Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-11-08
NUMBER IA

were willing for him to have any Office
short Of the presidency, but that they
bestowed on men much inferior to him
in brains and public service.
The greatest Republican that Ohio
ever produced. he was doomed to see
three other 0hloans seize the coveted
prize Hayes, Garfield and Mckinley.
He always had the respect Of Ohio Re
publieans, but their hearts never Per-
haps in his long candidacy for the pres
idency there never was day when be
could have secured delegation from
Ohio which was really for him. The
Buckeye delegation betrayed him In
favor of Garfield. Its lukewarm sup
port caused him to lose to Harrison
He was set aside almost contemptuous-
" for Mckinley, who was a schoolboy
when he was q national character.
As a secretary Of the treasury he VIII
rank with Hamilton, Gallatin aud
Chase. He belongs to the very small
group of American statesmen who ney-
er became president. but who VIII nev-
er be forgotten. His fame will rest up
on his successful execution of the re-
sumption act. His part an evil part
In surreptitiousIy demonetizing silver
In 1873 win also keep him IN hunfaa
memory. In the days to come he viii
be lauded by some as a great states
man and an enlightened patriot By
others he viii be denounced till the end
Of time as the betrayer of his country
and the enemy OF the American people.
but his win never be a name to conjure
with. Posterity win judge him as did
his contemporaries. as man Of large
capacity for public affairs and Of low
ering ambitions cold. crafty. calculat-
ing, resolute, ayarieious Of money aud
Of power and wanting in the qualities
which win the human heart He was
not popular fayorite in life; be VIII
not be a popular favorite In history.
william L. Wilson.
William L. Wilson was the well &.
loved indeed the best beloved man n
the Fifty-third congress. II he had an
enemy on the whole face Of the earth.
I have never heard OF it. / don't sec
how he could have. Brave as a lion.
he was gentle as a woman. In his
youth a gallant soldier OF the Confed-
eracy, he never alluded to that bloody
and unhappy chapter in our aImass.
He was a knight sans peur ct sans
proche, and he quit fighting at Apo
mattox. Most emphatically he did not
belong to that large aggregation Of
men invisible In war and inyincible In
peace.
With fame worldwide. he was as TN
assuming as the plainest citizen Of the
remotest backwoods With opportnai-
ties for growing rich beyond the
dreams of ayariee by prostitutinE his
high position 70 personal gain. be died
poor. As an orator he had few equals.
His closing speech on me Wilson tariff
bill was marvel OF eloauesiee and
aroused his Democratic associates to
the highest pitch of enthusiasm. One
of the most dramatic scenes ever wit-
messed In the house was at its eiexs.
when Harry St George Tucker. ths
young Virginia Hotspur. and WILLIAMS
]. Bryan, the great Nebraskan. placed
the brilliant West AifS8niAh upon Khrsk
shoulders. much against his wilA 1na
- 's = trtuisssA to fap eioak.
room amid khe shouts ef Iilr-s AssF
the wild applause Or the galssries
Considering The fact that large pprs
tion Of his life was devoted to law ard
politics, Mr. Wilson had a remarkable
career in the scholastic world He sH
joyed the unusual distinction ef Da1'nx
been a graduate from the University Of
| Virginia. a professor In Columbia col
tege, president Of the University Of
West Virginia, president Of Washing.
ton-Lee university and OF havin= de-
clined the presidency Of the University
| Of Missouri To few men who deT9ted
their whole lives to letters have so
many collegiate honors come. and few
er still have deserved such high and
| multifarious honors-