The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-04
CAREER A FIGHT
COL. MORRISON AGGRESSIVE WHEN
 IN FEDERAL CONGRESS-.
Was Known as "HOrisontai BiiI, and Earned soubrfquet--Later Years Lived fin Retirement
 HnrnR
BY ALFRED ]. sTOFER.

BY ALFRED ]. sTOFER.
 Washington, Oct. 3--(Special)-Na- turally many interesting things are be- ing related here of the public career of William R. Morrison who died the other day at his home at Waterloo, Ill.
 After he quit the Interstate Com- merce Comm tssion in 1897. of which he had been chairman for several years. Colonel Morrison never visited Washington. which was the scene of his greatest activities in life. He was getting old, had 6 competency for a village of the size of Waterloo, and said when he left the nations capital he doubted if he would ever again set foot upon the streets of Washington. He was in no sense bitter or disap- pointed. but held to the opinion that inasmueh as he had had honors enough, he would be satisfied to settle down and enjoy life among his old friends and neigh bors in the little town in which he had resided for so many years.
 It cost the political managers of the Republican party many. many thous- Ands Of dollars to bring about the de- feat of Colonel Morrison for Congress in the memorable campaign of 1886. But they had no difficulty in raising @At NiC LuCy WhHtcQs
 The sinews of war were raised among the men commonly alluded to as the "robber barons." deeply interested In the maintenance of the high protec- tive tariff system. About that time frying the fat" out Of these people was the talk of the day. Republican legislatures of Illinois had been trying for years to keep Colonel Morrison out of Congress by adding heavy Rcpub- an4 hIu dl0frtS%f hssf bA would either carry them or come so near 1t that 1t made the heads of the Republican managers swim.
 Samuel J. Randall of Pennsylvania who throughout his congressional ca. reer was as much of protectlonist as any Republican in the House, was the antagonistic foe or Morrison in the House The election of Hon. John G. Carlise, of Kentucky, to the speaker ship in the Forty-eighth Congress and his subsequent election to that high office in the two succeeding congress- es. relegated Randall to the rear and advanced Morrison as the undisputed floor leader of the then fighting and progressive Democrats.
 When Rsndell was Speaker he made 1t a special point to reduce and humili- ate Morrison If possible. Instead of placing him at the head of big com mittee, where he properly belonged, Randall made him chairman of a rather subordinate committed, and even that was so packed against the brilliant Illinois member that when he nomin- ated the clerk of the committee. the other members refused to permit him to be elected. Colonel Morrison mere ly smiled, and, picking up his hat. walked out of the room. saying as he left that 1t was evident they were m n he attended n meetings of the committee during that Congress.
 When MT. Carlisle became Speaker. how different was the treatment of Randall Messrs. Morrison and Car llsle could have evened up things with him. but they permitted him to so at the head of the great Appropriations Committee. Of course. on account of his attitude on thetarif and the issue then being a burning one. he could not be placed on the Ways and Means Committee, where he would have work ed hand in glove with the rankest Re- publican high tariff crowd.
 Jehu Baker. the Republican who de- feated Colonel Morrison for Congress in 1888, waS a native of Fayette Coun- ty, Kentu<sy. Baker had served once or twice before in the House before the Civil War. and he had been United StatesMlnister to NeheHuela. re "as in no sense a brilliant man, but at the time was about the only Repubii- can in that Illinois district with nerve enough to make the race. The high tariff crowd not only poured money Into the district. but they sent John Jarratt and other labor organi- zation men out there from the mahu- featuring centers of the country. and the labor vote was swung around go that Baker managed to slide into Con- gross again. Money was expended lav- ishly. and 1t was a sweet piece Of sat- isfaction to the "robber barons" to read the news that at last Horizon feat
 Outside of his residence at Waterloo