Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-01-31

aged principal of the famous Webb |
school for boys, who goes tonight to
Washington to succeed Senator Newell
Sanders for the remainder of the pres
ent session Of congress. made one Of
the most unusual political speeches
ever heard in Tennessee when he ad-
dressed the general assembly, acknowl- !
edging his election, which took place |
last week
He was introduced by Speaker New |
ton H White, an old Webb school boy, |
as "the man who never did anything
on the sly-'Old Sawney.'"
Senator Webb appeared before the
assembly, almost overcome, apparently,
with the honor that had been conferred
upon him, and was greeted with enthu-
siastic applause. With his spectacles
on his nose, three little scraps of pa
per constituting the notes in his hand,
and a smile OF genuine good feeling on
his face, he began to express his thanks
to the legislature in this manner;
IF, instead of the plain man that l
am. were gifted genius in the use of
y
my gratitude for singing me out for
this great honor l can simply thank
you, sincerely.
Can Lean Both Ways
II don't think that any senator ever
elected from any state had a finer OPP
portunity to defend his record than your
Junior senator If I should happen
to lean toward the Republicans too
much and my Democratic friends should
protest. can justify my course by tell
ing them that they could not elect me
and that it required Republican help,
and that l must represent the Repub-
licans some On the other hand, If
should lean too much toward the Dem
ocrats. l could tell the Republicans that
it required Democratic votes to elect
me. and | must represent the Democrats
also. And if both should protest,
can assure you that l also represent
Memphis.
Il have magnificent latitude as q
senator. My senatorial toga is GER
tainly broad enough if it Is not long
enough But it will be long enough
before l get another.
"rhere has been but one greater hon
or or greater surprise in my life, and
that was nearly 40 years ago when |
sat beside a young lady whom ! re-
garded as the finest of womankind, and,
with futtering heart, stammering
tongue, and little hope of success, asked
her to go the long road with me.
THAT was 40 years ago, and she has
been trying ever since that time to
ciyilize me. There is nothing about my
election that gives me half as much
pleasure as the fact that she may see
me enter my senatorial career and see
what splendid success she has made
of her work, in the estimate of Ten
nessee's greatest legislature.
Political Record a Blank.
MY record in politics is an abso-
lutte blank The paramount issue in
state politics of late years began with
me when l was quite a little kid. and
my widowed mother, within the smoke
of distilleries, took me on her knee and
told me that it was wrong to make
whisky and wrong to sell it to men.
MY first place in the Confederate
army was orderly sergeant. I had to
give out rations, including a ration OF
whisky furnished by the government. 7
declined to issue whisky rations. My
captain ordered me to do so, and when
l, a sixteen year-old stripping. weigh
ing 1913 pounds, again refused, he took
the matter up with the colonel. The
colonel kindly advised me that l had
better give out the rations I told him
that | could not, and that II 1t was
necessary for me to do go | would pre-
fer being reduced to the ranks.
THAT resulted, a few days later, in
my unanimous election by the company
to a higher place where I did not have
to give out whisky rations. That con-
WINGED me, and l have always believed
since, that fighting whisky doesn't harm
any man. I've been in the battle all
my life long hypocrite as 1 am, in the
estimation Of some of my opponents.
81 have belonged to the temperance
wing of the Democratic party, and have
helped to make the platform before
Governor Hooper was born. Now he is
on the platform, but Hooper and all the
Republicans can't crowd me off. / well
come them there. for that is what the
platform was made for. l don't want
any Misunderstanding about my posi-
ton on the greatest evil that ever af-
fected mankind.
Made Senators and Convicts.
81 have seen my little hatchet-heeled,
carrot headed boys go out. | have seen
them 10 to the senate OF the United
States. to honor places on the bench, to
high positions in the business world l
have also seen them go TO the peni-
Tertiary. and | have never seen one go
there that whisky did not put him
there.
q am indebted TO those boys today
for my election, and the pleasantest
feature of the day is that one OF them
is speaker of the senate and did me the
honor to introduce me.
Some of my friends and some Of my
oppopents are showing concern about