The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-07-01

and mastery work in i've volumes,
edited by him without a cents pay filling
FIVE large octavos, necessitating the
writing Of 5000 letters with his own
hand to secure the great many writer's
necessary to prepare the work, occupy
ing much of his time for seven years TO
complete it, he having to read and edit
all the manuscripts, and to read the
proof, and superintend the publication
Of the gigantic undertaking, was a
marvellous task, q monumental work.
and should be remembered by every
patriotic citizen, by every surviving
Confederate soldier, by the sons of every
man who wore the gray with honor. The
noble women of North Carolina will not
forget the devoted son of the Old North
State in war as in peace, and will offer
many a prayer for Gods blessings upon
him, and that He will lead him in a
plain path because of his enemies
Judge Clark has published a volume
Of addresses, etc, that show his remark
able gifts, his industry, his amplitude
of mind, his unbending devotion to duty
and the right, his ~unbroken, inyincible
fidelity to the people always and every
where. He has contributed by invitation,
within two or three years, to a law pub
llt I'LL WI Vi IL Iii
nent lawyers from many States. They
met in New York city last summer to
hold a consultation and to read the
proofs. l believe that Justice Clark'k
own contribution exceeded 100 octave
pages. have understood that his learn
ed associates in the important work
thought highly of his part. OF his many
legal decisions | may not write ex
cathedra, not being of the legal profess
sion. So far as ] have read them they
appeal convincingly to my understand
ing and sense of justice and propriety.
| heard within twenty days one of the
foremost lawyers of this city say that
he would defy any lawyer to point to
any decision of his with regard to cor
porations that was not good law, sound
sense.
He is no enemy OF railroads or the
industries. Not a line from them indi-
Gates hostility. He is too broad, too
enlightened, too fair to make war upon
the most important public carriers as
we'll as the greatest developers of the
country. enhancing the price OF lands
while helping to build cities and towns.
In a letter written recently to a gem
tleman, but not for publication. Judge
Clark said, and all who know the man
know he writes the truth:
"Not a word that | have ever spoken
nor a line that | have ever written Jus
titles the charge that l am opposed to
corporations or our business interests.
| have stood for them and for every
thing else that will tend to build up our
State. Every intelligent man knows
that modern development is very largely
by means OF corporations and would be
impossible without them.
Nor have l ever had the slightest OPP
position to railroads as such. They are
indispensable in developing our State
and the more of them the better. What
I nave opposed is not railroads as bust
ness enterprises but as political bosses,
to interfere in election OF public Off
Gals. | have opposed their excessive
passenger rates and freight charges,
which retard the development of this
State and l have favored their paying
a fair share of public taxes. This is
the whole front Of my offending"
A plain, emphatic, convincing state
menl which no fair man can successfully
controvert. He stands just where every
! fair-minded, honest, faithful man must
stand. Great Britain is wiser than the
United States are-it taxes its wealth
and not its poverty, a huge difference.
| Judge Clark has two sons who are at the
head of two cotton mills in this State.
having been educated for such, and he
will have two others educated for cotton
milling also. He owns stock himself,
and his sons own one-half of a cotton
mill. Men do not fight their own invest
ments and interests if intelligent and
prudent. | have extended this communi-
cation already too much. At another
time, some weeks hence Cd. W., | hope
to refer to other points. Holding him
in highest possible esteem; conffding
implicitly in his purity, goodness, truth
fulncSs, manlincSs, uprightness and
patriotism; having known him so we'll
through so many decades, even from his
fresh green days of life's fair spring,
from "boyhood's blossom hour and
through his strong, buoyant manful
hopeful days when mis- face was radiant
with the sunrise he intently Watched,' ;
down to this year Of Grace, 1902, wher
he has reached his meridian full OF
activities and with hopes or
unfaltcring, | an old man loving him for
his virtues and admiring him for his
distinguished gifts, could not do less
than to engage in this free, unsuggested
unsolicited Offering, a genuine labor OF
love.
| remember he is of the people, and
for the people, and with the people. and
| rejoice in it. Abe Lincoln stole that
famous sentiment of his in his Gettys-
burg, much lauded, short address.
take it without thanks, and change SC
as to need my wants. find in the fifth
volume of the North Carolina Regi-
ments,' under the heading of '.The Junior
Reserves Brigade" (Dage 5941 a hrier
incidental testimony to the worth OF
our friend, and it being short and pithv,
| conclude with it. The writer's says:
THE Christian jurist who now sc
Worthily adorns the Supreme Court
Bench, Judge Walter Clark, of Wake,
1t bears the date-"Raleigh, n. C. q
April, 1901" 1t was indited when his
whole record as a iurist. soldier. man
OF letters and citizen was well Known
Who was its author? Who was it thai
bore such just, true, high evidence ir
behalf Of the noble man of whom l have
written? 1t was Fab. H.. Busbee. now