Evening journal., 1911-09-22
new NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Tragedy Of a Senatorial
Friendship
BY holland.

In 1876 there entered the UnRcd
States Senate from the state Of Flor
ida a man of the name of Charles w.
Jones. Born in ireland, he came to
this country as lad. He learned the /
carpenters trade; then he became /
ambitious to be a lawyer and with a \
law book set up before him upon his
carpenters beach, he read law Fin
ally, he was admitted 70 the bar and |
opened a law. Office at Pensacola.
Then he became actively interested in
Florida politics, aspirod to the Sell
ate, and was twice elected thereto.
his second term expiring in 1887.
Almost as soon MS he had been
sworn in as member Of the Senate
for the first time, the newcomers from
Florida asked TO ne introduced 10
Senator Roscoe Conkllng of New
York The two mon were brought
together.
Senator Conkling said senator
Jones. after the introduction, some
years ago there came into my hands
4 copy Of the speech which you de-
livered when a member OF the lower
House of Congress in 1869, in which
you asserted that il would be possi-
Bile to meet all the expenses OF the
uar yffhouf rosnrtfpo - an ieot,o ~
irredeemable raper money. have
always wanted to say to you, Senator
Conkling, that that speech was my
first lesson IN governmental finance,
and that l am certain that had the
line or Argument you advanced in that
speech been adoped by Congress and
by the administration it would have
been possible to have carried on the
war on the specie basis"
That was the beginning Of the
friendship that soon sprang up be-
tween the men, TO the wonderment OF
the old-timers in the Senate. who
knew full well that Conkling was
sparing in his friendships. that many
OF them had tried TO establish friend
" relations with him without success.
To most of the Senators Conkling
would not give ear when they spoke;
but II soon began to be observed that
whenever the new Senator from Flor
ida rose % speak Senator COnkling
would pause in his writing or con-
versation, wheel around in his chair
until he faced the speaker. and give
him close attention until he had re-
sumed his seat Sometimes, too. the
Senator from New York was seen 10
nod his head approvingly at some
remark of the speaker; and It often
seemed as though Senator Jones.
while nominally addressing the SEN.
ate, was nevertheless speaking di-
rectly az or 10 Roscoe Conkling, OF.
whose friendship he was frankly
proud. f.e
At last one OF Conkling's Republic
can colleagues ventured to say to
him
Senator. I observe that you al
ways encourage Senator Jones by at
tentive listening when ne speaks.
should be glad II you would tell me
why you do that The rest of the
Senate do not find anything Of espec-
ial value in the remarks Of Senator
Jones'"
'Sir," replied Roscoe Conkling in
his most dienified manner, II like
the man; he stands firm in his fet-
locks"
Conkling's characterization OF Sem
ator Jones was, Of course. taken to
the latter. His face lighted up for a
moment Then a brooding look came
over him. Firm in his fetlocks,' he
muttered, firm I'm his fetlocks. y
And often after that. as he sat at his
desk, he was heard TO mutter TO him
self, Firm IN his .fetlocks-hr in
his fetlOcks."
Later, came Conkling's historic
quarrel with President Garfield and
the Senator's resignation from tho
Senate, and then the Senate not in
frequently -beheld Senator Jonel
lingering regretfully and reminiscent
ly near the desk that Conkling haC
occupied. Firm in his fetlocks-
firm IN his fetlock," he would mute
to himself. It~was clear to his col
leagues that Senator Jones was suf
fering from some serious mental i'm
pairment. At length there came tota
collapse; and some of those who bes
knew Senator Jones We're always q
the belief that the curious compli
ment which Conkling paid Senate
Jones. coupled with the latters seue
of loss when Conkling left the Sen
ate had served in some mysteriou
way to bring to a head the malad
which finally ended tho Floridian
life.
Copyright 1911, by E. j. Edwards
All rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell :
"A Million Dollars That Might Hay
!