National Republican., 1883-06-08
THE MAN ON THE AVENUE.
Small Talk About Men and Measures

ing laHlly 10 MS companion.
Fright you are" yawnod the other. What
is tho matter2 Are you thinking of dying,
or of shaving your head aud doing missionary
work2".
Nothing is the matter, and am not going
TO do anything absurd" rejoined the other;
"but something recalled to mind this after
noon little circumstance in tho lives of
two men, which started hong chain of events
Of the greatest consequence completely
changing the current of many careers. You
have probably heard the story before, but l
will tell it to you, anyway"
"Go ahead"
"Sometimo after tho war Whitelaw Reid
was knocking around looking for good
opening. Ho was one of those lucky war
correspondents who were required by the
War department or some other ruling martial
authority to attach a nom dc plume TO every
thing they sent to their journals from tho
front. This gave to their work personality
and force that would not otherwise have at
tached to It, and when tho war was over
Mack, Reid, and few others were we'll
known. Horace Greeley had seen some of
Whiteaw Reid's work and liked it. He
gave the young man q situation on tho
Tribune. 1t was one of those unsettled, un-
satisfactory jobs one sometimes strikes on o
newspaper, and Reid was discontented. The
salary was only $50 week, and he saw no
prospects of advancement One day he went
over to sec John Swinton, now chief of staff on
the Sun, who was then managing editor of the
Times, and asked him for a job, telling him
he was not getting enough to enable him to
live as he wanted to live and as he thought
he ought to live There was no place open ON
the Times just then, but Swinton promised to
give him show tho first opportu-
nifty that was presented. Not long
afterward he wrote Reid offering him work,
but the latter called to say he had been pro-
NOTED and his salary increased and that be
believed he would not change. He had been
promoted TO do scrub editorial as the light
paragraph work was called.
"At this period John Russell Young was
managing editor of the Tribune and Amos
Cummings city editor. Young was conceded
to be ono of the very best newspaper men of
America, and his prospects wero billiant
| Now comes the queer incident that upset
everything and caused general shaking up.
John Russell Young sent messenger to
| Amos Cummings one day with q note giving
instructions about some assignment of work.
At the moment the boy gave the note to Cum
mings, the latter was telling a tramp printer,
who was importuning him for dollar, that
he would not give him anything.
"'Now Amos, just gimme q dollar, this
time won't YER pleaded the banner carrier.
"I'll be id If will responded the
irascible Cummings,
"The messenger waited to hear no more.
He flew back to Young and breathlessly told
him that Cummings had taken his note and
then said no would be d-d if he would
do it,
without waiting to make inquiries
Young wrote note to Cummings discharg-
ing him peremptorily. The beheaded city
editor tried to see the manager and get an
explanation, but Young would not give him
hearing, and sent the curt message, you
are discharged for insubordination and pro.
family
Years before this Cumm ings had saved
Robert Bonner from heavy loss by fire, and
tho Ledger editor on that occasion had told
the young man to call on him if he ever
wanted a favor. Cummings gave him n call
and reminded him of the circumstance.
"What can do for you,' asked Bonner.
"You can give me u letter to Charles A.
Dana. 1 want position on the Sun. Dana
was under the very greatest obligations tc
Bonner, who had advanced him money to
pay foabis stock in the san. Armed with a
friendly note from Bonner, Cummings called
on Dana. 1t SO happened that they were
making some changes in the force at that
juncture. England, the managing editor
having been put in charge of the busines.
Office and other men moved about. What
did you leave the Tribune for Amos asked
Dana.
81 was discharged for 'insubordination, and
profanity" was the reply.
"I think you are just the man I want fol
managing editor" said Dana, and Amo!
was forthwith installed in that position.
few weeks afterward tho Sun published full
page sensation charging John Russell Younl
with stealing associated press dispatches and
sending them to Philadelphia paper. Young
lost his place, lost caste, and lost prestige
Two or three years afterward Cummings me-
him on the street and greeted him with
"Well, d-n you, you discharged me for in
subordination and profanity, and discharged
you for stealing. Honors are easy. GooC
day."
"Whitelaw Reid was advanced to Young
chair, and when Horace Greeley temporarily
retired from the control of the paper to ruI
for president, Reid was put in charge. 1t il
generally supposed that Greeley died be
cause he failed of election. That is a mis-
take. He died of a broken heart because h,
thought that while he had been out he hat
been undermined by tho man whom he ha,
elevated. His editorials would not bo pub
lished, and when he would protest he fount
} he was without voice. He also discovered
that the circulation Of the weekly had droppe,
from 10000 to 100000 and the daily iron
$4,000 to next to nothing. All these cause
combined to break the old mans mind ant
kill him. No jury would say that he wa
murdered but have heard hard things sal
by those who were in position to know hov
he was treated after that unfortunate cam
D paign.
" If John Russell Young had not penned
; that hasty noto to Amos Cummings discharg
ing him, it is altogether probable that in tn
, natural course of events he would hav
, succeeded Greeley and been tho owner of tn
, Tribune to-day instead of Whitelaw Reit
! and that the latter would still bo holding
subordinate, no account sort of place o.
one of tho New York dailies, or perhap
d Greeley might never have been persuade
y against his better Judgment TO become can