The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-24
THE MONETARY COMMISSION.


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THE MONETARY COMMISSION.
It's Distinguished Personnel and the
Work lit Accomplished.
After the adjournment of the extra SEES
sion the executive committee held a meet
ing in Chicago and another at Saratoga,
two weeks later, devoting the time at both
meetings to the careful selection of names
for the monetary commission. In forming
the commission the first purpose of the
committee was to have it composed of men
of such experience of affairs and such
high order of intelligence that they would
be competent to deal with the great sub
ject, men of such patriot SIN that their only
purpose would be the general welfare of
the people, and men with no personal po-
litical ambitions that would influence their
Judgment The next great object to be OBJ
tanned was a proper geographical distribu-
ton of the membership, not with view
to obtaining support for the commissions
work, but in order that the men might be
such as would of their own knowledge
and experience thoroughly understand the
needs of every section of the country, the
habits of the people and the varying con-
ditions of their agriculture, their commerce,
their banking facilities and their means of
TRANSFORMATION. The third object to
make the commission as nearly as possible
representative of as many of the various
lines of commercial activity as possible.
AS a result of these labors a monetary
commission was appointed that at once met
the approval of thinking men all over the
country 1t was composed OF leading men
of the United States in their various pro-
LESSONS and lines of business and one
thoroughly representative of the various
geographical divisions of the country. Its
members were chosen from Vermont Mis-
souri, Alabama Minnesota, New York.
North Carolina, California Illinois, Penn
sylvania and Indiana. 1t contained one
famous statesman, one retired manufacture
err, the president of one of the greatest rail-
road systems of the country an ex-secre-
,tary of the treasury, an iron manufactur-
err. a wholesale hardware merchant, cot
ton manufacturers a man whose life has
been largely spent in practical experience
with the mint an eminent political econ
omist, a lawyer of national repute and a
fnancier of high standing. Four of the
members are men Of very modest means,
while the others are men accustomed to
the control of large affairs. 1t is hardly
accurate to classify them thus by assign
ing to each a particular line of business,
for many of the members axe interested
largely in various lines Of industry and
finance 1t was by no means a bankers
commission, though many of the members
have q thorough practical knowledge of
banking and are directors in various finan-
cial institutions. Several of them, in addi-
ton to their other interests are practical
farmers. While many of the members have
held positions of public trust, none of them
entertains political ambitions that could
interfere in anywise with his judgment
upon this subject. While the question of
politics was not a material consideration
in their selection it happens that six of the
members are Republicans and five of them
are Democrats. The commission was COM
posed of the following gentlemen:
George f. Edmunds, Vermont, chairman.
George E. Leighton, Missouri, vice chair
man.
T. G. Bush, Alabama.
W. b. Dean. Minnesota.
Charles S. Fairchild, New York.
Stuyvesant Fish New York.
j. w Fries North Carolina.
Louis A. Garnett. California.
j. Laurence Laughlin, Illinois
G. Stuart Patterson, pennsylvania.
Robert S. Taylor. Indiana.
Ex-senator George +. Edmunds of Yer
mont was chosen as representative of the
country at large. He has been for many
years Il leader at the bar and was cOnsid-
cred the ablest lawyer in the United States
Senate during his service there. He has
had q long public career, beginning when
he was under thirty years of age as a
member of the, Vermont Legislature, in
which he served for three years as speak
er of the House. He was in the United
States Senate from April, 1866, until his
voluntary resignation on Oct 81, 1891 Sena-
tor Ednnunds PLAYED a leading part in the
impeachment of Andrew Johnson, was d
member of the electoral commission in 1876.
and had a large share in the passage of
the Pacific railway fund act. and was au-
thor of the act of March %, 1882. which
substantially stamped out polygamy in
Utah. The high character of Mr. Edmunds
and his freedom from association with the
corrupt element in politics made him the
candidate OF the Republicans of Massachu-
sets anu other Eastern States for Presi-
dent in the national party conventions of
1880 and 1884 1t was the latter occasion
that the delegates at large from New York
were so cleverly snatched from both the
Blaine and Arthur factions by the skin of
Theodore Roosevelt and other anti-Blaine
leaders and secured for Mr.. Edmunds. Sen
ator Edmunds was prominently identified
with nearly all the great measures that
passed the Senate during his long service
in that body.
7. G. Bush, of Alabama is fitting repre-
sentative of the industrial energy of the
new South. He was born in Pickinsville,
Pickens county, Alabama, in 1S47, and spent
mis- childhood in the county. He entered the
University of Alabama at the age of four
teen and remained there two years. In
May, 1866, he was captured in Blakely, Ala
and held a prisoner at Ship island and in
New Orleans until the surrender of Gen.
Nicksburg. Miss, and paroled at Meridian,
Miss. In October 1865, he entered the Uni
versity of Mississippi. At the end of two
years he graduated in the same class with
his brother, who was two years his senior.
his brother taking first honors and lie sec
ond. His school days ended. he entered into
the cotton commission business with his
father and brother in Mobile. withdrawing
after four years from the firm. and estab-
fishing himself in the wholesale grocery
business in Mobile in 1871. 1t 1856 he ac-
cepted the presidency of the Mobile & Bir-
mingham Railroad Company, position
which he still retains. He was the first
president of the present Mobile Chamber
Of Commerce, and served for several years.
He also served for some time as president
of the Planters and Merchants Fire In
surance Company of Mobile. In April, 1850,
he was elected president of the Shelby Iron
Company. of Shelby. Ala. which position he
still retains. Mr.. Bush was a member of
the Legislature of Alabama in 1SS6-S7 and
served as chairman Of the ways and means
committee. He also engaged In farming
and stock raising, having a large farm near