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

management of this farm, as in all
other matters, Col. Holt has shown
himself to be far sighted, and progres
sive by eschewing the habits of most
of our people in raising hut one crop,
fer instance, cotton or tobacco. and
buying everything used on the farm
(habits that have caused agriculture
to languish in the State e)-and by
striking out in new directions-such
for instance as stock raising, cultiva-
ton and sale of clover and clover
seed, &c. AS consequence his farm
hash cen a paying investment where so
many have only brought their owners
to ruin. He is known throughout
the State in connection with the North
Carolina Agricultural Society, of
which he was president for twelve
years or more. He has always and
does now take lively interest in its
existence and prosperity and it was
through his instrumentality that the
location of the fair grounds was chang
ed from its original site to the point
now occupied, westward of the city, on
the North Carolina Railroad. But
for him, his influence, his earnest sup
port and encouragement and his as
sumption of its debt at a critical
juncture, it is not too much to say
that the State Fair would have gone
down long ago.
In addition to being a great manu-
facturer and progressive agricultur-
alist, Col. Holt is also great success
as railroad man. He was elect
ed director of the North Carolina
Railroad Company in 1869, by the
stock olders, and has been connected
with it ever since. He was president
/ of the road one year under Governor
Caldwell's administration and during
Governor Brogden's term, when Mai.
Vim. A. Smith resigned the presiden-
cy of the company to go to Congress,
Col. Holt was again chosen president
by a Republican board, which position
be holds to this day, discharging the
responsible duties in an entirely salts
factory manner. During his admin
istration the stock of this road has
gone up to par and it pays a regular
annual dividend of six per cent.
1 In public life as in other respects
he has also been eminently successful.
While neither brilliant, nor fashy,
nor intriguing, he is plain, unpro
fessional, honest hearted, fair. minded,
able North Carolinian, without affec
tation, without chicanery, of large ex
perienee, of robust honesty and abso-
Iato fidelity to every trust He has
trendered great services to his State
and to his patty, NOT in the. last elec.
| tion only, but ever since the organic
1 alton Of our party he has stood in
| its foremost ranks fighting its battles
and giving literally of his time and
means to its cause. He has ever
been most sealous wGEkeS in the
1 cause of Democracy. serving cheer
fully and without murmur or reserve
in any capacity to which he might be
] assigned. The only objection that
Ewas urged against the subject of
! this sketc is that he could net make
| sufic emily brilliant oahvass.. Dur
Il ing the late war 1t was said Of Stone
/ wall jackson that he made a good
1 Colonel, but would never do for a
| Brigadier- General. When appointed
| to this position he put his traapff,re to
shame by the hfill,ansy3 of Ills achieve
ments, and they said he might be able
TO command a brigade, but was unfit
ted for the command of division.
Soon afterwards he vas a gloGFioais
success as division esomlrmnander, but
his friends, while astounded by the
lbrilliancy of bis genius, were yet not
silent but insisted that while he un-
doubtedly had capacity enough to
command division he was wholly
unhtted for the comm.nd of q eorpsas.
. y On the pages Of history, In imperisha-
: BILE letters is written how grievously
they erred in their estimate of that
, | mysterious man and "BraFipg gsnep-
sal." 90 it is With the 'suBiect Of this
sketch. Making no pretence to being
an ornate and finished orator, his
friends claim that though pFanheeies
of failure have baen often made o1i
9 him he has always surprised those
who made them and Gonfounded his
, opponsnts in political debate. The
smen who admire ornate and finished
,oratory, who read constantly the
newspapers, are not changed in their
: political views by public speaking
!, !, but the plain, honest, pEastisal neopk
! of tae State who lack the means ts
7 buy and time to read the papers art
: = the ones whose votes are gained By
Z public speaking, With this class o
= our citizens no man In North Carolini
I Possesses more influence or is more pop
e silar than Col. Holt. His busines
y and practical training enable hi,n tt
y grasp almost in moment the stronl
a and main points 9fthe issue and dia
Y, carding all extFanenua matter b
J fpIesses his points home TO his heare
Issith rugged eloquence that Is natu
= frai and characteristic Of the man.
"A success be the best test of merit an,
,e ahility-no one has more right t
Of thihk that he can command the sui
n frages of his fellow, ciitisens than th
q subject OF this sketeh-sinee he ha
ID always led his ticket In every comics
. Tin which he was candidate. Prio
q ttdthe war Col. Holt was Whig, bu
th mot an active politician, occupying u
q soffice except that of magistrate. Fl
is WAS a member Of the old county ooul
be 49fs sAlamance county and chairman I
s. the Alamance county finance commi
u tee In 1872 he was elected a count
bill commissioner of his native count
ri which position he held for four year
~ Iii 1876 he was chosen to the Sta
II Senate as a Democrat, serving ay
yn term of two years. In 1882 he wi
4 IeIected to seat in the House of Re
II