The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-08-04
The Late Mr.. Carlisle.

John G. Carlisle was one of the
eading public men in America, 20
years ago, and there was then every
reason to suppose that he would re-
main in public life so long as he liv-
ed. He had so distinguished himself
by his service as speaker of the nat
ional House of Representatives that
Kentucky was proud of him and he
had no rivals in eminence in his own
state after the death of Senator Beck.
A United States senatOrship opened
to him what seemed a career of pro
longed and brilliant usefulness. He
had a mind of Extraordinary grasp in
dealing with public questions, his lu-
cidity of reasoning and clearness of
statement made him in some respects
an ideal debater and legislative orator
while a marked judicial habit Of
thought and freedom from rasping
personalities were characteristics
which won especially the esteem of
political opponents.
The blasting of Mr.. Carlisle's pol
itical career. so regrettable in some
of its aspects, was Enthusiastically re-
suit of the schlsm in the democratic
party caused by the silver issue. Had
he remained in the senate instead of
accepting the difficult post Of secre-
tary of the treasury, he could not have
escaped the necessity of taking sides
and it is hardly probable that he
could have remained on good terms
with the Kentucky democracy during
the stormy period of Mr.. Bryans as
tendency Mr.. Carlisle belonged to
the older conservative school of dem
ocracy, and with the general program
of Organism. aside from the silver
question, he could never have been
in genuine sympathy. AS a young
man in a border state he had been as
nearly neutral in the civil war as a
citizen possibly could be but in the
period when Organism ruptured his
party Mr.. Carlisle was too eminent
leader to be able to pursue non
commital course. His political fate
therefore, seems to have been Logical
as well as inexorable.
Mr.. Carlisle while eminent as {
parliamentarian and a legislator, was
| by temperament best fitted for tn,
bench and the courts of the United
States lost a great Judge probably
when circumstances decreed that hi
work should be elsewhere. 1t wa
the natural judicial quality Of hi
mind that made him so great as tn
speaker of the House and the othe
notable qualities of his mind were o
the sort to render distinguished il
dicial career. President Clevelan
was not mistaken in his estimate c
Mr. Carlisle's mental powers wheI
in his first term, he so seriously col
templated nominating the speaker c
the House to be chief justice OF tn
United States supreme court, Fo
executive Office the Kentuckian wa
least of all fitted by temperament an
Experience and Mr.. Clevelands late
desire to have Mr.. Carlisle succee
him in the presidency reflects les
credit upon Mr.. Cleyeland's judgmer
of men.
There are very few Of the member
of the two Cleveland administration
still alive and only one of the survi
ors has today the Potentially Of
man with a future" Gov. Harmon I
Ohio is not without possibilities. NJ
Carlisle for dozen years after h
retirement from official life was II
mistakably n man with past, and h
going leaves no void in the world
politics and affairs-Springfleld r
lpnblIcan.