Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-25

Probably the most unique, most orig
inal and most picturesque character In
the national Congress today Is the Hon.
Edward w. Carmack. the Junior senator
from the state OF Tennessee. With red,
bushy hair, with heavy, well dropped
eyeborws, and with kindly gray eyes,
ne looks the fierce yet gentle character
that he is, and there is certain some
thing in the general outline Of the
mans personal appearance which Will
easily give one a clew TO the character
Of the man. Carmack is a bundle Of
surprises. While amply armed with
the precepts Of the wise men who have
gone before, having pored over the say
ings OF jefferson and Jackson and be-
ing a past master of the science Of eco
Monies. he Is yet no broader over past
differences and is more inclined TO the
theory which will 1T the instant and
offer somewhat Of amelloration to those
who may be suffering from untoward
conditions. Carmack is consistent
changer Of his views, and fully able at
all times 10 Justify and defend what
ever position he may assume on a pub
lie Issue. He began to make his Inn
press on the political history Of Ten
nessee from the time he went 10 the
legislature from Maury county in 1856,
He is fiery, erratic and there is not in
he nd tfFa ~ 10 L. a
single conciliatory element when It
comes TO dealing with men to throw
down the gauge OF battle. His advent
into Memphis Journalism In 1880 nitro
duced the South TO an editorial specta-
Gle which 1t had not known since the
days Of reconstruction. He scoTched
the paper he wrote on, and the fellow
who was game enough 10 bristle up 10
him found a man who could receive a
sting with grace and fortltude, and who
could and would return II without
mercy
During the present session Of Con-
gress, II he should happen to unloosen
his tongue In the Senate, the sleepy
and sedate members Of this dignltled
body win probably snooze In less than
their wonted quiet, for when II comes
to brlstling lnvective and sulphuric Vi
tuperation the junior senator from Ten
nessee will have no equal In the nation
al Congress.
Carmacks history Is full OF what the
artist would call incident. Editor, law
yer. statesman and duelist on the occa-
sion. he has conserved the violence
which beat around these calllngs and
he has in him that retentlveness when
forces him to carry his pecullarlties
with him wherever he goes They are
with him IN the Senate, smoulderlng In
his system like wads OF powder and II
emergency should arise, and II probably
will. he will make his part OF the Con-
gressional Record look like comblna-
ton OF cayenne pepper, dynamite and
a few other hot and explosive things.
He will go up like a rocket and come
down like a badly scattered oyergrown
brick yard. In 1890 Carmack was seized
with a violent dislike Of the Ooala plat
form. which was the embodiment OF all
the principles and preoepts OF thru
partyism. and he heaped violent rldi-
cule on the subtreasury feature, belit-
,Ieing the doctrine which sought TO give
every farmer in the country the right
10 hypothecate his pumpkins for certli-
Gates which would pass as cash, and he
ironically remarked on several occa-
sions that the trainers OF the Ocala
platform would be in better business
II they would soak their heads for a
while. His description Of the ocala
platform, with the subtreasury and free
silver doctrine became famous In the
campaign OF 1890 in Tennessee. Borrow
ing from the witches scene In the story
OF Macbeth, he denounced the ocala
document as:
Eve OF newt and toe Of frog,
wool OF bat. and tongue Of dog,
Lizards leg, and howetts wing.
Adder's fork. and blind worms STING.
John p. Buchanan had been elected