Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-06
HEPBURN IN CLASH ASK COURTS RULING
Objects to Confederate Naval
Monument Bill.
CIVIL WAR FOUGHT OVER
Senator Williams of Mississippi An
swers Verbal Shafts, But Meas
ure Fails of Consideration.

Senator Hepburn found another oc-
casion in the Senate yesterday to voice
his well known. attitude against any
congressional action that pays tribute
TO the men who fought on the Con-
federate side during the civil war.
This time he objected when Senator
John Sharp Williams of Mississippi
asked the Senate to take up the bill
for Confederate naval monument
in the Nicksburg National Military
Park, bill which he had introduced
at the suggestion of the Union veteran
now in charge of the Vicksburs park
and approved by the War Department
There will be no bloody flag waved
by me-" Senator Hepburn said in the
course of his speech. in which he re-
ferred to the conflict of the civil war
Il have never voluntarily since the
close of that conflict brought the
question up for consideration or dis
cussion. Unless provoked to it in de-
Tense of the sacred memories that are
in the hearts and the minds of the
people of the north, l would never
bring it up directly or indirectly Can
you not let that ghost lie dead in its
grave and be content to think what
you please of the issue or the senti-
ments surrounding it or of the men
engaged In 1t?
Memories of Own People.
Can YOU not he content as a people
local to the south, who engaged in that
struggle to pay tribute to those whom
YOU deem heroes? Must you compel
every other citizen to bow the knee to
your sentiments? Do YOU think we
have no graveyards crowded with the
memories of our own people? Do you
not think that the people of the north,
whose stalwart men went to the front
and lost their lives, have any senti-
ment that you are bound to respect?
When the ground upon which the prison
pen of Andersonville stood became a
national cemetery, and the man who
was guilty of the murders committed
within it having been hanged under
trial and conviction, do you not think
that the building of his statue as a
commemoration of his memory and his
deeds sank deep i'm bitterness into the
souls of the north?
Senator Williams did not let the YER
bal shafts of the senator from Idaho go
unanswered.
Senator Williams Answer.
The senator has pretty amply illus
trated his ability to make rhetoric out of
nothing Mr.. Williams said. He refers
W lTeduiuS OH the sacred memories Ill
the minds of the north. Now, who. in
the name of common sense, has been
treading or trying to tread upon any
sacred memories in the minds of the
people of the north? Surely / am too
innocent and inoffensive looking crea-
tire to be charged with that sort of Of
fense. l do not think l have even looked
hostile toward the north or toward any
memories or toward anything else. I
have trod on nothing that I know Of In
fact, if the senator from Idaho knew me
better. he would know that frequently
step out of my way UPON the sidewalk to
keep from treading upon an ant. 1 GER
tainly would not tread upon sacred men,
cries II he knew me better. he would
know that L have such a modest opinion
of myself that 1 would not imagine that
l could tread out the memory which b
100000 Union soldiers have made for
themselves-the memory on one side of
the victory In a war that side considered
a just and glorious one, and memory
everywhere sof magnificent courage and
constancy and heroism displayed by them.
] have no idea of 'treading' out anything.
I would not want to tread out even the
public service of the senator from Idaho,
even il could" Laughter.)
Mr.. Heyburn's protest had the effect
Of preventing consideration Of the bill.