The gold leaf., 1899-07-13
EMINENT CAROLINIANS.
AN OPINION Az TO THE ABLEST
MEN
Produced by the State Within the Last
Half tentury-WhO is Really Great
est Among Them-Nam-S of six
Gentlemen of Whom North Caro-
lima Has Cause to be Proud.

est Among TheM-NampS of six
Gentlemen of Whom North Caro-
lima Has Cause to be Proud.
wilmington Messenger.)
An excellent contemporary at Char
lotte, the Observer, pronounces DR..
Walter H. Page. editor Of the Boston
.4ttantic Monthly, the greatest man
born in North Carolina in half CEN
tury. 1t may be correct in its opin-
ion. We cannot affirm or denv, for
we cannot say who is really the great
est man born in this State within the
last fifty years. DR.. Page is unques-
tionably superior man mentally,
and may be above all his fellows
We cannot determine this interesting
question even among those of whom
we have more or less knowledge.
Some very bright, accomplished men
have been born in fifty years in this
State. There have been some who
are decidedly distinguished, honored,
useful. But what particular man
Outranks and overshadows all the
other able and well equipped men in
natural endowment and acquisition
we are not able to determine. Ger
tainlv with the present light before
us we must leave the question un-
settled on our part. The Messenger
newspaper that the State is 50 we'll
supplied with men of fine intellect
ual parts, and that there is educa-
tional progress as we'll as material
progress. We may say that those of
whom we have Information or with
whom we have personal acquaintance,
who were born within half century,
there are five of whom we would
briefly write. They possess excellent
mental gifts naturally. They are all
we'll informed in some fields of study,
some are learned in a high sense-in
the sense the word is used in Eng
land. but not in the Southern news
papers-and all have manifested I'M
mistakable ability in certain fields of
intellectual excursion. Who have
won best the attention of the higher
and best filled minds and have made
their marks more ineffaceably upon
the world of thought and culture time
will reveal.
We wish to write few lines con-
cerning five notable men who have
lived in the time specified above.
No doubt there are some others who
might be included if we had wider
information and a more accurate dis
cernment. We are not we'll enough
acquainted, for instance, to write OF
the lawyers of the State. We could
briefly particularize and characterize
| some of the famous lawyers of the
past, but we do know who are the
ablest and most learned lawyers
under so years of age in this State,
and how they could compare mentally
and in accomplishments with those
we shall name personally.
Hon. Hannis Taylor, Ill. d., ex-
minister to Spain and distinguished
author; Rev. W. W. Moore, d. D.,
LII. D., professor in the able faculty
of Union Theological Seminary, the
superior Presbyterian school of the
prophets at Richmond. Va; Walter
H. Page, LII. d., gifted journalist anG
successful editor of the Boston Atlan
tic Monthly; Edwin A. Alderman, Ill
d., president of the University o
North Carolina, and George T. Win
ston, Ii. D., president of the Uni
qersity of Texas, are men of decided
force, and amplitude of mental re
| sources.
We are quite sure that by mucf
odds the ablest work that thus fal
has been produced by any North
Carolinian, living or dead, past o
present, is DR.. Taylor's very superior
and famous work on the British con
stitution. 1t Is work of which tt
be proud, 1t is the production of
finely disciplined and vigorous mind
and shows wide reading and abilit,
to grasp and formulate great prin
ciples. 1t is in two large volumes
octave, and is a textbook in i'm
portant seats of learning in the Ole
and New worlds. 1t has been wei
praised by writer's of fame in specia
departments, and by eminent author
in fields quite similar to that in whicl
DR.. Taylor has achieved such a pro
|
some years we have met with but on
adverse opinion to the merits OF tn
important work, and that was from
Northern writer. So we feel war
ranted in the opinion that it is
work of more intellectual consequence
than even Hon. Thomas Hart Ben
toms Thirty Years in the Unite
| tot TO nE m n
interest and abounding in instrue
ton in legislation and political his
tory during the period Of which
, treats. Col. Benton's huge work is
we believe, the best expression c
, vigor of thought and political wisdol
of anything that emanated from
North Carolina native prior to tn
/ publication Of DR.. Taylor's worl
: He was born in Orange county, tw
' or three miles from the old town {
, Hillsboro, and attended the Univel
> sity of North Carolina. DR.. Taylc
, is distinguished lawyer living i
, Mobile, Ala.
DR.. Walter H. Page has had tt
advantage of superior education
G After attending two colleges IN h
own land he had the privilege of il
struction in some famous Germa
university, as We have heard. I
made his mark while in his ear
# manhood as journalist, and was a
:. gressive, bright, resourceful. He
II also man of letters, has the tr,
!; literary touch, is familiar with hook
= has lived in Northern centres of lie
>, ters-New York and BoSton-h
e many acquaintances among the livir
d writers in the North who domina
e there and even furnish thought al
e diversion for thousands of Southel
Is readers. He is a writer of entertai
|; ing articles, is one of the most su
u cessful magazine editors in th
> country, is lecturer of most agre
able and sparkling qualities-su
y gestive. affiuent, felicitous in phra
L