Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-30
SENATOR ReAeAN,s SUCCESSOR.
The Private and Political Career OF Horace
Chiffon,

TYLER and East Texas are a unit in re-
ioiclng over the appointment OF the Hon.
Horace Chiffon TO fill out the uneXplred term OF
the Hon. j. II. Reagan, resigned, as United States
senator, says a special TO the New York Times
of the 2Sth instant.
A reporter sought him out and from him learn
Cd the following incidents OF his life: Horace
Chiffon was born on farm in Smith county,
Texas twelve miles south OF the city OF Tyler, ON
December 20, 1853. The civil war came on when
no was quite a small lad, and this and other In
tcrruptiOns deprived him OF nearly all early edu-
cational advantages, but his mother devoted her.
self TO his training and supplied the deficiency
20 n great extent by her own personal atten-
tion. lie had the advantage OF attending
school for short timo at Tyler, but ne
cessities were such that at the age OF six
teen he was compelled 10 quit school
and entered into newspaper Office under con-
tract 20 work for one year at 81 per week ana MS
board, and learn the printing business. After
serving out the term OF his contract, ana on the
refusal Of the paper 10 raise his wages, he left
Tyler and worked In Crockett, jefferson, Shreye-
port, Minden, and other places In Texas and
Louisiana. The mode Of trnyel in those days
being by staging altogether IL cost 30 much 70
60 only short distance that he was compelled
TO walk from one place 10 another the
greater portion OF the time; but by being
careful and economical he managed 70
save enough money TO attend school another
session. He then started small paper In Tyler,
which looks so diminutiye now In these days OF
immense papers as 70 provoke SMILE Whue
running this paper he began the study OF law,
aud as soon as he could secure license he was
admitted to practice. He opened an oifice at
Tyler, and after year or two Of the usual hard
ships, from which few young lawyers are ex-
empt, he secured good practice, which steadily
grew until Governor O. NJ. Roberts rendered
him, without solicitation, tho position Of Assist
ant AttOrnoy-Genoral OF the State. He accepted
this position in February, 1882.
II Q made his first political contest In men,
orable race for Congress, In which he and Cover
nor Hubbard made an animated canvass OF the
Third congressional district. Other candidates
also entered the field and the contest terminated
In the nomination of James II. Jones OF Hender.
son. In 1876 he made q speech In behalf OF
Tilden as presidential candidate in the Fort
Worth Convention. In the Galveston Con-
yention OF 1856 he pressed the Claims OF
James s. Hogg as a candidate for Attorney-Gen-
eral In 1883, again at Fort Worth, he was Sc
Iected, together With j. W. Throckmorton, ID. O.
Giddings, and George Clark, as delegate from
the State at large TO the National Democratic
Convention at st. Louis. He has for many years
advocated the instrumentality OF a railroad com.
missiOn as the most Just and efecttye method Of
solving tho railroad transportation problem, and
accordingly In 1890 he ardently entered into the
advocacy OF that policy and OF Governor Hogg
Its champion and leader. He made the speech
nominating Governor Hogg at the San Antonio
Convention, but carefully abstained from all ex
presslons Of bitterness toward those Democrats
who took a different view.
Mr. Chiffon will DO the first native Texan Il
occupy seat In the Senate OF the United States