The Washington herald., 1912-05-19
CAPT BANKHEAD'S CAREER FRO SOUTHERN
WARRIOR TO A UNITED STATES SENATOR
UnderwoOd's Campaign Manager a Man of
Action in Anything He Undertakes in
War or Politics.
By JAMES B. MORROW.

Young Capt John Hollis Bankhead, Of
the Sixteenth Alabama Infantry. was in
an alarming situation At the battls Of
chickamauga. A minnie ball had broken
his arm. Shock and the loss Of blood had
so weakened him that he could not stand
up. More than 5000 Federals and Con-
Men were writing IN agony and calling
to their mothers. and the air was fun Of
whistling bullets
Then the brown reeds and long. dry
grass caught FIRE near where Capt Bank
head lay upon the ground. The flames
were slanting across the tindery field in
his direction. Close by was John Custer.
a private soldier, still living. but wholly
incapable of self-help. Creeping over TO
Private Custer, whose eyes showed the
pain he felt, Capt. Bankhead. after much
wriggling and management, took him on
his back. Crawling away on his knees
and one hand. he saved the lives OF John
Custer and himself.
Capt. Bankhead is now Senator Bank
head. The slender boy has become an
old man. In spirit, however, there has
been no change Moreover, the blue.
kindly eyes are exactly the same. And
the warrior blood runs as free and fierce
as ever before. There were other wounds
at Shiloh and Peach Tree Creek and
gallant fighting at Murfreesboro and
PerryviIle and against Sherman as he
swept through Georgia with sword and
blazing brand.
John Custer was snatched from death.
II Oscar Underwood is snatched from
defeat, to Senator Bankhesd will belong
most of the merit. He it was who or
ganizsd Underwood's campaign for the
Presidency. Also he phrased it. "Un-
derwoOd," he declares in posters. bull
letlns, circulars and letters, lis Democ-
racy's best asset" That is his battle
cry to the hosts that are to center at
Baltimore.
Saw ViOlets Among the ThOrns.
Mathematical men cannot always see
the human nature Of incidents or events.
The beams that light up life are not
observed by them All matters, they
argue, by the manner OF their living,
come within fixed rules. Thus there are
persons who are dry as punk. unim-
aginative, uncommunicative, and other
wise inhospitabIe toward themselves
Senator Bankhead has gathered violets
and apple blossoms while travelling amid
the stones and thorns- He catches the
unusual note in a strange voice and per-
ceives the humor OF an act or an occur
renee. So, at seventy, a big man bodily,
hands under the tail of his gray coat
tramping back and forth across his
ONCE, he Is youthful, buoyant sagacious.
and strong,
Let me tell you a story of Mr.. CIeve-
land he said, referring to Grover, the
President. Two Alabamians were can
didates for an authorship in the Treas
ury. Ore of them was a small man, with
red hair. I'll call him Brown. The other
man--and I'll say his name was Jones
was tall and heavy, and had a long
black mustsche. The delegation in Con-
gress met and voted unanimously to sup
port Brown. John G. Carlisle. Secretary
Of the Treasury. said Brown was salts
factory to him We thought the case
had been made and closed. We read one
morning, however. that Cleveland had
appointed Jones. Two Of us-Gaston A.
Robbins. Of the Fourth District, and my
self-went to the White House to voice
Cur protest and learn why we had been
turned down.
I didn't like your man. the Pres!-
dent explained. I didn't like his looks.
He was pompous and insisted, besides,
on repeating speech that he said he
had delivered in Alabama.
e But our candidate, told the Presi-
dent, hasn't been in Washington
"a Isn't he a tall man. with a dropping
mustache% the President asked
No. spoke up Robbins; he Is a little
man. with red hair
Cleveland WhistIed in Amusement.
Mr.. Cleveland looked at Robbins and
me for a moment and then arose from
his chair. Thrusting his hands into the
pockets of his pants, he slowly walked
to a window. He gazed toward the Po-
tomac River for a long time and
he would blow a hole through the glass
By and by he turned around and walked
back.
-" Robbins he asked, is il possible
that have been such a damned ASST
a. I wouldn't put it that way Robbins
but you certainly confused
the names and appointed the wrong
man.
"WeIL' Mr.. Cleveland said, and he
was meek as a lamb, it's done, and I'll |
have TO let II stand
And now I'll tell you a story about |
another President" Senator Bankhead
went on TO say, as he marched to and |
fro and smiled to himself. "A United !
States Judge was TO be chosen, and we |
were all for Smith II was arranged |
that a large and dignifed party Of |
Smiths friends should put on their frock |
coats and go to the White House and |
gentleman remarked that he was rather |
close to the throne. You do the talk
ing, then everybody said. We lined |
up in front OF the double doors Of the |
Presidents reception room. Wanted to |
get at him, you understand, the instant /
he appeared. A great many other per-
sons came in. Presently the room was /
filed People were talking in sup
pressed voices, just as they do at |
funerals Suddenly the doors were /
thrown open and Roosevelt sprang into |
the room. Mr.. President our spokes-
man said. we are here in behalf Of Mr. 1
Smith, whom we hope to see appointed
70 the vacant judgeship in Alabama.
We
Yes Roosevelt shouted in his high
pitched voice, I've heard about that |
judgeship before. Good-by.'
Rushing past US, he made straight for
q hunter, trapper, cowboy, or Rough /
Rider who was standing against the wall i
In q corner. 'Howdy, old man. he
screeched. I am delighted to see you
Old Ben Votes for ROsenheId.
''weI. our frock coats shrunk up until
they felt like wamuses. The man who
thought he was next to the throne
looked as II he had been run over by a
herd OF elephants. We skunk away,
heads down and eyes on the floor. Talk
ng about Roosevelt brings up memories
Of old Ben, who lives out in the coun-
ny, back OF Jasper. He has been slosh-
ng around in politics for years, and
has been Democrat. Republican, Popu-
list, and Prohibitionist from time to
time. We've got them licked / said
70 him in 1904. simply to hear what COM
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