The National tribune., 1909-10-07
DEATH OF COL. MORRISON.


A figure of great prominence to an
earlier generation. but almost unknown
to those of to-day. has passed away in
the death of Col. william r. Morrison,
at his home at Waterloo. ILL.,. Sept. 20.
Col. Morrison was a native Iilinoisan
having been born in what is now Mon
roe County, Sept. IA, 1925. He was the
Oldest son of Judge John Morrison. a
pioneer of the State. He entered poll
ties Immediately upon attaining man.
hood, and at % years was elected to
his first office, that of School Treasurer.
He enlisted for the Mexican War and
fought at Buena Vista. Then he got the
gold fever, went to California, dug out
lof the mines some $4,000, returned with
it to Illinois, secured legal education,
entered the practice of the law, but
devoted most of his attention to poll
tics. He was serving in the Illinois
Legislature when the war broke out.
He was a Douglas Democrat, and i'm
mediately set to raising regiment, en-
tering the field as Colonel of the 49th
ILL., He led his regiment with great
gallantry in the vigorous assault made
by McClernand's Division on the ex-
treme right at Fort Donelson, where he
received a disabling wound about the
same time that Col. John A. Logan did.
The two Colonels, who had been politi-
cal associates for SO many years, lay
side by side in the hospital, but from
there their paths diverged. Col. Morri-
son resigned his commission Dec. 13,
1852, upon being elected to Congress.
While acting with his party generally,
he was vigorous supporter of the war,
and so was out of touch with those of
his colleagues who were in sharp oppo-
sition to the Administration and the
efforts it was putting forth to put down
the rebellion. Consequently he was re-
, tired at the end of his term, but seven
years later he was again elected, and
served continuously from 1872 until
1887. During that time he made his
mark as one of the ablest, strongest
thinkers in the House, and was particu-
larly strong on economic questions He
became Chairman of the Committee on
dyS diiu AhCdiioJ anu % SNSiA Iva
lated his famous horizontal tariff bill.
He was defeated for reelection to Con-
gress in 1887, In sharp fight which
attracted National attention, owing to
his prominence as tariff reductionist.
He received 1924 votes against 1896
for Jehu Baker, a Republican. At the
conclusion of his term he was appoint
ed by President Cleveland a member of
the Interstate Commerce Commission,
At the conclusion of this term Presi-
dent Harrison reappointed him. Upon
the retirement of Judge Thomas M.
Cooley he succeeded to the Chairman
ship of the Commission, serving as such
until Dec. 81, 1897, when he retired.
returned to his home and resumed the
practice of the law. He had two earn
est ambitions, in both of which he was
keenly disappointed. He wanted much
to be United States Senator, and in 1885
was a candidate in that celebrated
struggle from which his oid-time asso-
ciate, John A. Logan, emerged with the
laurel of victory. He never ceased to
cherish the hope that he would be elect
ed Senator, and he was prominently
mentioned several times for the Demo-
cratic nomination for the Presidency.
He hoped for this, but probably he had
too much rugged honesty and too little
pIiability to meet the ideas of the DEM
ocratic leaders as to expediency. He
was a Democrat of the old school, de-
voted to absolute Jeffersonian simplici-
ty, with high ideals as to political puri-
ty and an absolute scorn for the ele-
gances and frivolities of Washington
society. Representative Breckenridge
spoke of him as pure and gallant
gentleman, brave of heart, clean of life,
loyal to friend, frank to foe. with a
conscience void of offense and a love
for truth that nothing could daunt."
He went heart and soul into the free
silver movement, but this did not rem
der him any more acceptable to the
Democratic leaders. He had been fail
ing for many years, and the severest af-
Fiction came to him in the loss of his
eyesight, making it necessary to employ
secretary to read to him. He kept
himself well posted on the politics of
the day, and it was great grief to him
to have to receive all of his news sec
ond-hand. He had lived IN Waterloo
for As years, and since the death of his
second wife he had resided entirely |
alone.
Herbert Parsons, of New York, Rep