The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-14
THE OLD ROMAN.


all. This is the epitaph that the late
Allan G. Thurman deserves. Con-
trasted with the other great men who
have been in public life during the
most exciting and interesting period
of our history, Mr.. Thurman VIII
stand head and shoulders above them
all. He was a great lawyer, sharing
with Judge Edmunds the. honor OF
being the greatest lawyer in the Sen
ate. He was learned Judge, and as
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
of Ohio, left his permanent impress
upon the judicial annals of that State
Mr.. Thurman was "A Democrat af-
ter the order of jefferson. He was
learned in the truths and the prece-
dents of true Democracy. He had no
cant about loving the people and be-
lieving in them. He believed the peo-
pie could rule more wisely than any
class, and he made his appeals to
them. He was a consistent advocate
of bi-metaliism. never at any time
tolerating or fayoring the establish
ment of the gold standard. He OPP
posed giving corporations bounties,
and he was the only man who put
stop to the greed of the Pacific rail
roads lie believed in "A strict con
struction of the constitution and the
guaranteed rights of the States
and he contended for the rights of
the Southern States during the era OF
Reconstruction with an ability and
courage that won the admira
ton even of hiss political
opponents. He was a SIM
pie man in his tastes, and he believed
in that simplicity of government that
characterized the early days of the
Republic His ideals of the duties of
public men were high, and he was the
best exemplar of his ideals. They were
incarnate in his life rs public leader.
Mr.. Thurman's father was a McthO-
dist preacher 4 short while before the
birth of Bis son, he preached at Eden
ton, \. G.. and moved TO Virginia
not great while before MIR. Thurman
was born. The Ohioan always had a
warm place for North Carolina and
Virginia. and stood as a breakwater in
the Senate against the most sectional
legislation.
In his Twenty Years of Congress"
Mr. Blaine makes this estimate Of Mr..
Thurman:
Thurman rank in the Senate was
established from the day he took his
seat, and was never lowered during the
period of his service. lie was an adj
mirably disciplined debater; was fair
in his method of statement; logical in
his argument; honest in his conclu-
sion. He had no tricks in discussion;
no catch phrases to secure attention,
but was always direct and manly. His
retirement from the Senate was seri-
Gus loss TO his party: a loss, indeed, 70
the body"
The proclamation of Governor Me-
Kinley shows that Mr.. Thurman was
so great that he won the respect and
the esteem of all men OF all parties,
and made every patriotic son OF Ohio
mourn the States loss. Some men are
bigger and broader than any party
and Mr.. Thurman was one of them.
1t was a bad day for the Democratic
party in Ohio when Mr.. Thurman and
Pendleton were retired to make room
for Payne and Brice. 1t put brains at
a discount and elevated the dollar. 1t
was an internal blow that unseen
wrought it's sure work, ultimately
costing the Democracy the loss of a
seat in the United States Senate which
it had held without interruption thirty
years amid all the mutations of poll
tics.