The Ocala banner., 1922-09-22
James A. HoIion7an
I'm Atlanta Constitution

lv couciuded with the defeat Of Cuiber-
son. was marked with tragedies, dis
appointments, romences and surprises
The very life-as OF the hour-of
Senator Culberson is a tragedy.
For twenty-five years. and until
the last four or FIVE. Senator Charlie
Culberson was one Of the towering
figures Of the nation, strong in intel
Ices. powerful in debate. commanding
in appearance-a statesman through
and through, who acted and looked the
part
Frequently it was said Of him that
lie yielded to no man in the faultless-
ness OF his democracy nor in the cor
rectness Of his attire.
Standing five-eleven and tipping
the scales at an even 200, he was one
OF the most stalwart looking char
acters in public life in America, hand
some to a marked degree. firm con
vincing, and appealing-the picture
of mental and physical virility.
The visitor who steps into the main
gallery of the United States senate
today may see sitting next to the out
side passage aisle on the democratic
side, midway between the cloakroom
and the vice-president's chair, a little
drawn-up. bent figure with both arms
held in bow directly in front of him
the hands and fingers vibrating as if
from palsy, if we may appraise the
visual characteristic OF that dread
afdiction from the common knowledge
Of how it affects the afflicted
That pitiful and pitiabIe little fig
ure is Senator Culberson-as alert
IN intellect. perhaps, as ever; as true
in democratic faith as ever; as de-
voted to his state and people as ever;
as useful to the constituency that he
has served so we'll for q years as
his physical impairment will permit
hut so different, oh. so different from
tie Charlie CuIberson of the days that
are gone, whose eye was keen, step
a,ort. body erect. and whose word
was almost law and gospel in that
great empire state Of the southwest
that he had served as attorney-ge
eral and governor for many years
before going to the United States sen
ate and the successor of Roger Q
Mills.
when the Texas senatorial cam
paign opened in the early spring il
was generally understo tood that Senator
Culberson would not offer for re
election in view of his falling physl
cal condition.
About that time the heart of the
venerable Texan was pierced with {
domestic affair that gained interna
tional nOtoriety for his only child, {
beautiful and talented daughter, anC
young woman of unimpeachablt
character.
A young Englishman who was al
legged to have fallen in love with hel
while she was abroad. and to whom
II was said, she had reciprocated the
love. was alleged to have followed hel
from Europe.
It became a national sensation
when an alleged plot to deport hin
was charged to the influences of Sen
ator Culberson, the young Englishmar
in question later falling into the
hands, it seems of a bunch of law
yers. and finally appealing his case tc
the British ambassador, thereby open
ing the possibility of international
complications.
This affair was very harassing tc
Senator Culberson, and he chafed un
der the criticisms that were contained
in some of the newspapers Of his
own state.
He threw the announcement of 1is
retirement from political life into the
waste basket and startled Texas anC
the coterie of aspirants for his seat
by a statement that he would again
be a candidate for the senate.
And though handicapped by the
atfiiction that gripped him, he made
brave and courageous fight, but &
losing one-the first losing fight of &
long and eventful and fiery politica
career.
In the meantime, and before Senator
Culberson retracted his avowal not tt
be a candidate. young Lucian Par