Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-15

Remarkable leadership of The
Coming speaker of COngress.
Warrington Cor. Detroit Free pr..,.

Warrington Cor. Detroit Free presa.
No public man in recent yea has
made a more enyiable reputation than
John G.. Carlisle. His influence and
strength among public men have
grown rapidly in recent years. He
has not attained his prominence By a
large quantity Of speech making in the
House Of Representatives. It has
been a fine quality Of speech making
that has given him so great repute as
q debater. His first appearance In
Washington was as a member of the
Eorty>ffth Congress. Speaker Ran
dali then gave him an obscure com
mittee position; be was assigned to the
Committee on Expenditures in the
Navy Department, and be was also
put at the foot Of the list of Democrats
on the Committee on the Electoral
Count. Although he was thus de
prived of many opportunities enjoyed
by some of his associates, yet Mr..
Carlisle was a laborious and dill
gent student Of important public
questions and the details Of
legislation. He did not seek
prominence. He was then, as he is
now, a quiet, unassuming man. ap
%proachable, courteous and very digni-
fed, The leading members Of both
parties gradually came to know bin
as a man of exceptionally good judg
ment, a clear thinker, a strong logician
and a member who was never carried
away by extreme views Of party pas
sion. 10 the organization Of the
Forty.sixth House Of Representatives
Mr.. Carlisle was transferred from the
Committee on Expenditures ia the
Navy Department to the Ways and
Means Committee. Some OF his col
leagues On that committee were old
and experienced members-FernandO
Wood, General Garfield and Judge
Kelley. But protectionist and reve-
nue. reformers alike, both in and out
OF Congress, were not long in discov-
eriug that MIR. Carlisle was, in some
respects, the strongest nan on the
committee. From that day to this
the tariff monopolists have feared
Carlisle more than any other man in
public life.
One of the largest iron manufactur.
ers in the United States sat in the
House gallery one day last session and
listened i~ntently and rervously to
Carlisle speech on the Tariff Com
mission bill and the tariff question in
general. After Carlisle had con.
Cluded, the distinguished protectiOnist
remarked to a friend at his side: 81
have read all the big anti protection
speeches made in Congress, but | have
never read nor heard one so able, So
powerful and 50 dangerous as the one
we've just listened to. | have never
before heard such a clear, strong,
logical presentation of the issues in
controversy"
Senator's and Representatives have
not yet ceased to quote from Mr.. Car.
lisls's speech on the Three Per Cent
bill and the National Banks. 1t was
made in the Forty-sixth Congress,
and it is an admirable example OF
Mr.. Carlisle's method Of discussion Of
great public questions. Nobody has
sver successfully replied to that argu
ment.
The views and opinions Of no other
member of Congress are so largely
requested in private conferences as are
the views and opinions of Mr.. Carlisle
regarding important subjects; and the
public men who appropriate the results
Of his study and his thought are not
few and far between.
Nothing but bargaining and the
Vaccinations OF the Protectionists eau
prevent his election to the Speaker.
ship Of the next House. lie is in
every way qualified for the high duties
Ct the presiding Office Of that body.
He is without exception the ablest and
most accomplished parliamentarian in
Congress. He is a master not only Of
the fundamental principles of parlia-
mentary law, but also of the details
and te~chnicslities of the existing rules
of the House. In addition to these
rare qualities, Mr.. Carlisle has
ether mental traits necessary to the
proper discharge Of the duties
Of the Speakership. He is fair
minded and exceptionally free from
personal and partisan prejudices, and
has the respect and confidence of DO
litical opponents to an extent seldom
equaled in public life.
This all may appear to some to be
very high praise, but it is not extrav
CANT; it is simply the just expression
of a study Of the man and his record
a careful study extending several
years and with good opportunities for
reaching a safe and accurate estimate.
A high officer of the Treasury De.
partment, a mar Of great knowledge
Of public men and public affairs, re.
marked the other day. 1.-THE election
Of . Democratic President in 1884
will, in my Judgment, depend not a
little on the result Of the Speakership
contest. The selection Of Carlisle
would have a very favorable effect
upon the country, and would be the
beginning OF a new era in the history
Of American politics."