Evening journal., 1913-06-18
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Senator LamaP'S Generous
Tribute to His Successor
By uonand

Shortly after the first election Of
Grover Cleveland to the Presidency
he made mp his mind that. however
else his cabinet was constituted, he
would choose as one member of it
Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar.
who at that time was a United States
Senator from Mississippi. Mr.. Cleve-
land was told that there was not a
member of the Senate who would not
regret the loss of Senator Lamar.
even though he exchanged his SEN
ator's seat for a place i'm the cabinet.
For the Mississippi Senator was
greatly beloved and some of those
who were fondest of him sat on the
opposite side of the chamber from
the desk at which Lamar and o.her
Democratic Senators we're seated.
Shortly after Senator Lamars res
ignation as senator to accept cab-
net post, General Edward c. Wal
thail of Mississippi. was appointed
Senator, and was subsequently elect
cd. President Cleveland was with
out any clear idea respecting tho
personality or career of the new SEN
! ator from Mississippi But he was
greatly Interested, wondering
whether Mississippi could find among
her citizens any one who could )m-
mand the intellectual power. and who
could also draw 10 himself the es-
teem and affection Of fellow Senator's
in any manner which would COM
pare with Senator Lamar.
The President therefore asked Sec
retary Lamar at the first convenienf
opportunity what kind of a man his
successor i'm the United States Sen
ate was. Immediately Senator La
mar began most enthusiastic and
glowing account of his successor. He
said. practically in these words.
Mr.. President, General Walthall
is without superior, and he has few
peers in the United States in intel
lectual power, purity Of personal
character and unusual sweetness and
charm of personality"
President Cleveland was deeply i'm
pressed by this statement, and he
thought that his secretary of the in
terror might with equal propriety
have applied these words to himself.
He went so far as almost to iati-
mate to Lamar what he thought
! about it.
The secretary of the interior went
on to say:
81 venture the prediction. Mr..
/ President. that within a few months
after General Walthall has taken his
/ seat he will be beloved by every SEN
/ ator. further venture to say that
/ in any great test of intellectual
power he will be found the equal OF
any Senator on either side Of the
house and | want TO say still further
that he will always be found support
ing such measures as he thinks
would best serve the interests OF the
American people for he is capable
OF rising, when occasion demands IT,
above the level of partisanship."
Was he. like yourself. an officer
In tho Confederate army?" Mr.
Cleveland asked
AN officer yes; like myself, no;
for I'm my opinion aud in the opinion
Of many others. General Walthal
was, with possibly a single excop-
ton, the ahlest of the military com
manders of the Confederate army.
know that had anything happened
which had cost the Confederate arm,
the life or services OF General Lee
General Walthall would very llke,
have been named his successor
Yes, he had 10 remarkable de
gree the DISTINGUISHING qualities o.
the great soldier. In battle or a.
preparation for II, he was supreme
In private life he Is as quiet. modes
and unassumiuE as 81 is possible 10
a man to be. and there Is a certain
childlike innocence and klndlines,
coupled with a disposition 10 judg
no man harshly. which completed,
rounded ont I'm the days Of the Con
federacy the character OF this man
All that Secretary Lamar toll
President Cleveland descriptive o
the intellectual and personal charac
ter of Senator Walthall was after
ward acknowledged by his colleague
in the Senate to be true.
Copyright, 1913, by r. J. Erward.
All rights reserved1
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tel
ffTIorr NNrbk l,r-.II.I v 80