The Appeal., 1911-07-29

gress who year in and year out
every occasion have kept hewing the line
Of one 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 interoceanc
canal He lost out, but 1t is probable that the
facts which he obtained in his researches were of
more value to the diggers of the canal than those
gathered by any other . -*
Senator Morgan Of the noted excep-
tions to the psalmist's rule for the limit of the
years Of man. Some of the fppant, and pos
sibly tired senators declared that Mr.. Morgans
speeches 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 on any
other subject than the interoceanic canal Then
1t was to fly before the face of his oratory.
There substance to Senator Morgan's
speeches, and this much cannot be said for the
vocal efforts Of some of the flippant 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 retreated to the restaurant or the
cloak room. Only rarely did he take apparent no.
tlce 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 ~a@
Mr.. Morgan no imperiaist. He had fear
in his heart of the outcome policy e,zpan-
sion and the note of warning that came from his
lips was 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 gnaa 40
III this lofty attitude we can prove the vir-
tue of the republic before the eyes of all man
kind, or we can set it's light as a beacon to warn
coming generations that, in the highest
reach or power and advantage. this republic
the cynosure Of all eyes-is affected to the core
with the sin Of cOvet0usness, and is afame with
the consequent lust of power that is attended
with the usurpations, tyrannies and expressions
which have marked the 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 undignifed to the
point Of striking several older senators with
horror "
Senator Tman 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 Tman
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 Tillman's side. slipped into pocket,
came out again holding in it's clutch big black
bottle
All unconscious Tillman 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 gasp, then
smothered and simultaneous gurgle Of horror
from a hundred throats and then roaring laugh
ter uncheckable
Tillman 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 speechlessness. 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, it had been put into black and suspi-
cious bottle. A throat was the reason for it's
carrying. and while the South Caroinian is
of known truth he would let the
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 prove things are treated as old sol
diers and old soldiers widows ought to be treated
--decently and reverenty.
Congress in it's weakness las voted pensions
many an occasion, though doubtless know
ing that the pensions were unearned and unde-
served, but the day of that sort of thing is pass
ing, If it has not altogether gone. One member