The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-26

About four years before the promul-
dence by the continental congress, Will
liam H. Crawford was born in Amherst
county, Virginia. Before he had ad-
vanced beyond childhood his father
took him to Georgia, and there the boy
grew to manhood, and became one Of
the first citizens of the republic. He
was elected to the legislature, and soon
after was chosen 9 senator in congress-
of which body he became president pro
tempore during his first term. He was
minister to France during the war of
1872, and upon his return was appointed
secretary of war by President Madi-
son, and soon after was transferred TO
the treasury department., Of which he
continued the head throughout the sue
ceeding two administrations of Presi-
cent Monroe. He was prominent cam
eidate for president in 1924 and his was
one of the names that went before the
house of representatives, upon the fail
ure of the electoral college to elect.
Though he was q Jeffersonian, Daniel
Webster, a New England federalist,
strove for the election of Crawford,
even over John q. Adams, from Web
ster's own state. When Adams was
elected by the house he invited Craw-
ford to remain at the head of the treas
ury. but he declined, returned home,
accepted a judgeship, and few years
later died.
Crawford was not so great man as
Clay, or Calhoun. or Webster, but he
was better fitted for the presidency
than any one of them. He was emphat-
ically a sagacious man. He was not
statesman by intuition; his statesman
ship resulted from reflection. Though
no genius, he had wisdom of the high
est practical order. Webster and CAL
houn were warm friends in 1925, and
both hoped to see Crawford chosen
president over Adams or Jackson, and
it is no small tribute to a mans ca
pacity and character when Calhoun and
Webster Endorsed him for the first
place in the republic.
Charles A. Culberson of Texas is
direct lineal descendant from William
H. Crawford of Georgia, and chip Of
that same block in abilities, in charac-
ter, in temperament. Cautious in de-
liberation, he is adamant when once he
has reached a conclusion. There is
nothing dazzling about him. 1t is a
cool head always. He reflects careful
ly and weighs every argument scrupu-
lousy before he decides; but his de-
cision is final. He is today the best
prepared man in the senate. He has in
old trunks, boxes, drawers and chests
more papers and scraps of papers than
any other Of our public men, and he
knows precisely where to search for
any one of them. He burns 10 letters,
aid writes no letters he would request
or wish to be burned. Like Bailie
Nicol Jarvie's father. the deacon, he
never puts out his hand SO far that he
cannot draw it back again. He is the
most capable and the most skillful pol
itician in the Democratic party today.
David B. Culberson was a member
of congress for twenty-five years when
he voluntarily retired from that body.
As a lawyer he had no superior in
either house of the national legisla-
ture, and for many years he presided
over the judiciary committee. One of
the finest public speakers in public life,
he rarely addressed the house, but
when he did rise to speak he COM
manded the attention of all WITHIN the
sound of his voice. He was powerful
in the logic of common sense. He loved
simple and homely speech. He was a
simple man in temperament and as
democratic as a hunting shirt or a
coonskfn cap. The late Tom Reed had
extravagant admiration for his extra
ordinary abilities, and when they were
both members of the Judiciary COM
mlItee. RecQ Was iona Oh tdk1flS uu-
tenable positions just to see "old Cy-
clops demolish them" 1t was the am
bition of the elder Culberson to repre-
sent Texas in the senate; not for van
ity but because he was conscious of
his capacities for that theatre. A time
came when the senator ship was his for
the asking, but he was now growing
old and tired of parliamentary life. He
declined it, and Texas gave it to his
favorite son, the apple of his eye, the
core of his lieart-the boy of whom he
was so proud and who so we'll deserved
his appreciation.
The younger Culberson was born in
Alabama in 1855, and the following
year his father became a citizen of
Texas. Old Dave said that he intend
ed that the boy should have an educa-
ton that would enable him ITO find his
hat" One might write volumes and
not express it so well. What the IA
Their meant was that his boy should be
disciplined for the battle of life; that
he should be taught detail; that he
should be grounded in self-reliance;
that he should know how to make his
way in the world. Many boy, bright,
healthy, vigorous cannot find his hat
in the morning, and the pity of it is
they go through life just that way-al-
ways seeking what they cannot md,
and simply because they were not prop
erly taught in childhood how to speak.
And as soon as he was old enough
young Culberson was packed off to the
Virginia Military Institute, a school lit
tie inferior to West Point. There he
graduated with high honors, and was
anxious for military career; but that
did not suit the father, who insisted
that the son should study for the bar.
He entered mis- fathers office and stud
led under the Instructions of the old
man for three yeas and then became
student at the law department of
the University of Virginia, where he
greatly distinguished himself Here he
attracted the attention of Senator DAN
iel, himself a great lawyer, who wrote
a paper on one of Culberson's legal
productions at school, and predicted the
distinguished career the young man
was to carve out.
x x x
Returning to Texas after his gradua-
ton, young Culberson opened an office
at Jefferson. and engaged actively in
the practice. He was very soon there
after elected prosecuting attorney of