Evening star., 1919-03-02

or battle They began with
Indians. Then they switched
to Mexicans
hof quarter of century. however.
railroads and corporations, cotton
gamblers and republicans, ana just
recently, wire enterprises-tele
ic and telephonic--hay been substi-
tuted for the vanished foes of the
past.
something happens whenever a Bur
lesson gets contiguous to situation.
Ana yet Albert Sidney, the Postmaster
General, now these six years. armed
Nisibly and always with a cotton um-
brella only. has a truly benevolent
aspect. His stride is smooth. his step
soft and his voice dulcinous
But-and this TO an strangers--take
warning. General Burleson may not
engage YOU in the fashion of his
fathers. but if not in that way then
in another which, approximately VIII
be equally as eifectual.
* i
Wits are employed nowadays, in
stead of rides and pistols. Old James
Rurleson, even when Il boy, used the
aforementioned instruments against
the Creeks, fighting under Andrew
jackson. and against the British,
marching to battle behind the same
fierce commander.
The great grandson Albert sidney,
just as valiant, burns no powder,
flashes no steel, but he is about as
Al 81 u no hiA Xr14l tla1 ~ "a "a
Versary. His Instruments are words,
artfully arranged in persuading bat
taiions, and an atmosphere filled with
loving kindness.
Under the spell of the magic with
W hich he lures hungry robins out of
ne cherry trees no less "A determined
Dponent OF government ownership
han Theodore n, Van has renounced
old and sacred doctrines and with the
zeal of ss proselyte is proclaiming
wholly new, but once abhorrent, line
of thought. II Is ever so--almost.
One of the favorit. adventures of
writing persons is to "interpret' pub
lie characters. Many interpreters OF
men and events are now engaged
in their beloved pursuit, And some
with startling results. SO far. now
ever Mr.. Rurleson has escaped the
agonies and pleasures of eiucidation.
He walks so modestly and speaks so
mildly that he has refracted atten-
tion that might have been his to those
far noiser and great deal less M
teresting than himself.
When the President has an idea
that he desires transmitted into law
he sends MIR. Burleson to the cor
ridors and anterooms OF Congress.
rhe fact is noted without comment.
1t is treated, one might say, maj the~
matically. like the Elgin quotation
for butter or the ca!lI table about
The weather.
The foci focuses. however. sounds
betterl are the White House and
Capitol Hin. Mr., Burleson moves
from one place TO the other That
is stated in a routine manner and
at once he disappears altogether
bill goes in and law comes out.
Now. why does Mr., Burleson move in
the first place?
No shorter answer can be made TO
that question than is contained in
the two words, col. House" But
much more remains to be said, and
should be said, not only in behalf oil
Mr., Burleson, but of romance itself.
mtricated in the reply. as whole
and when made at length, are many
bizarre and divers persona ges--gun-
men and governors. cattle thieves
and senators, rich men ana quack
reformers. politicians and staid mer-
chants and planters. Processional IN
form, they give color and action to
years that are gone 10 the days that
are come.
There are dramatic elements in the
story---for such, indeed, is the reply
TO the uuestion--that tells how Texas
has become international by the
genius of one of it's inhabitants. now
sitting in counsel with the most pow
erful men in Europe, and why. by
the will of another of its potent sons.
il can reach into the air and under
the oceans and take the wires of a
continent from their owners and
temporarily give them to the gov
ernment.
1t would be impossible intelligently
to write about Mr.. Burleson without
any mention of Col. House, Nor can
Col. House. in his history, his methods
and his victories, be separated from
the shrewd and picturesque James
stephen HogR. who, though dead,
lives In his works.
The meeting point of these three
men, Hogg, House and Burleson, was
the state capital Hogg was attorney
general OF Texas, BurlesOn was as
sistant city attorney OF Austin and
House. young planter and grad
uate of Cornell University, was be-
ginning to hear the call of politics.
Hogg's age was thirty-hve, Houses
twenty eight and Burleson's twenty