raised? They are none
the less patriotic now than they were In
1861 "a. Could they be less patriotic
and can they complacently permit the
subject of the war to become jest In
this age? If so, the sooner We know 1t,
the better"
At this point Mr.. Hepburn received his
only interruption. 1t came from Senator
Jeff Davis, Of Arkansas, who abruptly in
terposed the question:
Were you In the war;
"Ohv' responded Mr.. Hepburn. that is
the stock question of the cheap report
err"
'I understand" replied Mr.. Davis.
THAT the senator represents 264 'niggers'
in his state"
RESPONDING to the last interruption. Mr..
Heyburn said if there were 264 negroes In
his state he intended to try to repre-
sent them.
He added that he was not senator
from his state alone, but senator OF
the United States as well. As for his
participation in the war, he stated that
he had been too young for that, but that
youth even though he was, he had been
very anxious to enlist while the war
was in progress.
Mr.. Hepburn said that If there were
senators who thought 1t was proper that
the rebel flag should wave over the
property Of the United States, they could
vote for the measure, but he would re-
mind them that there are millions of
people in the United States who have
implanted deep in their hearts the spirit
of patriotism, who would not follow
them in that course.
From the consideration of the pending
resolution, Mr.. Hepburn turned tempo
rarily to the question of the wisdom of
placing statue of General Lee in the
hall of fame in the national capitol. He
did not mention General Lee by name,
but left no doubt THAI he had him in
mind.
He spoke of the fact that the object
of his remarks had been an officer of
the army of the United States when
the war broke out and said he had done