The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1911-07-27


of special legislative endeavor. John T.
Morgan, for years senator from the state Of Ala
bama, worked for months untold to secure the
adoption by the United States government OF the
Nicaraguan route for the great interoceanic
canal He lost out uteit is probable that the
facts which he obtained in his researches were OF
more value to the dggers Of the canal than those
gathered by any other one man.
Senator Morgan was one of the noted excep
lions to the psalmists rule for the limit Of the
years Of Some of the lippant, and pos
sibly tired senators declared that Mr. Morgan's
speeches We're as long his life If the voice
of the Alabama man had been younger there
would have been few sleepy ones in the senate
when he talked--that is when he talked any
other subject than the interoceanic canal Then
it was to fly before the face Of his oratory.
There was substance to Senator Morgan's
speeches, and this much cannot be said for the
vocal efforts of some Of the fippant and younger
ones The aged ones words went into the Con-
gressional Record and illuminated it's pages.
When he rose to speak many of the colleagues
of Mr. Morgan reiterated to the restaurant or the
cloak room. Only rarely did he take apparent no.
tice of the seeming discourtesy. Once, wisely or
unwisely. he said with something of pathos in
his voice that he wished he could talk in the
lunch room, for there he would be sure of an
audience.
Mr. Morgan no imperalist He had fear
in his heart of the outcome of the policy of expan-
sion, and the note of warning that came from his
lips frequent and forceful. One day. after
outlining the position which he believed his
country should take, his voice came back to
him. Senators starting to leave their seats sunk
back and listened. The words fairly rang through
the chamber This was what he said
In this lofty attitude We prove the vir-
tue of the republic before the eyes of all man.
kind, Or we can set its light a beacon to warn
coming generations that, even in the highest
reach of power and advantage, this republic
the exposure of all eyes--is affected to the core
with the sin of covetousness, and is afame with
the consequent lust of power that is attended
with the usurpations tyrannies and expressions
which have marked the course of the oligarchies
and despots that have disgraced the history of
other nations"
The senate Of the United States stands for dig
nifty. Sometimes the dignity is overdone but on
one occasion the Senate was undgnif1ed to the
point of striking several older senators with
horror
Senator Tillman of South Carolina was MAX
Ing nothing less than an impassioned speech. He
was reaching toward the skies of oratory when
Senator Warren left his seat unseen of Tillman
and took station behind the South Carolinian
The speaker had both hands high over his head
directing the soaring of his thoughts and words
Warren took step forward. His hand stole
to Humans side, slipped into his pocket, and
came out again holding in it's clutch big black
bottle.
All UNCONSCIOUS human Went on With his words
of fire. Warren held his find aloft in full view
OF the presiding officer of his colleagues and the
crowded galleries. There was a gasp then a
snothered and simultaneous gurgle of horror
from hundred threats, and then roaring laugh.
ter uncheckable.
Tilman turned and knowledge of the awfulness
of his situation came to him. For once, possibly
for the first time in his life, he was staggered
to speechessness. He strove FOR words, but they
came not at his bidding. His face was first black
with something like anger. Then the cloud clear
ed and smile broke through Speech returned,
and two words came: "Boracic acid'
1t was boracic acid but unfortunately for Mr.
Tillman, 1t had been put into black and suspi.
cious bottle. sore throat was the reason for it's
carrying, and while the South Carolinian is a
man of known truth, he would not let the matter
pass until he had passed the bottle and had
forced him comrades to smell the stuff and make
clear his temperance record
Neither senate nor house makes light of pen.
sion pleas in the presence of the galleries. but
some of the would-be pensioners play comic roles
in the committee and corridors. Claim
ants who can prove things are treated as old SOL
ders and old soldiers widows ought to be treated
-decently and reverently.
Congress in it's weakness Las voted pensions
on many an occasion, though doubtless know
ing that the pensions We're unearned and unde
served but the day of that sort of thing is pass
ing, if it has not altogether gone. One member
was asked to his influence to secure an in