Charles J. Morris Biography


	This biography appears on pages 352-356 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				CHARLES J. MORRIS. 

	Since 1899 Charles J. Morris has been engaged in the general 
practice of law in Sioux Falls and for the past three years has been 
connected with important litigated interests as a member of the firm of 
Morris & Caldwell. As a public-spirited citizen he has also taken a 
prominent part in the political life of his city and state and for four 
years rendered his district efficient and discriminating service as a 
member of the legislature, during a portion of which time he served as 
speaker of the house of representatives. 

	Mr. Morris was born on a farm at the Black Jack Mine, near 
Galena, Illinois, January 10, 1871, and is a son of James and Louisa 
Morris, the former born in Hereford, England, July 4, 1829, and the 
latter in Zurich, Switzerland, February 26, 1837. The father came to 
America in 1856 and located near Galena, Illinois, where he engaged in 
farming for a number of years. He died in Galena, March 4, 1906, having 
survived his wife since February 18, 1904. 

	Charles J. Morris acquired his early education in the common 
schools and afterward attended the German-English College in Galena. 
Following this he enrolled in the Northern Illinois Normal School at 
Dixon, graduating in 1896. He read law while engaged in teaching school 
and completed his law course at the Dixon College of Law, receiving the 
degree of B. L. in 1898. Some idea of his ambition, energy and 
enterprise may be gained from the fact that he paid his own tuition 
during his college career, attending school alternate years and working 
when not engaged with his books. He acted as a book canvasser at one 
time, at another as traveling salesman, engaged also in railroad work 
and at the time of the World's Fair was a reporter for a Chicago 
newspaper. He was admitted to the bar of Wisconsin in 1898, while 
located at Hazel Green as principal of the high school. In June, 1899, 
he came to South Dakota and began the practice of his profession in 
Sioux Falls, October 2, 1899, of which city he has since remained an 
honored and respected resident. He engaged in general legal practice 
alone until 1910 and in that year formed a partnership with Charles V. 
Caldwell. This firm is recognized today as one of the leading law firms 
of the city, connected through an extensive and growing clientage with 
a great deal of important litigation. Mr. Morris is a strong, forceful 
and able lawyer, well versed in the underlying principles of his 
profession and is a conscientious and successful practitioner.

	Aside from his profession, Mr. Morris has also taken a prominent 
and active part in civic and political affairs and has held various 
positions of public trust and responsibility. He entered the South 
Dakota legislature for the first time in 1909 and his work received the 
hearty endorsement of his constituents in his reelection in 1910. He 
served as chairman of the committee on judiciary in the house in 1909 
and his record in this capacity added to his growing prominence as a 
competent legislator. In the session of 1911 he received a unanimous 
vote of all parties for speaker of the house and this office he filled 
creditably and impartially until he left the legislative body. On April 
13, 1911, he was appointed assistant United States district attorney 
for the district of South Dakota, serving in this position until 
January, 1913, when he was made district attorney in place of E E. 
Wagner, who resigned.  

	Mr. Morris is a stanch republican and stands high in his party's 
councils. In the 1910 campaign he served his party as secretary of the 
state central committee, and in the election of that year South Dakota 
was one of the two states in the Union that showed a republican gain 
over the vote at the previous election.  

	While teaching at Hazel Green Mr. Morris became acquainted with 
Senator La Follette and became convinced that the work he was doing was 
for the best interest of humanity and that La Follette's program would 
result in much benefit for the masses. He found in South Dakota, the 
special interest intrenched in the affairs of government and dictating 
every political act as La Follette found them intrenched in Wisconsin. 
When the progressive republicans of South Dakota declared warfare on 
this condition, Mr. Morris joined their forces and has been one of the 
aggressive forces in placing in the people's hands the reins of 
government.  

	In the legislature, in the office of United States attorney, and 
in his campaigns before the people, Mr. Morris insisted that the 
individual citizen be given a hearing and be fully protected in his 
rights, and he also took the stand that the rich and powerful 
corporations were well able to take care of themselves and their 
property and that those of small capital most needed the protection of 
the strong arm of the government. He accordingly, in the local affairs 
of his home city, in the legislature and in the office of United States 
attorney, insisted that every one receive full protection in his rights 
and that justice be meted out to all -- alike to rich and poor, great 
and small.  

	Mr. Morris was instrumental in putting through the house in the 
legislative session of 1909 the electric headlight bill which was 
backed by the organized trainmen and vigorously opposed by a powerful 
lobby of the railway companies. He also introduced in and forced 
through the house at the same session, the bill increasing the supreme 
judges from three to five This law has greatly promoted justice by 
enabling eases to be speedily terminated in that court, while formerly 
they were often held up for years. He also introduced and backed the 
bills which resulted in our present juvenile court law. While speaker, 
the bill which created a third congressional district became a law and 
it was quite generally thought Mr. Morris was the logical candidate for 
congressman of the first district. He was strongly urged by leaders of 
the progressive republican forces to become a candidate. His 
legislative friend, C. H. Dillon, being a candidate, he decided to 
stick to his duties in the United States attorney's office and threw 
his support to Mr. Dillon.  

	Mr. Morris' work in the various public offices he has held has 
been approved by the great body of the citizens of the state and there 
are many in all parts of the state who will gladly back him for any 
office he may in the future seek. He is a strong, aggressive fighter in 
life's battles. His predominant characteristics are his 
straightforwardness, fairness, firmness and honesty in all things. He 
has always insisted that a candidate for office should let the voters 
know much of his life's history, the things he stands for, so that the 
voter may know what candidate will most nearly carry out his 
principles, if elected. He has also always insisted that a man cannot 
be made honest by electing him to office. Honesty in a candidate first 
and then as much of other merits as can be piled on, expresses his 
views.  

	In the city of Washington, July 10, 1907, Bishop Frank M. Bristol 
of the Methodist church officiating, Mr. Morris was united in marriage 
to Virginia Hazen, daughter of the late A. W. Hazen, for many years 
naval officer in the United States custom house at Baltimore. She is a 
niece of General A. Depew Hazen, deceased, who for a long period was 
third assistant postmaster general, and a grandniece of Senator 
Chauncey M Depew. Many of her other relations are prominent in 
official, professional and social circles in the national capital. Her 
ancestry can be traced back to Napoleon Bonaparte. Mrs. Morris was a 
pupil of the late Dr. W. J. Bischoff, of Washington, who was for thirty 
years the leading teacher and composer of the national capital. Under 
his masterful instruction, Mrs. Morris became one of the leading 
soprano soloists of Washington, occupying the position of soloist at 
the First Congregational church and taking leading solo parts in 
concert work. She appeared on several musical programs at the White 
House, while occupied by President McKinley. Mrs. Morris is not only a 
soloist of high and dramatic quality but is an all-around and thorough 
musician. Since coming to South Dakota she has delighted with her 
singing audiences in her home city, at the state capital and in other 
cities in the state where she has appeared as soloist for the Eastern 
Star, Federated Woman's Clubs and other gatherings.  

	Mr. Morris has taken an active part in Masonry, being a member of 
the higher Masonic bodies, and having served as worshipful master of 
Unity Lodge, No. 180, of his home city. He has also served as patron of 
Jasper Chapter, No. 8, Order of the Eastern Star, and is also a member 
of Sioux Falls Lodge, No. 262, B. P. O. E.  

	Mr. Morris is a man of varied interests, and this, coupled with 
his wide training and experience, forcefulness, honesty and fairness, 
has made him an effective force in community advancement and growth, 
and his official and professional records have placed him in the front 
rank of progressive and substantial citizens of his city and state.