The Irish standard., 1904-04-30
Some of These Were Men of Great Abilitv
Though Lacking the Qualities Neces-
sary in Leadership.
Present Head of Minority Man of Learoing
and Ability, Strong Debater and
Good Leader.


sltion to the candiClaturc of John G.
carlisle for speaker OF congress, on the
ground that he hailed from a state that
was one of the "Solid South" and if
was in some quarters asserted and in
other quarters feared, that his election
would put the old South in the saddle.
elnbarrass the Northern Democracy,
and result in Democratic disaster az
the approaching presidential election;
but the time had come when the idea
of Mr.. Carlisle represented was domi-
nant in the party, and thus his ad-
vanccment in the party councils was
not only logical but expedient, and he
would have been preferred over Mr..
Randall even had he been an mpulsive
partisan instead of the sedate and 1u-
dicial statesman he was, says the Gin
cinnat Enquirer. And so he became
speaker Of the Forty eighth congress,
and the year following Grover Clevc-
land was elected president Of the Unit
e.. States. Again in 1891, so ardent and
audacious Il Democrat as WI. Bryan
refused to support Mr.. Crisp in the
Democratic congressional caucus, even
after opposition to linn had ceased, be-
cause Mr.. Crisp was Il Southern man;
but Mr.. Crisp was elected speaker, and
the very next year Grover Cleveland
was again elected president of the Unit
cd States Indeed, for % years the
Democratic side of the national house
of representatives is the one section of
the national political stage that the
South has held and contradictions
lfsle, Mills, Crisp, Wilson, Bailey, Rich.
ardson and Williams led, though Nor
risOn was four years at the head of
ways and means, and Springer was
titular leader on the floor two years
but during those six years Southern
man was speaker.
In the Fiftyfourth congress the lead
ership of the minority naturally fell to
Charles r. Crisp, who had been speak,
er four years; but Mr.. Crisp soon after
died, and two other Southern men
struggled for the vacancy thus created.
Benton McMillin was veteran. Many
years before, when quite young man,
he had been returned to the Forty-sixth
congress. In that body Kentucky was
n very conspicuous state for the great
talents Of her delegation, and as Mr..
McMillin was native of the old Com
monwealth, he became pet of the
Kentucky contingent, and was of the
cotcrie Of tariff rcformers consisting of
Carlisle, Knott, Caldwell, Mckenzie,
Blackburn, Phister, Willis and the Tur-
ncrs, Of Kentucky, and of Morrison,
Mills, Hurd, Cox, Welbornc and others
of that ilk. Never was young man
given better chance to show the met
tie that was in him. He sustained to
the great tariff reformers q relation
something like Grey did to Fox, or
Canning to Pitt, or Choate to Webster.
lie was raised to the committee on ways
and means and absorbed economic wis
dom from Carlisle, Morrison, Hurd and
Wilson. He was exploited at the North
as we'll as at the South. If not the
orator Wilson and Hurd and Breckin-
ridge were, he was capable debater
and strong speaker Of the class of
Crisp and Bynum. There are many
s:Ecerc folks in this country who be-
lieve that the cause Of tariff reform, as
illustrated in the preachments Of Nor
risOr, Carlisle Hurd and Wilson, was
lost by the defeat of Mills for speaker
OF the Fifty-second congress. AS much
rs any other single man. Benton Nc
Li!Iin was responsible for that defeat,
and that is why McMillin was not
chosen to lead the minority after the
death Of Crisp.
Senator Bailey, of Texas, then a
member Of the house, and very young
man, defeated Mr.. McAIillin for the
leadership Of the minority OF the Fifty
fifth congress, and while IT. was true
that Mr.. Bailey was the ablest man on
the Democratic side Of that congress,
It would have been difficult to find a
trao for fai1,1ro no a 1oodor %hor hn