The morning times., 1896-10-24
CAREER oE MR.. CRISP j.

---.r- CAREER OF MIR. CRISP.
The death of Mr.. Crisp removes from
the field OF active politics one of the
abiest of the leaders of the Democracy
for the past eight years. Personally
lie was esteemed in every Congress since
the Fort y-eighth in which he became known
To th, national leaders ON both sides, and
by nuBc was tie more esteemed than by
the present Speaker, Thomas Is. Reed.
His prominence before the nation was
due largely TO tbs position as Speaker oi
the House in the Eifty-second and Fifty
third Congresses In the South he was
especially popular for his able champion
ship Of all the Democracy favored from
that section since his appearance in Con-
gress, and notably his defense OF The Varl-
Gus election law of the Southern States.
Although Mr.. Crisp went into official
life in the Forty-eights Congress, ne did
not ris'. TO any prominence either III ue
bate, Committee, or other position uhti
lie ran fqr Speaker III the Flfty-seconu
Congress, his opponents being Springer,
McMillin, and Mills. He defeated all
of these, but by u small margin. MT
Mills got his first defeat in this contest,
| but the defeat eventually landed him in
| the Senate.
FORCE BILL FIRST.
| Previous to his election rs speaker Mr..
Crisps best efforts were in opposition to
| the Lodge or force bill, which was de-
| feated i'll the Senate by the compromise
| which made the first alliance between old
| line Democrats and silver Republicans as
| they are now called. Mr.. Crisp's ability
| was thereafter recognized. He was elected
| "A member of the International monetary
| conference at The third session OF the
FIT y-third Congress. In the Fifty-fouTth
| Congress he WIS chosen "A member of The
! ChickruJuga Park commission.
His greatest effort WAS ON the passage of
| che Wilson tariff bill, to make which speech
| he s.i,..ts.u ine CHAR. ms speech was
regarded as one of the ablcst presentations
OF the subject on the tariff from the Demo
| cratic standpoint made during that Con
gress.
Mr.. Crisp was always. it is believed. a free
! silver Democrat. As far back as the
| fifty-firsJ Congress he took an active part
i'll the measures for financial relief, which
| were ut that time urged both by fUpu-
| lists and Democrats. He introduced sew
era Ia me ndments To the banking law, one
! of which was espe chilly favored inthc South
| IN those days. the repeal Of the tax On
State banks. several of his speeches We're
also on the subject of the pension laws.
AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.
Mr. Crisp was preceded and succeeded
| by Mr. Reed in the Speakers chair. Mr..
| Reed established the precedent OF counting
a quorum, which was bitterly denounced
| by the Democrats as the outs, but was
| practically followed by them when they
| Cane to power under Mr.. Crisp.
| AS & general rule, what Mr.. Reed and
| Mr. Crisp had 10 say to and of each other
| WAS always regarded with interest By
partisan friends. Mr. Crisp 'slatest speeches
| were ON lnc Cuban cause aud that of the
ArineniauS- He also took part i'll the pro
| tracted technical debate ON the amend.
| ueEts to the rules last winter.
| Mr.. Crtsp's early life was passed at
| Savannah. Macon, ElIavilie and Americus.
| The fact that he was born at Sheffield.
| England, where his parents Were on a
| visit, had often caused the remark, when
| he Was growing iii power, that his foreign
bIrlh would prevent his ever being can
| dldaLe for the Presidency. This was,
| however. only moot question.
II is said that the elder Crisp was an
actor and that the late Speaker was borL
| while tie father was making n tour OF
England professionally.
II Is further reported that Mr.. Crisp had
soiae theatrical pretensiOns himself. This
The war in 1861. After the war he went
TO Ellaville where he studied law. a nd from
| thers to Americus " here he was appointed
Judge Of the superior court OF that dis
trict. He held this position for two sue
cesS:ve appointments, and was elected as
Il member 81 tie Forty-eighth Congress
his opponent being W. z. Pierce. who is
| Well Known in Washington, having prop
erty here and in Virginia.
SLATED FOR SENATOR.
1t was Well understood that Mr.: CrisI
would be the next United States Senator
from Georgia. His Joint debate With Sec
retary of State Hon. Hoke Smith is fresh
liz The publIs mind and the fact that his
failing health Obliged him to forego the
assignments agreed upon.
/ Last Year Mr.. Crisp made tour Of the
continent for health and recreation.
He was married wheuquite young> There
Was some opposition to his marriage or
| account of his youth. bat the young people
took the case in their own hands and op
position was withdrawn.
l. Mr-~Grisp'S headquarters at Washington
| were continuously at the Metropolitan
Hotel. ms ailment look its origin in the
leXciternent arising out Of his joint debate
| with Secretary Hoke Smith last summer
When hesWasJ0Ieeato withdraw from that
| debate FOR PHI ysical Reasons his friends per
,sua ded him TO enter the Atlanta Sanitariurl
for treatment. He was subject TO heart
Fdisease. Rcassuring reports as to re-
covered health have. appeared from time u
ftine. outthey have been largely discounted
by those fully Informed as to the facts.
Mr.. Crisp was one of the best-liked men
Iill 'DuEItS>. flt llt respect
of friends and opponents by his atiiitiei
and his generally unruffled judicial fair
ness. which was broken upon only once o
twice during the bitter controversy witt
Speaker Reed oyer the Reed rules.
+ lie served in the Confederate army ana
was made. prisoner, was admitted to The
bar in 1866, became successfully Stat,
solicitor general, Judge, Congre ssman
Speaker of the House of Representatives il
the Fifty-second and Fifty-third Congresses
His Congressional career in the low er Hous,
fextended over fourteen years.
l. The arrangements for Mr.. Crisp's funera
will be made by committee of the Hous.
land d-Seuate--Whatt the earranEementswo woulC
he W ere not obtainable h ere, owing to III,
tabsenee' Of Vice President Stevenson ant
| Speaker Reed.