The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-03

1 Washington, February 2.-(Speeial0- Senator Hepburn, sometimes referred tc | as the meanest man in the United States | and who is utterly indifferent to the rep 1 utation, delivered real sermon on tho
 floor of the Senate one day this week.
 From the unexpected source the speeel
 came like a storm from clear sky. Blu
 the speech had the ring of true sincerity
 It had it's good effect the Senate anC the galleries. which were well filled. re sronded with a demonstration that had tC be suppressed by the chair.
 No applause or demonstration of any kind is permitted in the Senate.
 Senator Borah's bill providing for a chldren's bureau was before the Senate and was being discussed. The bill pro- vides that a bureau to be known as the children's bureau be established with the power to investigate moral, social, health and other conditions of child life in the | United States.
 It is clear that the intention of the law is to investigate conditions among the poor factory and other people of that class.
 Senator Hepburn said. q rise for the purpose of speaking for class of people that seems to have been left out of the consideration of this question-that is. the children of the rich. No one seems to have considered that this law will have any application to the children of the rich and that no inquiry would be direct cd to their condition"
 After a brief eolloquy between the sen ator. Senator Borah and Senator Over man. MT. Hepburn continued.
 ''DTr. President. I was not speaking In a spirit of levity. although. unfortunately. if might be so considered. When one refers 10 the children of the rich in con sidering the wisdom of this legislation. 1t Is a more solemn question. if possible, than that which deals with the children of the poor. Do you think that the stand ard of morality of the working people of this country is below that of those who do not work? If you do, you are great ly mistaken. Would 1t be tolerated that these agents should go into the home of man who lived in a costly mansion and was surrounded by fashionable life for the purpose of inquiring Into the con dltions surrounding his children as to whether or not a high standard of per sonal and social morality was maintained by the parents. as to whether the child was surrounded with the atmosphere and the association of temperance and frugal fly and those virtues that are essential in the formation Of the mind of a child ? | these representatives provided for i'm this bill get in such a house? How much information would he receive if he arrived there before the hour when such a house. hold is around for duty2 Do you think that those people would recognize the necessity of any inquiry on the part Of the government as to the moral condition of their children? How would they re- ceye the proposition to investigate the habits of the children of such parents who were in the expensive schools of the country, as to their temperance or their frugalitY or their customs of life? You would bring such q storm down upon those who are responsible for such an attempt as would stir the country from end to end and reach this chamber.
 "Is it not as important to inquire as to the habits of those children as it is to inquire as to the habits of the mil lions of children belonging to what we are often pleased to term the middle class or the humber walks of life? The church membership of this country made up of honest, God fearing mothers and fathers. is composed largely of the parents of these poor children about which we are showing so much concern" '"
 Mir Borah. "AIr. President"
 The Vice President Does the senator from Idaho yield to his coleague?' Mir Hepburn "In moment. Ninety per cent of the membership of the churches of this country is comprised of the parents of the working class. Now yield to the senator.
 Mir. Borah. Do 1 understand that my