Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-05-09

What 5 .nator Morrni Has to Say of
HIS A,evr.

: concerning Lis career. The Senator
was at first rather reticent, but
; warmed up" and had the following
10 say Of himself:
Il started in business with capital
, OF $50, saved from my salary as a
clerk In the different mercantile estab-
lishments In which | had worked in
STAFFORD and in Portland. Business
was good with me and | established
branch stores and was what | consid-
cred fairly prosperous. / made Straf-
/ ford my home, and in ls4s came TO
! the conclusion that / had made
enough; that ii was time for me to re-
tire from active life and TO get mar
ried.
| wanted TO pass the rest of my
days in quiet. and | determined to
buy farm in STAFFORD and there
settle down. This plan carried ont,
and for seven years lived there as a
farmer, having married at the age of
40. | was offered the position of
cashier of q bank but | declined.
also had good chance to buy out a
large Boston mercantile establishment,
but preferred my quiet life. But it
was not to be that should be per-
mitted 10 rest thus. In 1854, some Of
mv friends came TO me and said that
if ever wanted TO e, TO Congress
that was the opportunity. | replied
that If my town and county were
solid for me | should enter the
canvass for the nomination; otherwise
! should not propose myself as a cam
didate. did not want any struggle.
The result was that al meeting of
the leaders of the county held at the
courthouse they agreed to stand BY
me, and went into the convention
and was nominated with practical
'unanimity. was candidate on the
regular Wing ticket, but 8 man who
was Liberal took away many votes
from the regular ranks of the party,
and squeezed through By the very
narrow margin of 100 votes. Two
years later was renominated without
opposition and secured majority of
between 5000 and 10000. Since that
day, | am happy to say, have never
been without the practically solid sup
port Of my district and my state.
served in the House through the war,
and did q good deal of work, mainly
upon the tariff and kindred matters. !
The resignation of the members |
who joined the South left the Ways |
and Means committee with many
vacancies, and | was the ranking Re-
publican. Speaker Grow told me
that could have the post. He added.
however, that his state, being greatly I
interested in the tariff matters, would !
be highly gratitied il Mr.. Thaddeus /
Stevens, then in the prime Of his
career, a very great man indeed, could /
be given the craftsmanship. | readily /
not caring for the great re-
sponsibilities Of the craftsmanship.
Blu: was made chairman Of the
subcommittee in charge of the tariff
bill-that was in ls60--with Winter
Davis of Maryland ana William A.
Howard of Michigan as my col
leagues. They were both fine, lows
Bile men, and we worked together har-
had good deal of aid,
too, from the chairman, and also from
George II. Pendleton Of Ohio, who,
though a Democrat, gave me some OF
my most valuable advice in the prep
aralion of such legal measures as the
income tax law and the tax on requests
and legacies. ! recall that he said to
me, after he had worked with me
over the legal points of one of these
bills There, Morrill,, | have helped
ron get that bill in shape. Now
,hall take great pleasure in voting
against it, Miss swan, at this point,
old how Young Master Morrill,, then
/ little boy. went frequently to the
Hou and sat by his father during
lie q. al debates. Mr.. Stevens and
Mr.. NJ rriIl were the closest of friends !
md s.G side by side. Mr.. Stevens i
vas very fond of the little chap and
,ften held him on his lap, calling him \
,y tile pet name Of Little WAYS and /
Means When vote came he $
would hold s4Jimmie's" hand up TO be !
counted for the vote of the great !
.Thad'' Stevens. :
Mr.. Morrill, fingers lovingly on |
.hese memories. as they form a part !,
If a most delightful though the busiest /
,art Of his career. He went on to '
av that the work that was done In :
he sixties while he was in the House :
vas very hard indeed, and his sister, I
n-law reinforced this statement by
ayins that often the Senator has
worked all day and all night at the
.apitol and at home on tariff bills. g
Mr.. Morril, says that his early ex-
,erience in the country store, and IL
,ally In lis own establishment gave s
lim knowledge of commercial mat |
ers that was invaluable to him in the
preparation of the bill that has long 4
zen known as the .'Morrill tariff. t
,ame which he modestly says was
riven to it by the Democrats ITO give !
/ a bad odor." The great task at $
empted and accomplished in this $
Measure was the change OF almost the .
ntire system of revenue from taxation +
m an adj valoren to specific basis. 4
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