The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-03-01

Washington, D. c., Feb. 2o.-The
president has nominated Congressman
William L Wilson, of West Virginia,
postmaster general to succeed Rissel,
resigned
The fact that President Cleveland
intended to appoint Mr. Wilson to the
position. has been known for several
days to the most intimate friends OF
MI Wilson and to NIT. Wilson him
self. The selection is one which the
president made Of his own motion
without any urging from Mr., Wilson's
friends. and largely in recognition OF
the members services. in leading the
tarir fight in the. House.
No member has been on more inti-
mate terms with the president than
Was the chairman of the Ways and
NNeans committee, and his speeches in
the House have always been UNDER
stood to voice the opinion of the adj
nlnlStration. 1t WaS noted yesterday
that Mr., Wilson's speech upon the
amendment to the postoffioe appropria-
ton biz to compel railway mail clerks
to live at the end of their routes-per-
haDs the last speech he will make as
q congressman-was an earnest plea
TO Congress 10 support the postmaster
general,
Personal Popularity
No man In Congress has a greater
personal popularity among members
of both parties than Mr.. Wilson. Be
ing somewhat run down in health and
Svearied from his work in Congress,
Nr. Wilson viii rest for some time.
probably for a month, before assuming
the duties of his new office Part of
his vacation Will be passed in West
Virginia and part of 1T IN visiting
friends elsewhere.
Senator Villas, chairman Of The Com
mittee on Postoff1ce and Post Roads,
instead of calling a meeting of the
committee to- consider Mr. Wilson S
nomination, polied the members of the
Committee and obtained unanimous
consent to make a favorable report.
An effort wag made to eecure an
executive session for the imm ediate
consideration Of the nomination, but
owing TO the fact that some Of the
senators stated that they would insist
that the nominations should take the
usual course and be reported at one
executive session and lie over to the
pe5t, this plan was abandoned. THIS
report will be made at the next eXeou.
tive session.
His Tariff Work.
Wnram L. Wilson is best known tC
Che country in connection with his re
cent tariff work in Congress. He has
been a tariff student since he first en-
tered congressional life in 1892 but i
was not until the present Congress
that he became chairman OF the Way.
ana Means committee and as such tn
Official leader Of the majority IN th
House.
Prior to his first election to Congress
in 1872 he had taken little part in pol
itics, except in being a delegate to tn
Democratic National convention a
Cincinnati and subsequently an cleo
al 10 FraY,4 IVncf Uirnt{n{d
Early in 1852 he was chosen preSi
dent Of the University of West Virgin
ia This would have fixed Mr. Vii
sons sphere Of work had it not bee
for q political rupture and part
split in his home in Charleston. w. Va
which was settled by the opposin
factions uniting on N1r. Wilson. Tn
campaign was a, red hot one. NJ,
Wilson finally won by nine votes. II
was then reelected to SIX succeSsiv
congresses. He received good com
Inittee assignments from the frs
going On The Judiciary, Appropriation
and Ways ana Means.
other Experiences.
His experience shortly after the wa
as a professor Of law in the Columbia
College, equipped him for the work o
the Judiciary Committee in the fol
congressional eras of recent tart
changeg-the Morrison bill. the Nil
bill, The mckinley Dill ana the WllSo
bill-Mr. Wilson took a leading par
He did much Of the work Of constTu'
ting the Mills bill and he and Repr
sentative Breckenridge started on
successful tour Of platform speech'
throughout the east, endorsing Pre-
ident Cleveland's tariff revision me
sage.
During the Mill5-Crisp contest f,
ihe speakership, Mr.. Wilson cast h
lot with Mr. Mills and when Mr.. Cris
won he designated Mr.. Springer chat
man of the WAYS and Means Cor
nittee. When reelected speaker hoy
ever, Mr. Crisp named Mr.. WilsC
chairman Of the Ways and Meal
Committee, and in this capacity
framed the measure which was Il
basis Of the present tariff law,