The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-29
NO. CAROLINA AT WASHINGTON.
Crawford and Bellamy Likely to Keep
Their Seats. Comment From
the Capitol.

anywhere yet without nndlng North
Carolinians doing well and at the top
of the pile The most prominent and
linians residing in this city is DIR. Ster-
ling Ruftin, who has recently been elect
ed professor OF Materia Medical and
Therapeutics in the Medical Depart
ment of the Columbian University. 1t
ranks among the first half dozen mcdi-
cal colleges in the United States-ilnd
the compliment implied by election to II
professorship in that university is the
highest that could be paid to Il member
of the medical profession i'll this city
of many eminent physicians. DIR. Ruff
fin is the youngest man who has been
elected to Il profesSorship ut Columbia,
easily one of the first universities OF the
country. Its medical department is spe-
cially strong and it is among the first
in point of attendance as well as i'll
equipment and in the ability of its fa-
Guilty. For six years DR.. Ruffn has been
Il member of one of the pension boards
of examining surgeons in Washington
and is president of the board OF which
he is Il member He has large prac-
tice in the city, growing every day, and
is not only one of the busiest and most
useful men in Washington, but also
one of the most influential in his profes.
sion
DR. Ruftin came to this city something
like twelve years ago as a clerk, obtain
ing his appointment under civil service
regulations. He soon began the study
of medicine out of office hours without
neglecting any official duty. He was
steadily promoted in the Treasury De-
partment until he was receiving one OF
the highest salaries paid to civil service
employees when he resigned in 1893 TO
devote himself to the practice of medi-
cine. He inherited medical talent, his
father being Il leading physician in Viii
son and his. mothers father, DR.. Tay-
loe, of Washington, n. c., being for
many years one of the leading physi
cians in Eastern North Carolina. If
mistake not his father was the first
Ruffn to make medicine his profession.
The Ruftins have been most famous as
lawyers and jurists, the elder Ruftin be-
ing easily one of the greatest judges of
the South in the olden times and the
DOCTOR having no superior in this gene.
ration of great lawyers and great men.
| saw him do thing once that showed
the stuff he WAS made of. There was
Il hot contest for Congress between
General Cox. Major John w. Graham,
Hon. Chas. NJ Cooke and Hon b. H.
Bum for Congress in the Fourth dis
trict. Judge Ruf6n had gone to Raj
egh to the convention at the head Of the
Orange delegation which suppol ted Ora
ham. The baloting had continued I'll
day and it looked like no nomination
could lie made, 50 stubborn was each
man for his favorite. 1t was apparent
that Major Graham could not be noni-
mated. and after awhile there was Il
suggestion that Judge Ruffin be nomina-
ted by acclamation. Somebody made the
motion and it was received with cheers
of approval, and if he had kept silent
the nomination would have been given
him. When he saw that the movement
was serious. he put q stop to it in a
way that showed that in high political
honor he deserved to rank with the i'm
mortals. | would be afraid to try to quote
his speech from memory after the lapse
of these years though il is as fresh in
my mind today as il / had heard it
but yesterday. The substance or what
Judge Ruffin said was that he had
come to the convention rs the friend of
Major John w. Graham and believed
he was the best man to nominate, bur
under no circumstances would be consent
to accept the nomination. That is the
stuff" out of which all our public men
ought to be made. Ii stands out i'll
marked contrast to Garfields attitude
in the convention that nominated him
for president. 1t was II high ideal that
Ruffin set for himsclt--aii ideal than
ought to be emulated by the aspiring
youth Of North Carolina The success in
this capital city Of DR.. Sterling Ruffin is
due to the fact that he is made in the
same mould Of his noble uncle. If he
is proud of an honored ancestry, the
ancestry has reason also to be proud of
him and what he has achieved.
Most Of the North Carolina Congress
men are at home fer the holidays, only
Mr.. Crawford and Mr. Thomas being
here. Mr.. Crawford is keeping house on
Tenth street and looks like he had come
to stay. No man who expected soon
to be turned out of his seat would move
into Il hired house, and go to house-k keep
ing. He has an air about him of Tam
here-to-stay that must discomfort the
Duke OF Richmond Hill He has given
the preparation Of his case such atten-
ton that he feels confident of winning the
contest, and his attorneys are even more
confident. Mr. Crawford is not one OF
your sf'cock- stlre" men. He is Il man
who is never certain of his standing
until his foot is on solid rock. When he
IS certain that his house is builded ON !,
rock, he is as immoyable as Pisgah that
| overlooks his home. For every democratic
| irreguarity that Pearson alleges against
the Democrats Crawford has found two
against the Republicans. Representing
Il district that has been going first ont
way and then the other since Ewari
| first was elected in 1886 Il believe ii
wasl. the piima facie case is all in
| Crawford's favor, particularly when one
reflects that the majority of the cleo
| ton officers at every precinct were
named by the Republicans. Pearson
will have hard time making folks be-
| iieyc that he didn't have a fair elec.
| lion when he named two poll-holders
out OF three.