The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-20
Wilmington Messenger.)

| Atlantic Monthly, the greatest man born
| in North Carolina in a half century. 1t
may be correct in its opinion. We can
| not affirm or deny, for we cannot say
| who is really the greatest man born
| in this State within the last fifty years.
| DIR. Page is unquestionably superior
| man mentally, and may be above all his
4 fellows. We cannot determine this in
| teresting 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
| oYerShadOwS all the other able and We'll
| equipped men in natural endowment and
| acquisition we are not able to determine.
| Certainly with the present light before
| lrs we must leave the question unset
| tied ON our part. The Messenger is
/ glad indeed as faithful North Caro-
| lima newspaper that the State is so well
/ supplied with men of fine intellectual
| parts, and that there is educational pro-
| gress as well as material progress. We
| may say that of those of whom we have
| information or with whom we have
/ personal acquaintance, who We're born
| within a half century, there are five of
/ whom we briefly write They possess
| excellent mental gifts naturally. They
/ are all well informed in some fields of
/ study, some are learned in Il high sense
| lin the sense the word is used in Eng
/ land. but not in the Southern newspa-
| pers--and all have manifested unimstak-
| able ability in certain fields and intel
| lectual excursion. Who have won best
/ the attention of the higher and best
| filed 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 wiser information
| and a more accurate discernment. We
are not well enough acquainted, for In
/ stance, to write of the lawyers of the
| State. We could briefly particulari2e
and characterize some of the famous
| lawyers of the past, but we do not know
/ who are the sablest and most learned
/ lawyers under 80 years of age in this
State, and how they could compare
/ mentally and in accomplishments with
| those we shall name personally.
Hon. Hannts Taylor, Ii. D., ex-min-
lister to Spain and distinguished author;
| Rev. w. w Moore, ID. D., IL D., pro-
| fessor in the able faculty Of Union Theo-
| logical Seminary, the superior Presby-
| terian school of the prophets at Rich
mond Va; Walter Fl. Page, III, D.,
| gifted journalist and successful editor or
the Boston Atlantic Monthly; Edwin A.
| Alderman, L. d., president Of the Uni
yersity of North Carolina, and George
L. Winston, IL. D., president of the
| University of Texas, are men of decided
force, and amplitude of mental resources.
We are quite sure that by much odds
| the ablest work that thus far has been
produced by any North Carolinian, liv-
ing or dead, past or present, is DIR. Tay-
lorS very superior and famous work on
the British Constitution. 1t is a work
of which to be proud. 1t is the produc-
tion of finely disciplined and vigorous
mind, and shows wide reading and
ability to grasp and formulate great prin-
ciples. 1t is in two large volumes, oc-
tayo, and is a textbook in important
seats of learning in the old and the
new worlds. 1t has been well praised
by writer's of fame in special depart
ments, and by eminent authors in fields
quite similar to that in which DIR. Tay-
lor has achieved such pronounced sue
cess In our reading for some years
we have met but with one adverse opin-
ion to the merits of the important work,
and that was from a northern writer.
So we feel warranted in the opinion
that it is a work of more intellectual
consequence than even Hon. Thomas
Hart Benton's Thirty Years in the Uni
ted States Senate" Il work OF uncommon
interest and abounding in instruction in
legislation and political history during
the period of which it treats. Colonel
Benton's huge work is we believe, the
best expression of vigor of thought and
political wisdom of anything that emana-
ted from a North Carolina native prior
to the publication Of DIR. Taylor's work.
He was born in Orange county, TWO or
three miles from the old town of Hills
boro and attended the University OF
North Carolina. DIR. Taylor is a dis
tinguished lawyer living in Mobile. Ala.
DIR. Walter II. Page has had the adj
vantage of a superior education. After
attending two colleges in his own land
he had the privilege of instruction in
some famous German university, fas we
have heard He made his mark while
in his early manhood as journalist
and was aggressive bright, resourcefui
He is also a man Of letters, has the true
I literary touch, is familiar with books
!, has lived in Northern centres of let
e ters-New York and Boston-has many
: acuuaintances among the living writers
I in the North who dominate there and
: even furnish thought and diversion fol-
] thousands of Southern readers. He is
a writer of entertaining articles, IS one
Of the most successful of magazine ed
tors in this country, is a lecturer of most
/ agreeable and sparkling qualities-sug
gestive, affuent, felicitous in phrasing-
and much excels as we have heard said
in extemporizing literary addresses ol
d lectures He is indeed one OF the gift
ed living sons of North Carolina
Rev. DR.. Moore, professor in Hamp
+ den Sidney, is a preacher of exceeding
! charm and rarest simplicity. We once
heard him with unrepressed delight. We