The times., 1897-11-09
THE MONETARY COMMISSION.
a Brief Description of Each Mem
her of the Body.

n BrIef description OF Eacn Men,
ber of the Body.
The members OF the monetary commits
sion are all men who have been prominently
before the public for many years. There
is. for example, the chairman, ex-senator
Ednunds OF Vermont. He was for twenty
five years member of the United states
Senate. He was easily the foremost Ia wyer
Ill public life, ana during his connection
with he Senate was not oIdy prominently
identified with the Impeachment of Andrew
Jolln snn, but was member of the electoral
commission which decided the contest be-
tween HAYES and Tilden. lie was the uthor
oI the tLamunds Law" which suppressed
polygamy i'll Utah, and bore a conspicuous
part in The debates ON he Pacific Railway
iundlng act and antitrust law. His name
was twice presented by the Eastern Pc
publicans as candidate FOR Presidential
honcrs. His is one of the few cases OF a
public man who could retain his seat in
the sena tie without suggestion OF oppos
tion I home voluntarily resigning and re
tiring TO private iife. He is a valued and
important member of the commission, ana
his dissection of the various propositions
submitted to it shows that he stlll retains
the Ciearness of statement and acute legal
miau which made him, for many years, the
most conspicuous figure in the upper branch
OF Congress.
The vice chairman of the commission is
Col. George e. Leighton, a Massa chusetts
man, who was educated at Cincinnati and
removed tC st. Louis is his twenty-thirtl
year, where lie has since resided. Col
Leighton is also lawyer. He served in
the Union Army during the war, rising
through successive grades until he reached
the rank OF colonel. He was general
Counsel for the Missouri Pacific ansl other
railways untn i573, when he retired from.
active practice. He is now a Inannfac
turer ana Is also identified with other
large business enterpI ises. He has written
extensively on economic and historic sub
jeets aud has been for ten years the leader
Of the sound money sentiment in st Louis.
Stuyvesagt Fish the younges, member
Of the commission, although a New Yorker
by BIRTH and still a nominal resident of that
State, is practically Western man, owing
to bis position as president OF the Illinois
Central Railway. He entered the service
OF tEIs compeny when a young man Of
twenty. he is now forty six years of age
aud during the intervening period has
modest lerksfip to the highest office
within the gift OF the company. lie has
also held the office first OF secretary
and subsequently, Of vice president or the
Chicago, st Louis and New Orleans road
Mr.. Fists administration OF the affairs
OF the Illinois Central road has been mark.
20 by an effort to identify the interests of
the employees and patrons o [ the road with
- RI
fort he = succ eeding.
Although the commission contains the
name OF no citizen OF Ohio, it includes
two gentlemen WHO We're born in that
State-Pro Laurence Lauehlin, Of
Illinois, and Robert S. Taylor, IF Indiana
Prof. DaughHn is a Harvard man who
graduated with high honors and served
there Yer several years rs instructor in
political economy While visl ting in
San D..rlingo several years ago he was
Invited 10y the government to put their
financial system upon a sound footing.
He prepared q plan which linked the silver
currency To the gold stands rd through
redemption in gold at the banks and the
receipt of silver FOR custolu-house duties.
Five years ago he was called to Chicago
10 take the principal chair OF political
economy at the Chicago University, which
position hc sttil occupies. He has written
a nunter OF important economic works
aid his joint debate last year with Mr.
Harvey, the author OF Coins Financial
School, was one Of the notable features
Of the Presidential campaign.
sir. Robert S. Taylor, the Indian mem
Der OF the commission, was, as above
stat ID, also born in Ohio. He has served
two Years Oh the bench and one term
In the State legislature, aud has been
for sixteen years a member of the Mis-
sisSlppi River commission. He was twice
d Candidate for Congress III a strong Demo-
cratic district, cOnsentfng on each oc-
casion 10 lead political forlorn hope.
Although he was defeated, his personal
popularity was such that in each instance
he materially reduced his opponents ma
jority. He las been too profoundly a sup
porter OF Republican principles To engage
in factional quarreIs and To that extent
is strict party man He was promi-
nentiy mentioned as a compromise candi-
date when Mr. Fairbanks was elected To
the United States Senate.
The Northwestern member of the com
mission is Mr.. w. B. Dean, OF Minnesota,
a Pennsylvania man. who was born a:
Pittsburg in 1898, and went To st. Paul
eighteen years later He has materially
aided by his practical business sense in the
development of his adopted State, where
lac has been for many years an important
factor. He was for four years a member
of the State senate, but his chief interest
is in commercial pursuits in which he has
been highly successful. He has long been
Interested in reforming the currency, AMI
it was this knowledge which led to his Sc
lection, not withstanding his protest, as q
member or tie commission.
Mr.. Charles S. Fairchild the New York
member ol the commission is the presi-
dent of the New York Security dnd Trust
Company. he is the leader OF the reform
wing Of the Democratic party. He wds
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under
Mr.. Clsveland's first administration and
upon the aesth OF MIR. Daniel Manning, sue
ceeded that gentleman as Secretary. He
enjoved intimate personal and political
relations with President Cleveland and
was for years recognized leader OF the
Cleveland clement in New York State.
He was a candidate for comptroller of
Greater New York Oh the Citizens Union
ticket. He occupies g high social stand
ing i'll New York city, and his thorough
knowledge Of fIua ncial problems makes him
ut once conspicuous and important meILi
l,er nf the Commission.
The two distinctiveiy Southern members
of the commission are Messrs. T. g. Bush
of Ala bama, and j. W. Fries, of North
Carolina. Mr. Bush had credita Bile ser