Evening star., 1955-07-23

to celina, seat of Clay County.
to Montyale Institute in 1886.
Then he attended a normal
school at Bowling Green, KY.
for two terms. and the National
Normal University. Lebanon.
Ohio. for one. That was the
end OF his literary" schooling.
In the winter of 1889-90. Mr..
Hull ''read law" in Nashville and
in January. 1891. he began his
formal law education. entering
the Cumberland Law School at
Lebanon, Tenn. He passed a
stiff examination to enter the
senior class directly.
After 10 months Of this law
schooling he began practicing
law in Celina in partnership
with M. C. Sidwell. an older
man.
Still several months short Of
81. Mr.. Hull decided in the sum-
mer of 1892 to run for the State
Legislature. The chances were
against him. The incumbent. a
man named Carlock, was pop
ular and lived in the one large
county Of the four comprising
the district from which Mr.. Hull
sought election.
Won Through Primary.
1t was the practice then for
nominations to the Legislature to
be made in district conventions
Mr.. Hull thought he would have
a much better chance in a prim-
airy ana succeeded in getting the
Democratic Executive Commit
tees of the four counties to agree
to a primary election.
Mr.. Hull bought a good bay
horse" and rode over the four
counties, seeing voters and max
ing speeches. He won the prim-
ary and defeated the Republi-
can candidate in the November
election.
He served two terms in the
state Legislature and declined
nomination for a third term to
concentrate on the practice Of
law.
His law practice was inter-
Irupted in 1898 by the Spanish
american War. ''Raring to do
what could to help the coun-
try" he raised a company in the
4th Regiment, Tennessee Volun-
Iteer Infantry. and was commits
stoned captain. His regiment
sailed for Cuba after the war al
ready was over and stayed there
on garrison duty for five months
Returning home. Mr.. Hull de-
termined to broaden his law
practice and moved in 1901 from
Celina to Gainesboro, in Jackson
County.
Appointed Circuit Judge.
His law practice soon was in
Iterrupted again. In the spring
of 1908. he was appointed presid-
ing Judge of Tennessee's fifth
judicial circuit. embracing 10
counties, to fill an unexpired
term of a man who resigned. He
travelled by horse and buggy over
the circuit. working might and
day" to clear up congested court
dockets.
| On his own record. Mr.. Hull
was elected judge of the circuit
in 1904.
In 1906 Mr.. Hull announced
his candidacy for the Democratic
nomination to Congress from the
Tennessee 4th congressional dis
trict. 1t was lone of the hardest
fights of my career" he recalled
He won by only Is votes. but
more easily defeated the Repub-
lican candidate in the November
elections. In the next primary
two years later. Mr.. Hull won by
1900 votes and had no more op-
position within the Democratic
Party during the next 20 years
! Decided to Specialize.
! He decided early to specialize
in revenue, tariff and other
forms of economic legislation.
/ Within three weeks of his
opening session, Mr.. Hull intro.
duced in the House. on December
19. 1907. a comprehensive income
tax bill. 1t got nowhere for a
long time in the face of an 1896
Supreme Court decision declar-
ing an income tax law invalid
/ He carried on the fight during
! the next several years. A pro.
posed constitutional amendment
i. permitting an income tax wa.
submitted to the States and