State

Tar Heel History _ By R. H. Bums Jr. Electoral Eloquence An unbeaten career in political office combined with great oratorical flair made Shelby’s Clyde I loey one of the state's most memorable public figures. In 1889, when 12-year-old Clyde Roark Носу became die orphaned head of a household, he could not make the plea. “Give ine a level playing field." Later to Ik* one of the most prominent and successful elected officials in North Carolina political history, the Shelby native didn't need any handouts when it came to achieving whatever he put his mind to. At his death on May 12. 1954, while in office as a United States Senator from North Carolina, he had also served as governor of the state, a congressman, an assistant United States district attorney and a North Carolina state senator and representative. He was never defeated as a political candidate. It's a record of public service that is perhaps still unmatched in the Tar Heel State. Hocy's distinguished bearing and unusual dress made him one of the col¬ orful figures of his time. The brother-in- law of former Governor O. Max Gard¬ ner. he was considered by many to be the most eloquent orator of his genera¬ tion. Born December 11. 1877. young Носу received a formal education that con¬ sisted of six years (attending just three months each year) in the Cleveland County public schools and one summer session at the University of North Car¬ olina at Chapel Hill Law School. He quit school and went to work with the Shelby Aurora newspaper as a print¬ er's devil at age 12. Four years later, he began his own newspaper, the Cleveland Star, after purchasing the bankrupt Shrt- by Review. As its editor and publisher. Носу soon pushed the circulation from 300 to 3.000 subscribers. Once Hoey served as janitor of the Central Methodist Church in Shelby at a salary of $4 per month. He later became teacher of the Носу Bible Class Пкео ("inny ol N C Ihtiura Ы Anhn»n ud Hiun«> Clyde I loey of that church, which he taught for 15 years. It included 300 men of all ages and was said to be one of the largest Bible classes in the state. In the late 1890s. Hoey became in¬ terested in the law and studied it intense¬ ly. passing the bar exam in 1899. About the same time, he developed his lifelong love of politics. He was elected to the State House in 1898, despite being under legal voting age. Although he was only 20 years old at the time, he reached legal age before the General Assembly met in January 1899. He was re-elected to the House in 1900 and moved up to the State Senate shortly afterwards, winning election there in 1902. During his 1 4 years as publisher and editor of The Cleveland Star. Hoey stud¬ ied law in his spare time, and during one summer he attended the UNC I.aw School. In 1908. having passed the sec¬ ond written examination given by the state Supreme Court, he began the full¬ time practice of law. President Woodrow Wilson appointed Hoey as an assistant United States attor¬ ney for the Western District of North Carolina in 1913. In December 1919. he The State/Novembci 1994 31 was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He succeeded E. Yates Webb, another Shelby resident who had been appointed as a federal judge. Hoey did not run for re-election in the I louse and confined himself to his law practice until 1936. when he entered the Democratic primary lot governor. His chief opponent. Dr. Ralph McDon¬ ald of Winston-Salem, waged a vigorous campaign. In the second primary Hoey was nominated. When the 1937 General Assembly failed to join in a $10 million public works project, he had the legislature summoned back to a special session in 1938. where it approved a project of $8.195,510. His administration as gover¬ nor was otherwise marked by harmony. While he was gover nor from 1937 to 1941. the state advertising program was inaugurated, the pay of teachers was raised 10 percent, spending on public schools went up 30 percent. Negro col¬ lege graduate programs were started, the price of auto tags was lowered and free textbooks were provided for ele¬ mentary school children. The member¬ ship of the Highway Commission was increased to 10 and that of the Supreme Court to seven. Other improvements under Hoey included the establishment of the State Bureau of Investigation, the Alcoholic Beverage Board ol Control anti state highway system expansion. After his term as governor expired. Hoey went back to Shelby. He returned to politics in 1945 and won a United States Senate seat, got re-elected once and served there until his death in 1954. Throughout his entire political career. Hoey was perhaps best known for his flashy oratorical style. In the presidential election ol 1928. the Democratic Party had nominated New York Governor AI Smith as its can¬ didate to run against the Republican nominee. Herbert Hoover. Governor Smith, who was Catholic, was opposed by many Protestants, especially in the South. In Lumberton at the Robeson Coun¬ ty Courthouse. Hoey delivered one ol his more memorable speeches to a standing-room crowd on In-hall of Smith shortly before the election. The always distinguished-looking Hoey was wearing a coat with long tails.