Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-02
Georgia Doctors AS Senat O4o

4
fairs? Certainly there is a decided trend in
! that direction"
Incident to this query, Mr.. Small referred
| to the late election of DR.. Royal 5. Copeland,
OF New York, and TFr. Henrick Shlpstead, Oh
! Minnesota to the United States senate which
convenes on the fourth day of next March. He
also stated that Senator Hall, of Delaware a
member of the present senate, is a physician.
Lest we forget" Georgia has been repre-
sented in the United States senate by two doc
! tors They were not only skilled in their pro
| fession, but they were versed in statecralt'
| shrewd politicians, and forceful and eloquent
! orators | refer to William Wyatt Bibb and
| Homer Virgil Milton Miller. The latter was
| gifted with such powers and charms OF ora
tory he was called "The Demosthenes OF the
Mountains" Surely there never was a sena-
tor since the foundation of the Republic who
bore so poetic a name as his. Think of it! A
uuartette of poets constituting one appella-
ton And the name was not inappropriate,
for Miller possessed that rare tenderness OF
sentiment and mellow beauty of expression
characteristic of the true poet. With his rlch
graces of speech he touched all the springs OF
human emotions.
Bbb a Leading Statesman
l love to write of Senator B1bb, because the
county of my love, the county which gave me
birth, and in whose generous bosom nope TO
have my final sleep, was named in his nonor
one hundred years ago. He possessed CON
spicuous abilities. He was not only one Oh the
most eminent physicians of his day, but he
ranked as one of Georgia's leading statesmen
in the early and critical years of governmental
construction, and while momentous cohStltu-
tional issues were ever the tides"
After receiving a classical education at VIII
liam and Mary College, Virginia, he graduated
from the medical department OF the UnlVeF-
sity of Pennsylvania, in 1901, and located at
Petersburg Ebert county, Georgia, and quick
lv-acuufred success and distinction at his prac-
tice of medicine He was devoted to his pro-
fession, but politics possessed for him an IRE
sistible charm, and yielding to its siren call
and the opportunities of his constituents with
whom he was a great personal favorlte, ne
first served two terms in the Lower branch OF
the Georgia legislature, and was then adVahc-
ed to the upper chamber.
Met a Tragic Death
So conspicuously brilliant were his services
in the general assembly, he was elected to the |
national house of representatives IN loV - |
when only twenty-siX .fears old, and there
served with marked ability about seven years,
when he was elev-.ted to the United states
senate as successor to the illu5trious Wllllam
II. Crawford, who resigned to accept the ohlce
of minister to France.
The relations between Senator Bibb and
President Madison were most cordial Ihey
were warm personal friends and close poIltlcd'
confidants When Bibb resigned the senator
ship in 1916, Madison appointed MN terrlto-
rial governor of Alabama, the only man to
hold this position and when Alabama was al
mitted to the sisterhOod of state, Blbb, IN 1919
was unanimously elected by the people tnelr
first governor under the state CONSTITUTION
While riding horseback over his plantation, IN
July. 1920 during violent thunder storm, |
his horse became terrified and threw him. The |
governor received fatal injuries from when
he soon expired. He met this tragic death
in the fortieth year of his age. He was sue
ceeded in the gubernatorlal oHlce ny HIS
brother, Thomas Bibb.
Miller a Noted Leader
Doctor-Senator H. v NJ. Miller was noted
southern leader before the Civil War, and by
reason Of his patriotism, ability and eloquenCe
held commanding place in public atfalrs lie
performed a prominent part in the secession
convention. rendered important services IN
the state Democratic convention, Benjamin II.
Hill chairman, which met in Macon IN 1907,
to consult on the Reconstruction situation, ana
was leader in the constitutional conVentioh
of the following year. He was formidable
debater on the hustings. He mad famous
debates with Walter T. Colquitt.
Although the legislature OF 1858 eIecteo
DR. Miller United States senator over roster
Blodgett it was some three years before ne
was allowed to take his seat, owing TO con-
test by Blodgett, and sundry conditions IN
cident to Reconstruction. l have READ that
when DR.. Miller was sworn in as senator ne
was the only southern Democrat in the senate
of the United States.
DR. Miller was South Carolinian by birth:
His fathers family moved, i'll 1919, 10 what
is now Rabun county, Georgia, when the
future senator was about five years oIQ
Later they located III Troup county Wnef6
the coming statesman studied medicine
After his graduation from the Medical col
lege of South Carolina, DR.. Miller settled Ill
Cassvflle Barlow county, subsequently re-
sided in Rome, and then in Atlanta. lie was
surgeon of the Eighth Georgia regiment dur
ing the Civil War. DR. Miller was a trustee
of the State University for thirty years
Macon Physician a Diplomat =. |
In the field of diplomacy, Mr.. Small IN MS
Washington correspondence refers to former
Premier Clemenceau, of France, and the
British Ambassador, Geddes' as having oeeh
doctors by profession.
One of the most renowned physicians III
Georgia in ante-bellum days was Dr Am
brose Baber, of Macon. He was pohsned
diplomat, and once represented the Cnlteo
States at the Court of Sardinia. He repre-
scented Bibb county brlllantly IN ootn
branches of the legislature. DR.. Baber visit
ed the Quincy railroad, Massachusetts, when
was the first railroad, a granite Garner con-
structed in the United States, and he there
the idea of having railroad Dullt
from Macon to Savannah now the Central
Speaking of doctors in public analTS,
think it timely to say that the Georgia legls-
lature has named five counties in this state
in honor of physicians. The men thus recOg-
nized and appreciated were Richard Banks
William Wyatt Bibb, Crawford w. Long, VIII
liam Terrell and Joseph Warren. /
I have already written at some length Oh
DIR Ribb. DR.. Banks was born in Ebert
county. in 1884. He graduated from the
University of Georgia, one of his distinguish
ed classmates being Chief Justice Joseph |
Henry Lumpkin of the state supreme court
He was also graduate from the medical de-
partment of the University Of Pennsylvania.
Thought Him Inspired
Alton nranticing a short while IN ElDGrC, |