The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-12

that / did not know whether I was
coming out of II alive or not And
that was his most noticeable charac-
teristic from the beginnIng-the tre-
mendous energy and intensity of inter-
est with which he entered upon every
task and every amusement in which
he was engaged.
HE went to Columbia university,
New York and studied law with Theo-
dore Dwight, one of the greatest Of
Jurists and law preceptors this country
has ever known. Then ne returned to
Nashville and taught Latin in the uni
versity the next year in order to earn
money. to complete his studies in Eu-
rope. His family had been wealthy for
those days, but their income was cut
off by the war. He succeeded in going
to Leipsic. and afterward to the Sor-
bonne in Paris, where met him again
a student in the Quarter Latin in
1874.
Since then have seen him only oc-
casionally, but have kept close track
of him, and, with all his other boyhood
friends and playmates have been
proud OF his success and the influence
he has exercised for good. He is one
Of the strongest characters OF the
/ south, and his tremendous energy,
combined with his keen sence of duty,
his comprehensive learning, his legal
attainments and his executive ability,
qualify him in a remarkable manner
for the duties he will be called upon
to nerform as secretary OF war.
"Mrs. Dickinson, who was Miss Mar
tha Overton, and defendant of one
OF the most eminent pioneers of this
1 section, is a woman of great charm"
continued Major Craighead. "She was
educated at Miss Baldwin's school at
Staunton, Va, and finished her studies
Tat Neuilly, near Paris. On returning
4 home she was Immediately captured
by Mac Dickinson, and 1T has been a
very delightful matrimonial partner
ship have never known of a more
congenial couple"
After Dickinson returned from the
University of PARIS he was admitted to
the bar at Nashville and entered into
partnership with James S. Fraser a
friend of his boyhood, which lasted un-
til Fraser's death. They had a general
practice with choice clients. They were
attorneys for the Fourth National bank,
the wealthiest financial institution in
central Tennessee, of which Dickinson
afterwards became a director. They
were legal advisers of other bankers
several rich planters and several prom
inent merchants in Nashville and vi
cinity, and the legal representatives of
the Louisville & Nashville railroad In
| Tennessee.
When he was still a young man
Dicl11nson was appointed "a special
judge of the state supreme court to sit
in cases where the regufar Judges were
disqualified for any reason or were
unable to appear because of illness. 1t
was a notable recognition of his ability
and compliment. to his Judgment
Dickinson did not do very much in
politics, although on two occasions
ne became leader in struggles which
involved the honor and credit of the
people of Tennessee. One of them was
a long and bitter fight for the protec-
tion Of the state credit when United
States Senator Isham G. Harris and
his followers endeavored to repudiate
the state bonds, and Judge Howell L.
Jackson, afterward justice OF the Unit
ed States supreme court, resisted the
attempt at reputation.
Dickinson Joined Jackson and be-
came one of his most active and effec-
tive supporters. While Jackson direct
ed the policy, Dickinson organized the
forces, and showed the same ability
} and energy that Re has always dis
played in his legal practice.
The other occasion was IN 1867
! when Dickinson organized a campaign
to overthrow corrupt municipal ring
in the city of Nashville. At the first
meeting he made the first speech. ana
began by saying that he would not
take step to do a thing to overthrow
, the machine unless every man present
J would sign pledge that. in case the
movement was successful, he would
} not accept an pfics or emolument or
. contract or have any pecuniary rela-
J tiQns with the new government which
they hoped to install.
That demand was complied with.
! The fight was organized and conducted
by Dickinson with extraordinary sue
cess. The city ring was overthrown,
J and John L. Kennedy, who represented
) the best business elements of the city,
I was PLACID at the head OF affairs and
cleaned out the corruption.
Professor Hall, dean of the law
) school of Vanderbilt university, an old
D and intimate friend of Judge Dickin-
son, told me that "the keynote of his
success was his ability to bring things
to pass He had luck, but he always
, paid for all he got In hard work and
l by the application of energy and COM
mon sense. Dickinson has always been
a student continued Professor Hall,
] land he sits up late at night when he
Is preparing for battle. He Is a
, very thorough man, and when he goes
into lawsuit or undertakes any kind
: OF duty he begins by making himself
!. thoroughly familiar with every detail.
That is another secret of his success.
, He does not trust to the institutions
, or to the inspiration OF an occasion.
: He is always prepared"
Judge Dickinson first met President
: Taft in 1892, when the latter first came
{ to Nashville to hold court as judge OF
that circuit, and, being of similar
tastes and congenial dispositions, they
+ gradually drew more closely together
and became intimate friends. Taft
was also an intimate friend of Colonel
; Overton, brother of Mrs. Dickinson,
} and while holding the court at Nash
! VILE usually stopped at his house.
, II have tried many cases before
: Judge Taft" said Judge dickinson the
: other day in Washington, "and In the
: last case, which he decided just before
: he went to the Philippines. he threw