The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13
Charles Winston Thompson, of Macon County, An Alabamian Who Has Made Himself,

evident truths, that all man are created equal, and that they are endowed with certain inallenabie rights. The American mind has been built up on these princi- pies The freedom of speech and of tho press and the freedom of religion are the results of those principles, and all our progress has been the result of that free dom. For. where the mind is free, pro- gross Is inevitable.
 "Amerscass triumphs have not been tri- linphs of war co much as triumphs of popular intelligence. Her greatest work. of course, is of her national constitution: but the insvitabis genius of her sons, freed from all the letters of caste and State religions and. false religions, and national prejudices. has worked na-' tionai revolutfou in the world. only less important than the political revolution which made her independent of Great Britain.
 ,; aJsirsrson said: Almighty God hath created the mind frse.' Tn speaking of the mind. then. | speak of that which hapss 1t is on this account that the men who founded this Government of ours were also careful, to urge upon the people the necessitysof general educAtion.
 Madison said: A popular government without popular information. or the means of acquiring 1t, ts but e prologue Co a farce or e tragedy. or perhaps both. Knowiedse will forever govern ignorance. and people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. These are significant words. To arm ourselves with kn0wiedge then ls our first duty. not only to ourselves. but to our families and our country. Yet knowledRe fs not all which goes to make the mind: win and faith and hope and chaffty are its Indispensable ac- ccssprtes. Without these, power which Ia born of knowledge may be useless, or it may. be used far moro Co the detriment than to the benefik of mankind.
 The Only Edncakicn.
 GA Christfen education ia che only ea- ucatton worth having. It is the only safa education. Ths Christian mind is the only eound mind. s
 ..oiiyer. wsndell Holmes. on being asked when the education of . child should be- Isbeiisve the education Of every child should besin i SO years before iksis born. T believe that the efuration of evdry sChristfan child did bsHin more than 1,eoO years ago. ker, wffen the wise men were guahdiug their fiockal in the East. they heard d voice from Heaven which brought them glad tidlngss of great joy and an nouncad that chiId was born, q Savior oc the wofld: those sidings come to us now and no life or character is Aecnapieka without faith in that Savior who cana
 ''ror the glory of our State and nation does not consist 90 much In our mineral wealth. our great citles. our broad acres of agriculture. as it does in. the manhood of our men. and the wonaanhood of our women.
 Wha&.th Press Thinks.
 The creenviIfe Advocate. In a recent is- sue. says of him:
 Conafessnan 0. W. Thompson 10 a na@ tive of this district and has made name. fame and money for himssif. by his en- erxy along ali lines. He is great so- ciai, favorites in all sections and aiways receives marked attention. Mfr. Thomp- son Is the architect of his own fortune and having but little time to 90 to school is emphafica1Iy sslf-made man. he mere boy and built 1t up to capital of S1so,0OO. before the formers death. To- day he Is tho largest farmer and tax payer In East Alabama being owner of oil mills, banks. stores and vast real es- tate holdings.
 Naturally Of receptive and retentive mind. the ramifcatione of an active and broad business career gave him ample op- portunity to do business on a broad scale. He changed from a follower to a leader years ago. and having the faculty of making and holding friends his genial diS- position has forced him to the front in Alabama, and is with one other at the head of the Alabama delegation. At the Park High School in Tuskegee he gained some education. the balance is self-learned. He began his political life as superintendent of education of Macon county where he made a marked success. His friends forced him into the race for senator from his district and so popular was he, he had no opposition. He made . reputation in that august body for statesmanship. moral legislation and con- servatisrn that made him known through out the State. In ll0oo before his term for senator was out he was chosen the from bis district after being nominated over strong opponent by q large ma jprity.
 He has been elected to the Tifty-eighth Congress and his career there has at tracted the attention of tho entire c0un- try No citizen, however, humble, can make a request that he does not prompt fy grant and he watches with zealous eye to build up and befriend his section and State.
 He brought the Crumpackar party South when the Republican party was trying to reduce our representation and the Northern leaders saw the negro in his home. as he is and it's great effect and stopped the warfare to reduce the con gressionaI representation.
 Mir. Thompson. bore all the expense of that movement himself. No public enter. prise or movement. no church or charity mas ever applied to him in vain. He has done much for his people In establishing postoaics facilities and rural routes. hav-