Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-23
CULLOM AGED 81;
FLOWER SHOWER
Illinois Senator Receives Con,
gratulations From Friends
on Anniversary.
MANY PRAISE HIS BOOK
Some Are Grieved by His Expression
of Doubt as to Life Beyond
the Grave.

Washington, D. c., Nov. %
Surrounded by flowers and the con-
gratulatory messages of official and
personal friends, United States Sen
ator Shelby NJ. Cullom of Illinois
yesterday celebrated. the sand ami
versary of his birth.
In his study the table was heaped
foot deep with letters OF public
men and clippings of newspapers
commenting upon his recently pub
lished book, Fifty Years of Public
Service" Among them was a note
of appreciation from Theodore
Roosevelt, whom, in the preface, Mr..
Cullom likens to Andrew Jackson,
IN spite of the fact that the colonel
has expressed little respect for "Old
Hickory"
Most of the clippings and not a
few of the letters take issue with
the senator on the last paragraph Of
his book, in which he expresses
doubts of a life hereafter. But with
50 years behind him, the senator
said yesterday he had nothing TO
qualify in the expression of opinion
which has attracted such widespread
uOliOt+ pal llNuAthlig III AilAhplo. AiO
said he intended to live as long as
he could and to try to meet death
calmy whenever it might claim him.
DOUBTS ABOUT FUTURE LIFE
The closing paragraph of the rem
iniscenses, already widely quoted, is
a commentary on the passing of his
entire family, one after another, un-
til he alone survives.
"As I think Of it now" runs the
conclusion, II do not know where
obtained the strength to survive all
these sorrows. / have no great fear
of death, except the natural dread
of the physical pain which usually
accompanies 1t. I certainly wish, be-
press. that I could have greater as
surances that there will be re-
uniting with those we love and those
who have loved us In some future
world; but from my reading of scrip
ture and even admitting that there
is a hereafter, cannot find any sat-
isfactory evidence to warrant such a
belief.
Gould I believe that 7 should
meet the loved ones who have gone
before, ] do not know but that /
should look forward with pleasure
to the passing across Not having
this belief, I am quite content to |
stay where | am as long as l can;
and, finally, when Old Charon ap-
pears to row me over the river Styx, |
shall be ready to 60"
Hundreds of the letters which he |
has received inclose references to
bible passages which the senders
thought might resolve the senator's |
doubts But Mr.. CuIlom said none !
of the evidence was new to him and
that it had been rejected as uncon- |
vincing.
INTENT on LINCOLN MEMORIAL.
AS his life is drawing to close,
Mr.. CUllom is more intent than ever
on getting under way the proposed |
Lincoln memorial, the completion OF
which he fears he will not live to
see. He conferred yesterday with |
the artists who are drawing up the |
tentative plans Of a monument to be
erected In the capital. He is exer-
cised over the efforts Of Champ
Clark and his friends to defeat this
plan and commit congress to the Gre
alton Of a national highway from
Washington to Gettysburg. Senator
CullOm's S proposed Lincoln monument
would cost S2.OOO.OOO The propos-
ed Lincoln highway would cost
$35, 1000.