The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1912-07-04
LIFE OF SENATOR
ROBERT |. TAYLOR

of the late Senator Bob TayIer, Ten
nessee's unique character, who achiev-
ed peculiar distinction, both as
statesman and lecturer and who was
undoubtedly the idol of the people of
his own state. To add TO the interest
in this coming biography, it is being
written by the three brothers of the
late senator, James p. Taylor and AL
fred A. Taylor of East Tennessee, and
Hugh l.. Taylor of Fort Worth, Tex.
The book is now well under way.
The fact that it is being written by the
three brothers, who combine many of
the elements that made Bob Tay lor
Distinguished for a peculiar type of
greatness, means that the story will
contain the rarest humor and most
thrilling incidents of Bob TaylOr's
wonderful life.
1--WE shall tell, " said Alfred Taylor,
"those things which have appealed
most to popular sentiment in the life
of our late brother, his early life and
environments, the incidents that in
sugurated his political career and the
inspiration which led to his most pop
ular lecture The Fiddle and the Bow. "
The story of how Bob Taylor got in.
to politics and how he became lee
turer, and the origin of "Yankee
Doodle and Dixie will be told with
thrilling Interest. His boyhood life
and college days will be told in detail
by tie brothers who know the facts as
no Others could know them.
The story of how Bob Taylor became
a lecturer is pathetic in some features,
but its narration would be incomplete
with any feature left out. Therefore
thebrothers are presenting it in full The
fact is brought out that Bob became a
lecturer under the stress of pecuniary
necessity, as indicated IN his own
words
"My firm has good business in the
prospective, but what good is business
in the prospective to fellow if, in the
meantime, he has starved 10 death?"
The true story of the origin of @The
Fiddle and the Bow" now so famous,
will also be given in all its most inter
esting incidents.
In the Introductory of the manu-
script for this biography picture in
word painting is drawn of Bob Tay-
isg's Aahvs "Happy Valley" aad
those inspiring environments which
led up to his beautiful creations. The
following is quotation from The
manuscript in this connection:
"The artistic temperament and the
love of the beautiful are developed by
association with objects of art and
beauty in nature. But we believe that
the profoundest impression is upon the
minds and characters of men who are
received more largely from contact and
association with the beautiful and sub
blim in nature than from temporal
agency or influence. For nature is but
the art of GSd, first model and primal
teacher of all human art, whose tutor
age is breeding which no human art
can give. We maintain that climate,
scenery, soil and all other natural re-
sources of country have very much
to do in the forming of the character
of its inhabitants.
Speaking of Tennessee, it is sad in
the Bob Taylor biography:
"Here within the borders of this
glorious region, nature has done her
finest work in sndowing it for the pro-
duction of type of men and women
equal to the best and noblest Of the
race. Tennessee may as justly boast
of her sons as did the mother Of the
Gracchi; for in every walk and activity
of life they have acquitted themselves
with high credit if not with the most
distinguished honors. Many of them
have borne a part in making some of
the brightest and most glorious chap
tiers in the history Of the republic. In
the early days, they were actors in
that eventful drama of state building
80 replete with romance and memoir
able tragedy. They are among the
first of the dauntless and invincible
pioneers OF the rifle, axe and bible,
who endured all hardships and brav.
all dangers in subduing and preparing
vast and hostile wilderness for the
building of a mighty empire of states
in the New World"
AS this life of Bob Taylor is being
written 10y his own brothers, who
were in intimate association with him
from childhood to the end of his fas-
cinating career, understanding his
every motive and whim, and appre-
eating the best and brightest and
kindliest features of his eventful life,
it is obvious that it will be the only
authentic and accurate biography of
the late senatov. 1t will be ready for
the press soon.