The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1941-05-15
Tells About His Personal Ha-
bits and Important Work
In Nations Capitol.

Washington-The man who will
say most about how much taxes
everyone pays next year is huge
old mountain farmer who likes
ham and honey.
. But, don't send him any. He has
plenty of his own and, besides,
you couldn't bride him with a BIZ
BILE.
He is Representative Robert Lee
Doughton, II, a North Carolina
Democrat and chairman Of the
house ways and means commit
tee now writing the new $780,
100000 revenue bill. Just as Cleo
patra ruled the world by ruling
Mark Anthony, so Doughton
guides the tax structure by tight
rein on his committee.
Straight As A Pine
He is a man of many facets, per-
sonally and politically.
There is his own word that he
was born very young" and
never got over being surprised
at things that have happened
since"
He is a product of impoverished
Southern Reconstruction days, and
was named after the great Con-
federate general his father fol-
lowed in the Lost Cause. His ire
mendous simplicity reflects the
natural dignity of the mountain
people who reared him in an al
most fanatical passion for loyalty
honesty and fair-dealing.
A contemporary from tn
"Dan'l Boone" country, the Yad-
kin regions of the Appalachiar1s
said young Bob Doughton could
strike sparks from rock with
his bare feet. He was the biggest
boy in a community of giant
thewed stock and grew into 30
pound man, feet 2 inches tall
and as straight as a native pine
Some say, as perhaps they
, shouldn't, that he could "tote
hoss";; but, it shows the ponder
Gus strength still in those vast ole
shoulders and hands, as heavy as
''hawg" ham. He has the thick
est wrists and biggest feet in con
gress. His shoes are No. IS and hi:
hat No. 8. The average sized fis'
painfully disappears in his caver
nous grasp.
Climbed Hills For Cattle
Although near four-score years
Doughton is still nimble. When hi
walks to committee hearings HI
really picks 'em up and lays ZEN
down, and reporters trot to keel
abreast his stride. He says he still
can outwalk any man he ever saw
and that a measly Is miles hardl!
makes a good stroll.
He got that way climbing thu
hills for cattle. In young man
hood he bought and sold live
stock, often driving them afoo
to market. He could walk 40 mile.
without rest.
The traditional Doughton story
on capitol hill is the time hi
(never able to pass up a profit,
sold his saddle horse far from
home. The buyer, however, over
looked the saddle, blanket anc
bride in the deal and Doughtor
walked back carrying the heavy
gear 70 miles.
Perhaps that canny instinct il
responsible for the fact that today
he is a wealthy man. He owns
5,OOO-acre farm near his Laure
Springs, N. c., home, a prizee
herd of $50 purebred Hereford
cattle, and is president of bank
He says he never 'slet banking
interfere with business" however
and dismisses the fact he was /;
country squire at the age of As
He likes his campaign nickname
Farmer Bob" and it gets votes.
Got His Money
Another story illustrates thu
diplomat. When a horse trader il
the valley failed to pay for two
mules Doughton sold him through
an agent, the unknown youn!
mountaineer rode down the ridge
to collect.
stranger" he said, ''you have
fine span of mules there"
"Best in North Carolina" thu
trader replied, and upped the orr
ginal price 500.
"Sure they're worth it?"
Friend, these mountain canar
les could pull old Blowing Rocl
from here to Raleigh"
'Then pay for them. I'm Boil
Doughton."