Evening star., 1909-04-17

family had been wealthy for those day..
He succeeded in going to Leipzig ana
afterward to the Sorbonne in Paris
where / met him again, a student In the
Quarter Latin, In 1874.
One Of the South's Strong Men.
"Since then I have seen him only oe-
casionally. but I 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 in the south, ana
his tremendous energy, combined with
his keen sense of duty, his comprehensive
learning, his legal attainments and MS
executive ability. qualify him In re,
markable manner for the duties he will
be called upon to perform as Secretary
of War.
while Dickinson is a democrat for the
same reason that he is Presbyterian,
he is broad enough and patriotic enough
to do his duty without reference to po.
litical consequences. President Taft couio
not have selected any man In the soutn
whose appointment would have been more
appropriate or have given more genera
satisfaction. It Is guaranty OF Tart
liberal and non-partisan policy toward
the south, and. on the other hand, the
people Of the south realize that Wnen
questions which affect their interests
arise President Taft will have at his side
an adviser who has courage, ability,
wisdom and sound judgment.
Mrs. Dickinson, who was Miss Martina
Overton, and a descendant Of one OF the
most eminent pioneers Of this section. IS
Craighead. ''She was educated at MISS
Baldwin's school, at Staunton, Va, and
finished her studies at Neuilly. near
Paris. On returning home she was imme.
-, - 4nI1{ 0VrA
1t has been very delightful matrimonial
partnership. have never known OF
more congenial couple"
Career in Law and Politics.
After Dickinson returned from the Uni
versity Of Paris he was admitted to the
bar at Nashville and entered into part
nership with James 8. Foster. friend
Of his boyhood, which lasted until Fra
ser's death. They had a general prac-
tice, with choice clients. They were at
torneys for the Fourth National Bank,
the wealthiest financial institution In CEN
trail Tennessee. Of which Dickinson aft
erward became director. They were
legal advisers OF other bankers. several
chants In Nashville and vicinity, and the
legal representatives Of the Louisville
and Nashville railroad In Tennessee.
When he was still young man Dickfn-
son was appointed q special judge Of the
state supreme court to sit In cases where
the regular judges were disqualified for
any reasons or were unable to appear
because Of illness. II was q notable rec
ognition Of his ability and compliment
to his judgment.
politics, although upon two occasions he
became leader In struggles which IN
volved the honor and credit Of the people
OF Tennessee. One Of them was a long
and bitter fight for the protection OF the
state credit when United States Senator
Isham G. Harris and his followers en-
deavored to repudiate the state bonds
and Judge Howell E. Jackson afterward
Justice of the United States Supreme
Court, resisted the attempt at repudia-
ton. Dickinson joined Jackson and be-
came one of his most active and effective
supporters. While Jackson directed the
policy, Dickinson organized the forces
and showed the same ability and energy
that he has always displayed in his legal
practice.
The other occasion was In 1867, when
Dickinson organized q campaign to over
throw q corrupt municipal ring In the
city Of Nashville. At the first meeting he
made the first speech. and began by
saying that he would not take a step or
do thing to overthrow the machine un-
less every man present would sign q
pledge that, in case the movement was
successful, he would not accept any off1ce
pecuniary relations with the new govern
ment which they hoped to install. That
demand was complied with. The fight
was organized and conducted by Dickin-
son with extraordinary success. The city
ring was overthroWn and John L. Ken
nedy, who represented the best business
elements of the city, was placed at the
head OF affairs and cleaned out the COR
| ruption.
Tribute Of Professor Hall.
Prof. Hail. dean Of the Law School Of
Vanderbilt. University. an old and inti-
mate friend Of Judge Dickinson, 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 by the application of
energy and common sense. Dickinson HAS
always been a student" continued Prof.
Hall. "and he sits up late at night when
very thorough man, and when he goes
into law suit or undertakes any kind Of
| a duty, he begins by making himself thor
oughly familiar with every detail. That
is another secret OF his success. He does
not trust to his intuitions or to the in
spiration Of an occasion. He Is always
prepared" ~
| Judge Dickinson first met Secretary
| 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 inti-
mate friend of Col. Overton. q brother OF
Mrs. Dickinson; and while holding court
| at Nashville usually stopped at his house.
| Il 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 me down very
hard. He not only decided against my cli-
| ent, but quoted against me a decision OF
my own which I had rendered from the
supreme bench of Tennessee In a similar
case And, as you might say. used my
own words In deciding against my client.
Judge Dickinson's Courage.
| President Taft was a witness of an in.
trepid act Of bravery by Judge Dickinson
some years ago at the annual meeting OF
the American Bar Association at Detroit.
The delegates were returning from an ex-
cursion on the river and the late James
F. Joy missed his footing and fell over
board from the gangplank. Judge Dickin-
| son instantly plunged into the river after
him, and. strangely enough. his son, who
saw the act. but did not recognize his
| father in the dusk, threw him a rope.
Dickinson is a powerful swimmer, and on
two previous occasions had saved men
from drowning in the Cumberland river
| at Nashville and in the Tombigbee near
| Columbus, Miss He got the rope around
! Mr.. joys body without difiiculty and the
latter was hoisted safely to the dock
/ Judge Taft, who was in the party, accom-
panied Mr.. Dickinson to the hotel to see
| that he did not suffer from his gallal.try.
About year ago Judge Dickinson gave
T,,1r Tn - IT,