The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-07-19
SENATE CIVIL war DEBATE
on CONFEDERATE MONUMENT
PROPOSED At vICkSBURG.
senator Heyburn Complains bitterly That
the Newspapers bidnt Get His speech
night R0b Taylor Moves TO Tears
at Least Two Of His Colleagues.

| Right ROb Taylor Moves 70 Tcarl
| at Least Two Of His Colleagues
WASHINGTON. July is.--Again the civil
war was the principal topic OF debate in
the Senate to-day. The discussion was
/ irecipitated by a bill Of Senator williams
Of mississippi to appropriate $50 600 from
the Federal Treasury toward the erection
Of a monument to the bravery Of the Con.
federate naval forces engaged ON the
| Mississippi River. This monument is
to be erected at the national military
| cemetery at Vicksburg. where already
monument costing 100000 has been
erected to the Union dead.
Efforts were made to shut on to -day's
debate on the measure. One motion TO
adjourn. made after about two hours Of
somewhat bitter sectional debate and an
incidental TRADE by Senator Hepburn OF
Idaho against the newspapers. failed by
vote Of 20 to 10. Then Mr.. Lodge in
sisted on the regular order, which was
consideration Of the reciprocity agree
nent A request by Mr.. Williams that it
be laid aside led to another motion TO ad
journ. which was carried by a vote of
27 to 25
The bill for the Confederate monument
was opposed by Senator Dixon of Mon
tana and MIR. Hepburn was was sup
portedi by Mr. Williams. Senator Works
Of California. who was q member Of the
Union army. and Senator Cummins Of
Iowa
Mr.. Dixon declared that he was able
to take a broadminded. catholic view Of
the subject. He was born in North { aro-
lima. he said. and his mothers people
we're on the side OF the South while his
fathers people fought for the Union.
He contended. however, that the time had
not yet come when such an appropriation
from the Federal Treasury should be made.
1T was seventy-fve years after the
close OF the war Of the Roses in England
before the last vestiee OF bitterness had
passed away and impartial tributes could
be paid to the valor of both Sides" said
Mr.. Dixon. Twenty or thirty years
hence that will be true OF this country
and then such monument may be erected
in this country by the Federal Govern
ment"
He questioned the wisdom and good
taste Of supporting such a thing now
| when 90 900 Union soldiers who took part
| in that struggle yet lived. The Senator
from Montana spoke in this strain despite
the pride he expressed in the fact that it
was a regiment from his native State of
North Carolina that followed Pickett in
his historic charge at Gettysburg.
| Senator Works declared that the old
| soldiers had no such feeling and were
willing for their adversaries Of the sos
to be honored in the manner suggested.
Declaring that Northern States had
built monuments to their dead on Southern
, attlefields and that u monument to the
Confederate naval heroes was an appro-
priate' ono to be erected at VicksOurg.
Senator Cumnins said he would support
the bill
| The most sensational feature Of the
debate WAS Mr.. Heyburns attack on the
press Of the country and the reporters
in the press gallery He became con-
siderably exercised in referring To the
| reports and comments Of the newspapers
on his speech Of last week. which he said
were inaccurate and misrepresented his
| poeitiOn.
! As a result of garbled and erroneous
reports sent out from Washington. he
charged. he said his life had been threat
ened.
He referred TO one translation OF his
| statement that he would not refuse to
! employ an old horse that had been used
! in the Confederate service because the
! horse was ignorant Of what he was doing.
| The omission of the word not had en-
tirely transposed his meaning. he said.
| and he charged that the paper which
had published this "lie" did not have the
courage to correct ii.
| He said the press of the country had
lost it's influence and no longer moulded
public sentiment: that it had sacrificed
it's right to public confidence.
| IF the preservation of the country
depended upon the newspapers God save
the republic. for no other power could. >
ne exclaimed with considerable dramatic
intensity.
| she continued: There il not new spa per
reporter in the gallery with coura &c and
bravery fa;r; enough % to report these ,hsse remarks
lust referred did not correct its error.
though it had the official record Of the
debate before 1t, because it is too
COW ardly.'
There was no demonstration Of any
kind following this remark. Senator
essness as MIR. Hepburn proceeded.
had already left the chamber for the
closkroom. Continuing. Mr. Hepburn
said he had received letters from cranks
telling him they were on their way to
Washin gton to spoil his features One
ctV "a iPNhHi VI VIC kuii " iNii
which he expected to take the Senator s
life.
They were despicable letter COW ardly
letters" exclaimed MIR. Heyhnrn prob
ably written in the backroom Of some
cheap bar Instead OF coming TO take my
life. he was only going to take another
drink
In an effort to dispAce the monument
appropriation bill Senator Smoot moved
an adjournment Of the Senate. but this
was voted down on a roll call
Senator Bob Taylor Of Tennessee then
delivered patriotic address to the
Senate that seemed deeply to affect sew
eral Senators. Mr. Cullom of Illinois had
recourse to his handkerchief and Mr..
Smith Of South Carolina sobbed outright.
The galleries leaned forward breathlessly.
The references Of Senator Taylor TO
Senator Hepburn OF Idaho were only
veiled.
1T seems to me rather late in the dav
for Senator OF the United States to stand