The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-02-25

of Governor David S. Reid and the
late Judge Settle. Her father was a
nephew Of Governor Alexander Mar
tin, the Revolutionary soldier, who
was U. S. Senator and three times
Governor of North Carolina.
Judge Douglas has been a life
long Republican, though never an
extreme partisan. He inherits his
devotion to the Union. Notwith-
standing he was barely twelve years
of age when the war began, the
Confederate government brought
suit to confscate the property he
had inherited from his mother, de-
claring him an alien enemy of the
Confederacy because he was at
school IN the District of Columbia.
Upon his graduation in 1867, at
eighteen years of age, he returned
to his native State, which has ever
since been his home. He has long
been a warm admirer of Major Nc
Kinley, and was among the first to
advocate his nomination, declaring
him to be "the choice of the dinner
pail and the plow-line, as he was the
truest exponent of American inter
ests as we'll as the noblest develop
ment of American manhood" he
went to the State Republican con.
vention from his county at the head
of solid Mckinley delegation, and
took a prominent part in its pro.
ceedings.
After his nomination for the Su.
preme court, he retired from active
participation in political affairs, in
ODE dience to the established ethics
of his profession.
In September, 1893, Judge Doug
las delivered al address on "Trade
Combinations and Strikes" before
the Columbian Catholic Congress
at Chicago, which was largely re-
published throughout the country
and attracted widespread attention
In it, while deprecating any indis.
criminate attack upon corp orations,
which he declared absolutely neces
sary in our present state of materia
development, he urged the strictest
exercise of visitatorial powers BY
the respective sovereignties grant
ing charters, together with the en-
actment and enforcement of laws
necessary to keep them within thei1
Legitimate limits. This address at
tracted the greater attention as b,
was known to be director or attor
ney in more than q dozen different
private corporations; and from tn,
further fact that he was asked t.
deliver the address upon this partic
ular subject IN place of Mr.. Pow
derby, then Grand Master of tn,
Knights of Labor, who could not at
tend.
Judge Douglas has always take1
a deep interest in public affairs, AM
especially in every effort to promot
the educational and material ad
vancement of our State. He ha
long been the attorney of the Greens
boro Chamber of Commerce, au
chairman of the insurance and exec
utive committees of the Commercis
and Industrial Association of Mort
Carolina.
He represented Guilford count
in the celebrated Georgia Compan
cases; and in 1890 wrote a circuls
letter, which was largely republisl
ed, calling attention to the inequa
ity of taxation between railroad an
private property, and suggestin
the assessment of railroad propert
by q railroad commission, measul
which in FIVE years has resulted
!: more than doubling the railros
q assessment with but little increa'
of railroad mileage. He was the q
S thor of the resolutions unanimous
: adopted by the State Republics
+ conventions OF 1894 aud 1896, ailo,
ing to other property-holders Il
same deduction from taxation {
e account Of Indebtedness allowed
= the note and bondholder.
le he was one of the most aeti'
n promoters of the State Norm
school, and is known as . wal
is friend of the University.
. Although he did not get his licen
~ to practice law until he WAS thirt
six years Of age, within eleven yea