The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-03-19
Hon. Edward ". POu.
Career of the Brilliant YOUNG.
Congressman
From the Fourth North Carolina Dis
trict-He Has Been Success sfuI Both
at Law and In Poiitics-As an Orator
He Has Few Equals in the State-His
Beautiful Eulo2y of 1oody.
|. E. Avery in Charlotte Observer.

iCui .i ulooIitt, WHICH, 10 COlilpOSeu Ol
Chatham, Franklin, Johnston, Nash,
Randolph, Vance and Wake.
Mr.. POu was born September 9th.
1868, and after receiving an excellent
education studied law and located in
Smithfield. He was elected presiden-
tial elector in 1888, and in 1890 was
elected solicitor Of the fourth judicial
district. He was reelected to this
office in 1894 and 1898.
While serving his third term as So
licitOr Mr.. Pou was elected to the
Fifty-Seventh Congress, receiving 49,
929 votes to 1867 votes for J. A.
Giles, Republican; ], ,O96 for j. J. ,Jen-
kins, Populist, and 536 for J. NJ.
Templeton, Prohibitionist. Mr.. Pou
was reelected member of the Fifty
eighth Congress, receiving more than
10000 majority over his opponent,
John W. Atwater, Independent.
AS is indicated, Mr. Pou has been
a successful politician, but he has
been more than this. AS a lawyer he
has long stood in the van of the pro-
fessiOn in North Carolina and in i'll
dividual practice and in concert with
his partnerships brother, Mr.. James
W. Pou, and Senator +. M. Simmons
he has been connected with a large
number of the most important cases
that have come up for trial in this
State.
1t is as an orator that Mr.. Pou is
best known to the people of this
State, and as an orator he has few
equals in North Carolina. He has a
distinguished, magnetic presence and
a voice that carries full and strong
without the strident ring that so
often mars the efforts of an orator
He has spoken before many audiences
and on themes that betrayed his
wide range of information. His first
speech against the trusts was de-
livered in Congress February 18th,
1902, and his speech on "The Trusts
and the Tariff" " which was made in
Congress on January 81, 1908,
showed profound study of the sub
let and and attracted Yssl stt. yaSt deal M Of at st
was the author of the two following
statements, which have been widely
quoted:
''The trusts are treating us not only
worse than foreigners treat us, but
they treat us worse than they do for
eigners.
"Why not remove the protection
the trusts enjoy by reducing the i'm
port duty upon articles they manu-
facture to that point which will force
them to sell as cheaply to Americans
as they do to foreigners? What has
the American done that he must be
punished? Are not Americans as
good as foreigners?"
Another address of Mr.. Pou was on
"Individual Responsibility in Gov
ernment, which was delivered before
the Alumni Association of the State
University, from which Mr.. Pou was
graduated in 1884.
But as an illustration of Mr.. Pou's
style | prefer to reprint this simple,
beautiful tribute to the late Con-
gressman ]. NJ. Moody, of Waynes-
vile:
"Mr. Speaker, Others have spoken
OF the life work of our deceased
friend. Others have told of the
struggle of his early manhood; how
he overcame every obstacle and rose
| to prominence; of his success at the
| bar and in the political arena. 1t is
merely my purpose to place little
bunch of acacias on his grave in
token of my friendship for my dead
colleague.
| Sk"h11o hiS OF Ill 1nn.opc
the records of this Congress, while we
still see his familiar face, it is well we
should pause to speak Of his good
| qualities that those who come after
US may know that when James NJ
Moody died, his State lost a devoted
son and his country a patriotic Rep
resentative in Congress.
Glow soon the greatest are almost
entirely forgotten! For a moment
we may think the services of the
most eminent member of this body
are indispensable to his country and
yet, when. Providence shall call him
hence, his place will be Immediately Y
filled and the machinery of govern
ment never for an instant will stop.
1t were well if we could all keep in
mind that life is but deaths prelude,
simply executions stay. .
Il desire to record this estimate Oi
our deceased friend: He was kind
hearted and generous He despised
not one of Gods creatures He could
not cherish malice He was tender
in his home. 1t was not characteris-
tic Of him to speak evil of any man.
He ardently loved his State He was
an American, willing to risk his life
for his country He was honest il
his convictions. AS a lawyer he was
faithful to his clients. as solicitor in
the courts he was faithful to his
State, as a Representative in Con
gress he was faithful to the interest
of the Republic, as God gave hin
light to see.
"And he believed in God. In the
thunder he heard His voice: in the
sunshine he saw His smile and in thu
growing crops he perceived His all
pervaaing goodness and mercy.
"As the spirit of this generous, pa
triotic man was passing out, as th'
beautiful mountains around his hom,
were fading in LIES twilight, as th
merry laughter of ripping Richlan'
was dying i'll his ears, let us hope i
was mercifully granted to him to Sc
the white spires of the Celestial Cit,
and hear the music Of the eterna
morn"
/ Few men in North Carolina ar
more likable than Congressman Pou
land personal popularity and po