The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-03-01
SOME PRESIDENTIAL PLUAS
Postmaster. Generalship Goes to
Congressman Wilson
A FRIEND OF CLEVELAND
The Appointment Viewed With Much
Favor
smaller Fruit Pals to this Lot Of Other Office
seekers-A Brief Biography Of
the Tariff Rcformcr

Washington, Feb. 2S.-Thc President
has nominated Congressman William l..
Wilson Of West Virginia, Postmaster
General to succeed Bissell, resigned Louis
NJ. Buford of Illinois, Consul at Paso del
Nortc, Mexico; d. p. Spagnoli of Caiifor-
MIA, Consul at Milan, Italy; Commodore
William A. Kirkland to be Rear Admiral;
Captain Francis M. Bunce to be Commo-
dore; Commander Purcell +. Harrington
10 be Captain; Lieutenant-C Commander
aamuel W. Very to be Commander; Lieu
tenant John Hohers to be Lieutenant
Commander; Lieutenant Uunior giade)
A. G. Amy to be Lieutenant.
In executive session of the Senate today
the nomination of William J.. Wilson to
be Postmaster General was referred to the
Committee on Postoffices and Post Roads,
and Immediately reported back favorably,
but no action was taken because the Sioux
Falls postmaster matter has stood at the
head of the list, and Senators interested
in this case would not allow any action
until this was disposed of.
An agreement was reached that an ex-
ecutive session be held at II O'Clock to-
morrow, when the Sioux Falls matter and
tile Postmaster General matter will be
disposed of.
The fact that President Cleveland in
tended to appoint Mr.. Wilson to the posi-
ton has been known for several days to
the most intimate friends of Mr.. Wilson,
and to Mr.. Wilson himself. The selection
is one which the President made of his
own motion without any urging from Mr..
Wilson'S friends, and largely in recog-
milton of the members service in leading
the tariff fight in the House.
No member has been on more intimate
terms than was the chairman of the Ways
and Means Committee, and his speeches
in the House have always been understood
TO voice the opinion of the administra-
ton. 1t was noted yesterday that Mr..
Wilson'S speech upon the amedment to
the potoffice appropriation bill to compel
railway mail clerks to live at the end OF
their routes--perhaps the last speech he
will make as Congressman-wa an
earnest plea to Congress to support the
Postmaster General.
No man in Congress has a greater per-
sonal popularity among members OF both
parties than Mr.. Wilson.
4 Being somewhat run down in health
and wearied from his work in Congress,
Mr.. Wilson will rest for some time, prob
ably for month, before assuming the
duties of his new Office. Part of his yaca-
ton will be passed in West Virginia and
part of it in visiting friends elsewh ere.
Senator Villas, chairman of the Commit
toe on Postoffices and Postroads, instead
OF calling meeting of the committee to
consider Mr.. Wilson'S nomination, polled
the members of the committee and OBJ
tanned unanimous consent to make ia
vorable report.
An effort was made to secure an execu-
tive session for the immediate considera-
tion of the nomination, but owing to the
act that some of the Senators stated that
they could insist that the nomination
should take the usual course and be re-
ported at one executive session, and lie
over to the next. this plan was aban-
doned. The report will be made at the
next executive session.
william l.. Wilson is best known to the
country in connection with his recent
tariff work in Congress. He has been
tariff student since he first entered Con-
gressional life in 1882, but it was not until
the present Congress that he became
thnirman of the Ways and Means Com
nlistee and as such the official leader of
The House.
Prior to his first election to Congress in
1882 he had taken little part in politics,
except in being delegate to the Demo-
cratic National convention at Cincinnati
and subsequently an elector at large fro m
West Virginia.
Early in 1882 he was chosen president
Il the University of West Virginia. This
would have fixed Mr.. Wilson'S sphere of
work had it not been for political rup-
ture and party split in his home in
Charleston, West Virginia, which was set
tied by the opposing. factions uniting on
Mr. Wilson. The campaign was red hot
one. Mr.. Wilson finally won by nine
votes. He was then reelected to six sue
cessive Congresses. He received good
committee assignments from the first,
going on the judiciary, appropriations
and ways and means. His experience
shortly after the war as professor of law
In Columbia college equipped him for the
work on the judiciary committee. In the
four Congressional eras of recent tariff
lchanges--the Morrison bill the Mills bill,
the Mckinley bill, and the Wilson bill
Mr.. Wilson took leading part. He did
much good work Of constructing the Mills
bill and he and Representative Breckin-
ridge started on successful tour of plat
form speeches throughout the East, en-
ldorsing President Clevelands tariff re-
vision message.
During the Mills-Crisp contest for the
.'speakership Mr.. Wilson cast his lot with
Mr.. Mills and when Mr.. Crisp was elected
he designated Mr.. Springer as chairman of
the Ways and Means Committee. When
neglected Speaker, however, Mr.. Crisp
named Mr.. Wilson chairman of the Ways
and Means Committee and in this capa-
city he framed the measure which was
the basis of the present TARIFF law.
A "HALF MILLION" CLUB