The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-07
THE LATE HON. W. NJ. ROBBINS
(StatesviIle Mascot. J


Brilliant as his military career was,
his eminent services to the State and
her people in peace make his most
enduring monument. A member OF
the Legislature in the most trying
period of the States history, he be-
came a leader of leaders in the work
of rehabilitation after the destruc-
tive legislation of the carpet-baggerS
and negroes. So we'll did he do his
work that at the very next election
he was elected to Congress- where he
Immediately took a high stand and
constantly grew upon his colleagues
and the country until he was retired
in obedience to the mistaken policy
of our people to make frequent
changes in their Congressional repre-
sentation, which has cost our State
so much. not only in the reputation
and usefulness of her representatives
but in substantial benefits from the
National treasury. to be secured in
full measure only by representatives
of long continuous service. During
his last term in Congress Major Rob-
bins served on the Ways and Means
Committee, that great committee of
the House almost as powerful as the
House itself. He ante-dated Morri-
son and Mills on that committee, to
say nothing of Springer and Wilson,
all of whom became chairmen and
gave their names to great tariff bills.
Had he been kept in Congress- Major
Robbins would have been chairman
of this great committee, and the Rob
bins Bill'' would have gone down to
history instead of the Morrison
Bill or the "MillS Bill" or the
Wilson Bill" Such is our confidence
in the ability and patriotism of our
distinguished dead of today that we
believe, had it been his fortune to
have framed tariff bill, it would
| have been an ADLER and q more equita
BILE and popular measure than any
of these great Democratic measures.
When Major Robbins was in Con-
gress the great questions growing out
of the war were still unsettled and
great men were sent to Congress from
both sections and both parties to set
tie them. 1t was a period of ran
corous party spirit and great debates
in Congress. Our dead townsman
bore his part valiantly in the thickest
of the fight with the ablest champions
of the Republican North, and was
never worsted. Some of his triumphs
We're notable. Many of his speeches
We're truly great and gave him ma
tional fame. 1t is just to him as we'll
as to others to say that he was the
greatest debater the State has sent to
the House since the war.
1t will be as public speaker that
the people will best remember Mack
Robbins. He was truly great as a
hustings speaker, as his great rival
Judge Armfeld, was as court house
speaker. We have heard all the great
public speakers of our State since the
| war and many of the ableSt in the
Nation, and it is our opinion that
| Major Robbins surpassed them all in
! his ability to move men. one of the
most scholarly of men in his speech
es before the people he used the
| common words used and understood
by his hearers and drove his convic-
lions home to them by the superb
action of his oratory and the I'M
! matched enthusiasm of H. ardent,
| impassioned, mersurial nature. 500.
| the enthusiasm of the speaker had
| communicated itself TO the crowd and
| grave and decorous men were at one
| moment in tears and the next in
! shouts of defiance as the speaker
moved them at will. He was truly
great orator. We never hope to
see his like again.
In 1898 President Cleveland ap-
| pointed Major Robbins the Confeder-
| ate member of the Gettysburg Battle
ground Commission and he had been
continued in that position by Presi-
dents Mckinley and Roosevelt until
| his death In this position, a very
! lucrative and important one, Major
Robbins labored for about twelve
years, doing much to conserve and
preserve the history of that greatest
| of modern battles and to do full JUS
! tice to his old comrades in the army
of the South, who fighting as men
never fought before met their most
crushing refetat there from over
whelming numbers. He was there
himself and two of his brothers fill
nameless graves on that historic field.
After reciting "Curfew Shall Not
/ Rong Tonight at school a girl imag-
] irnS shn 10 horn aInnnti nnist