Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1900-10-26
VIM. |. WILSON DEAD
AUTHOR OF FAMOUS TARIFF ELL
PASSES AWAY.
STATESMAN AND SCHOLAR
Former Postmaster enersl-He was In
= CIeyeiand's Cabinet-Of Late He Had
Been Acting as President of Washington
and Len University, Whore He Was
Highly Esteemed and Much beloved.


Lexington, va. Especially The Hon.
William L. WilsAn, president OF Wash
ington and Lee University and ex-
Postmaster General, died suddenly at
9.20 O'Clock wednesday morning OF
congestion of th1sIuifgs. Horhad, been
falling ever since his return from Ari-
zona
His son, DIR. Arthur Wilson, OF
Lynchburg, visited him on Sunday ana
left on Monday. Then came the sudden
change. Mr. Wilson's attendant pny-
stefan did not give up hope OF ms
rallying untilSlate Tuesday night. he
was confined to the house from tues
day week, but was thought to be I'M
proved when his son left MIN. ne
was conscious until the last. BY his
bedside were his wife, his daughters,
Misses Mary and BETTE Wilson, and
one son, William Fl. Wilson.
William Lyme Wilson was born AT
Middleway, w. Va, on May ., 1913
He was educated at Columbian College,
Washington, where he was graduated
in 1860. He then entered the Univer-
sity of Virginia, but left it at the out
break of the Civil War to serve In the
Confederate Army After the war was
over he became professor OF ancient
languages in Columbian College, MS
Alma Mater, and studied law. he was
professor of Latin from 1867 to 1871,
and studied political economy and poll
tics. In 1868 he married Miss Mamie
Huntington, daughter OF the Rev. A.
J. Huntington, dean of Columbian
University. In 1882 he became presi-
dent of the university Of West Vlr-
giDia. A year later he entered politics
and was elected to Congress.
He first entered politics in 1880 AS a
delegate to the Democratic National
Convention, and in that year made
canvass of his State as elector-at-large
on the Hancock ticket, which attracted
much attention. In 1882 he was asked
by the unanimous vote of the regents
to take the presidency Of the West Vir-
ginia State University, and reluctantly
accepted. entering on his duties on
September 6. On September 20 he was
nominated by reclamation AS the
Democratic candidate for Congress
from his district, and was elected on
the second Tuesday in October follow
ing. He resigned his position at the
University with the beginning of his
Congressional term, March 4, 1883. but
on the unanimous petition of regents,
faculty and students served until the
end of the season, in June, refusing
pay for this period
His IL years of Congressional service
were marked by hard work, steady de-
votion to principle, increasing infiu-
ence, reputation and prominence in the
country.
AS he had been an outspoken and
earnest advocate OF Mr.. Cleveland's
nomination in 1892, he was selected by
the friends of the latter for permanent
chairman of the Democratic National
Convention at Chicago, and his speech
on assuming the chair, as also his SUBJ
sequent address informing Mr.. Cleve-
land Of his nomination, in the Madison
Square Garden, was regarded as a
masterpiece of political oratory and
kindled the most intense enthusiasm.
Speaker Crisp, lin response to what
seemed q clear designation of public
opinion, appointed him chairman of
the Ways and Means Committee OF the
Congress which was to prepare the
tariff bill promised by the Democratic
party as its chief mission on being
given the control of the government.
This was a task of the most surpass-
ing magnitude and difficulty. and Mr..
Wilson entered upon it with a zeal,
devotion and capacity commensurate
with its greatness.
The Wilson bill having passed the
House. Mr.. Wilson sought rest in a
trip to Mexico, but was stricken down
with typhoid fever from the very even
ing he crossed the Rio Grande. For
weeks he lay i'll and suffering in that
country, and was not able to return
home until the middle of May, still
weakened and exhausted by his illness.
Mr.. Wilson was renominated unani-
mously for the Fitty-fourth Congress,
but was defeated by A. G. Dayton,
Republican, at the polls.