The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-07-28

an every occasion have kept hewing TO the line
of one special legislative endeavor John T.
Morgan, for years senator from the state or 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. but it is probable that the
facts which he obtained in his researches We're OF
more value TO the diggers Of the canal than those
gathered by any other man.
Senator Morgan was one of the noted excep-
tons to the psalmist's rule for the limit of the
years of man. Some Of the fippant and pos
tibly tired. senators declared that Mr.. Morgans
speeches were as long as 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 vas to fly before the face of his oratory.
There was substance to Senator Morgans
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 its pages.
When he to speak many of the colleagues
of Mr. Morgan retreated to the restaurant or the
cloak room. Only rarely did he take apparent no
tice of the seeming discourtesy. Once, wisely or
unwisey 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 was no mperialist 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 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
In this lofty attitude can prove the vir-
tue of the republic before the eyes of all man
kind or We can set its light as beacon to warn
coming generations that in the highest
reach of power and advantage. this republic
the cynosure of all eyes-is affected TO the core
with the sin OF covetousness and is alame with
the consequent lust OF power that is attended
with the usurpatons tyrannies and expressions
which have marked the of the oligarchies
and despots that have dsgraced the history Of
other nations
The senate of the United States stands for dig
nifty. Sometimes tie dignity is overdone. but. on
one occasion the Senate was undignifed TO the
point of striking several older senators with
horror
Senator Tillman of South Carolina 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 Tfllman's side slipped into his pocket and
came out again holding in its clutch a big black
bottle.
All unconscious Tillman went 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 hundred throats and then roaring laugh
ter uncheckable
Tillman turned and knowledge of the awfulness
Of his situation came ID 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
II was boracic acid, but unfortunately for Mr..
Tillman, it had been put into black and suspi-
cious bottle A sore throat the reason for its
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 woud-be pensioners play comic roles
IN the committee and corridors. Claim
ants who can prove things treated as old sol
diers and old soldiers widows ought TO be treated
-decently and reyerently.
Congress in its weakness las voted pensions
on 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 1t has not altogether gone. One member
was asked to use his influence TO secure an in