The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1919-04-26

Iarly in the second district. He draft
ed campaign plans for Congressman
Houk as term after term the latter,
sought and secured reelection as rep
resentative from this district. At all
times he was one of the strongest
of the Houk advocates.
When in 1891, death terminated the
career of the lamented Congressman
Houk, Mr.. Austin was among the
first to advocate the selection Of John
5C. Houk, son of the deceased con-
gresham for successorship to the
father. He and John G. Houk had
been associates and friends and the
latter was given the same loyal sup
port that had characterized Mr.. Aus
tins association with and advocacy
of the father. Mr.. Austin directed
/ the campaign for election Of John G..
Houk in 1892 which proved successful.
Again he was in charge of the Houk
campaign in 1894, which was one of
the most vigorous ever conducted in
the district and in which Judge Hen
! ry r. Gibson then chancellor of Knox
county chancery court defeated John
G. Houk. This was the first reversal
4 of the cold Houk guard" encountered.
Mr.. Austin then retired temporarily
from Tennessee politics. He went to
Alabama, the home of his early boy
+ hood, and located in Decatur in the
practice of law. His interest in poll
tics, however, did not lie dormant, and
although republicans were few in
numbers and weak in influence in the
aggregate, Mr. Austin bodily espous-
ed the cause of his political party in
! his Alabama home. He became can
didate for congress in the Decatur dis
] trict, in opposition to Gen. Joe Wheel
/ er, the gallant veteran Of the Con-
federate cavalry, and he met a de-
feat which, however, was not dis
4couraging.
n Became u. S. Marshal.
4 In 1896 Mr.. Austin returned to
s Knoxville and with Charles J. Allison
a cousin of William Mckinley, he
1 took charge of the Mckinley presiden-
tial campaign in this section. He
worked untiringly for the success of
the Ohioan, and built up a support for
Mckinley that was considered re-
markable, in spite of the fact that
East Tennessee was naturally strong
republican. Mr.. Austrin attracted
the attention of Mr.. Mckinney and
also his national campaign manager,
Mark A. Hanna. When the federal
patronage was distributed, following
Mr.. McKinley's inauguration as pres
ident, Mr.. Austin was selected for
United States marshal for East Ten
nessee. He was in Washington at
! the time of his appointment, and upon
! his return to this city with his COM
mission as marshal he was given an
ovation and demonstration the like of
which no other local political appoin-
tee has received, at least not since
! that time. He was met at the South
FERN railway station by a reception
s committee of business men, members
of all parties, and by a brass band.
Carriages were in waiting, and with
sthe band heading the professional, and
1.-THE newly appointed marshal seated
lin the first vehicle, parade passed
up Gay street and to the federal build
! ing. There Mr.. Austin delivered al
speech, in which he expressed his
pleasure and appreciation of the big|
Sovation and evidence of friendship
: thus shown him. He continued asI
marshal until 1906, when he resigned. !
The post as United States CONSUL
at Glasgow. Scotland, was the next Of
fetal position filled by Mr.. Austin,|
and he retired from the marshashipi
to take this office in 1906, which wasI
rendered him by the then President
Roosevelt. He made signal success
as consul and established a stronger
relationship between this country
and the foreign people among whom
he was located. He introduced newt
ideas and methods into the Glasgow
consulate. and made most accept
able official.
In spite of the agreeable position
he held abroad, Mr.. Austin was mott
content to remain away from Amerl-E
ca. Nor was his political ambition2
gratified. He aspired to be memberE
of the United States congress. He5
had sought the republican nomination.
in 1904, but had been defeated by N
w. Hale, the incumbent. However, heI
made up his mind to return to thek
second congressional district of, Ten
nessee, and to ask it's people to send
him to Washington as their represen- !
tative. The sequel to this determine
ton was his resignation from theE
Glasgow consulship in November
1907, when he returned to Knoxville.
Elected to Congress in 1908.
An aggressive campaign, coupledk
with the remarkable personality of
the man, resulted in Mr. Austin being
elected to congress in 1908, and heE
continued in congress as an efficient
representative Of this district. He de- \
feated Congressman N w. Hale, andE
he regarded his victory as sin the \
nature of personal triumph" Hell
went before the people, regardless of <
their political beliefs, as man who
was deeply imbued with a spirit OH
L l.. .s.alU