The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-03-02
BANKHEAD'S TRIBUTE
TO CONGRESSMAN WILEY

The following address was delivered by
Senator John II. Bankhead in the Senate
last Saturday in honor of Congressman A.
A Wiley:
Mr.. President: We are present in this
chamber to pay homage to the memory of
a man who for many years was my warm
personal friend; and It is with feelings of
deep sorrow that l must pronounce these
brief, cruel words: HE is deadl'
In reviewing the career of Ariosto APP
ping Wiley, four aspects of his charae-
ter stand out pre-emiently: energy
patriotism, loyalty and human kindness
He was scholar, a lawyer, a soldier
statesman, and although able In each and
all of these, he was greatest as friend.
1t was this lovable, human quality that
made the hearts of thousands of his peo-
pie to mourn at his untmely taking off.
Colonel Wiley began the practice of law
in Montgomery in 1872 a fresh young
alumnus of Emory and Henry college,
Virginia in partnership with that emf
nent 1urist, ex-Chief Justice Samuel f.
Rice of the Alabama supreme court
This partnership lasted for IS years, dur
ing which time Judge Thomas g. Jones,
federal Judge of the Middle district OF
Alabama at the present time, was also
member of the firm. The experience and
knowledge gained in his early practice
equipped Colonel Wiley for the duties that
devolved upon him in his future political
] career. when as a legislator in the de-
Lucrative bodies, both of the state and
nation, he invariably served upon judici-
airy committees. In 1882 he was elected
to the lower house of the Alabama legis-
lature where he served as chairman of
1 the committee on the revision of laws, and
! as a member of the committee on cor
| porations. For yeres thereafter he was
either in the house or the senate of the
/ legislature of his state. His city life was
also the beneficiary Of his talents and
loyalty, for he served 10 years as an al
| derman of her administrative board.
! His most distinguished professional
| services, however, of a national char
acter, were lose performed while CHER
legal adviser and chief-of- staff to Gen
eral Lawton during the organization OF
| affairs in Cuba following the Spanish
American war.
Colonel Wiley was a soldier by blood
and tradition. His father, Judge j. NC
Caleb Wiley, was an officer in the Mex
lean war and although his son was but
a lad during the war of secession, he
was ever deeply stirred by the stories
| of valor and of strategy displayed by
| both of the contending armies For
! number of years he was captain of the
Montgomery Mounted Rifles, famous
local military organization, and for 20
years he was connected with the Ala
bama National Guard, having risen
from lieutenant to the command of
! regiment. He was a man of unusually
robust and handsome physique, and in
| the uniform of high officer presented
a martial and impressive figure. He
served upon the stats of four success
! sive governors of his state, holding the
! positions of Judge advocate general,
with the rank of colonel of cavalry; of
! INSPECTOR general of chief Of ordnance
respectively upon the STATS of Governor
Seay, Governor Oates, Governor john
ston and Governor Sanford. He was
well prepared by training and expert
ence. therefore, for the position of sec
ond in command of the Fiftieth regi-
ment of volunteer infantry of the
United States army, to which President
Mckinley appointed him, for Cuban
service on June 9, 1898. His appoint
ment to this position was unanimously
confirmed in this chamber, and that
your confidence was well placed was
proven by the services which Colonel
Wiley rendered to his country the
island Upon receiving his commission
as lieutenant colonel he hurried with
his hammond to Santiago de Cuba, his
regiment reaching the eastern province
Just after the battle of San Juan Hill
was fought
Shortly after arriving at Santiago, Gen
eral Lawton commanding that depart
ment, awaited himself of Colonel Wiley's
legal abilities, making him his chief legal
adviser and chief of staff. His legis
lative experience, his military talents
and his legal lore were all brought I'M
der contribution in his service as acting
civil governor of the province of Santiago,
to which position he was appointed He
set in motion the machinery of the civil
government, organizes the courts, and
contributed greatly to the restoration of
law and order. Upon his return to civil
life, after a years military service for
his country, he was at once elected to
Congress, which position he held until
his sad death last June.
OF his political services l could say
much. Immediately upon his entrance
into the House of the Congress he be-
gan to display that effective energy that
characterized his whole career. He Sc
cured large appropriations for his district
for internal improvements and gave I'M
falling sympathy and response to the in
dividual demands upon his legislative
|
cially during his service in Congress, was
an intimate one. He was always active
and vigilant for the best interests of
his constituents and was never too busy
to exhaust every resource to comply with
any request they should make. Among
the many things he accomplished for
them and one of which he seemed to be
proud was bill introduced and passed
by him with considerable difficulty for
the relief of a number of homesteaders,
who had entered on certain railroad
grants. Hundreds of poor, but most de-
serving people in Alabama would have
lost their homes and the result of years
of toll in the improvement of their farms
had it not been for this bill.
1t was through his cuties as mem
Der of the military committee that Colo
mel Wiley came into friendly and init
mate relations with Mr.. Taft, who was
then Secretary of War. 1t was because
Mr.. Taft saw In him a man of broad
experience and deep sympathy that he
invited him to become a member of tho
party accompanying him to the Orient
Colonel Wiley accepted Mr.. Taft's in
vitation for three reasons. First of all
he was a citizen and a representative of
a cotton growing country and he de-
sired to Investigate the possibilities of
China and Japan markets for his
peoples chef product Secondly he had
/, | hsan reared n section of fha country