The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-06-28
resentatives, and again in 1884 and

| At the session of the legislature for
1884, Col Holt was elected to the
high and honorable position of Speak
er of the House. OF large legislative
| experience in 10th branches of the
legislature, a good parliamentarian
through experience In public affairs,
full of esergy, life and vim, quick in
thought and action, of strictest honor
and integrity; earnest, faithful and
conscientious in the discharge of his
duty direct, straightforward, firm
and manly; just, fair and impartial !;
not enticed by allure ments from the
plain path of duty, nor deferred there
from by opposition !; broad-minded
and level-headed, it is needless to say
that the duties of his high and exalted
office were administered with ability
and in business like manner to the
entire satisfaction and most acceptably
to his fellow members Of both political
parties and to the people of the State.
His progressive and business charac-
teristics have been recognized at every
session of his membership and made
available on the various important
committees on which he served. tits
the just pride of Col. Holt and his
friends that he has in his public career
advocated and supported by his infu-
ence and vote every measure that ten
ded to build up and advance material
ly his native State, among them the
establishment and maintenance Of the
present system of county government,
though his own county people were
not in need of it and at first somewhat
opposed to it; the building Of the
Western N. G. Railroad and the Cape
Fear & Yadkin Valley Railroad the
establishment and placing upon a sure
and firm foundation the Department
of Agriculture, from which much good
has flowed to the State in the preven-
ton and protection of our farmers
from spurious fertilizers and from the
exhibition of the States resources at
Boston, Atlanta, Raleigh and New
Orleans and from which much more
good will flow when the Industrial
School shall have been built from the
funds derived by and through the de-
partment.
Col. Holt has always been a friend
To- the cause of education, voting for
liberal appropriations to the common
schools Of the State, and to the Uni
versity, and in his capacity as legis-
lator his ear has ever been open to
the cry of the unfortunate, whether
from the Asylums at Morganton, Ral-
eigh and GolGsboso oE from the Or
phans at Oxford. Perhaps in no in
stance were the services Of Col. Holt
OF more value to the State than In the
compromise of the State debt and es
pecially that part of it which was a
lien on the States stock in the North
Carolina Railroad Company, when
the State was almost In despair about
being able to compromise this debt
and the whole matter was in the hands
of the Federal Court by and through
its receiver. the Hon. Samuel F. Phil
ips, and all thought +, the road must
so.
Col. Holt, with some other business
men, went north to see the parties
holding the bonds secured by tbs lien.
After negotiation had failed, and after
much delay, saNqyaHse and yexation,
they succeeded BY reason Of their in
hhehce in business circles up North,
in compromising the debt, and thus
saved to the State its most yalu able
pFeperty-the North Carolina Rail
road. Some idea of the service thus
rendered the State may be had when
it is remembered that the road is now
worth from five to six million dollars,
and that the State owns three -fourths
OF its stock; and that it is calculated
that by the time the present lease OF
Atlanta & N. G. r. r. Gin which the
State also owns controlling interest
can be leGsed 80 that the part Of the
cent due and coming to the State an
hually from the lease of said two
roads will be sufficient to naY the en-
tire expeAses Of the State government,
end no more State. taxes need be lie.
Wed.
These are the kind Of achievements
which the State requires and needs Of
her public men in this day and time
and what goes before is the history oi
the life and services of Hon. Thomas
Michael Holt, of North Carolina