New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-20

Mr.. Bowles asked leave TO print thiS lo'soi' '"1
he should like to discuss the questions IL raiSeu'
The leave was given, but the article was ne'0f
written. Possibly he found his friends position
little more difficult to destroy than ne suppo'ou
but We wish he had made the trial. When friend
complained of the paper, he would say, inc no
publican is ono thing and Sam Bowles is anotner'
and YOU mustn't identify them' This was little
bewIldering considering that the individuality Oh
Sam Bowles was stamped on every line of the sheet
but the reply was quite sincere Mr. Dawes tells
the following story
Gone morning The Republican came to me. at my
house in Pittsiied, containing bitter attack on
me- saying in substance that was rogue. 10y tne
same mail came invitation from Sam TO dinner az
his house that evening, given in honor OF MarsnSIe
Jewell who was gong TO Europe by way Oh
answer, wrote as ugly telegram as knew now
and my wife tore It Hp linen t wrote rsn for ort SprnS
field, telegraphng him to meet me at the depot lie
was there. and said to him: You have done Two
things that no decent man would do III TIE same
day-vOu have called me a thief in the morning aud
asked me to dinner in the evening. Ihere Is no
such thing III the paper There it is read 1t! i
didn't know 10 was there-and you must remember
that me Springfield RepablicaR is one thing and sam
Bowles il another You're the only man III the
United States who says that or thinks 10. 10
morrow, if accept yOur invitation, every one VINO
has read that article will read my name among the
diners Mt your house. and will say. W hat spoon
linz is settled We talked i roT tcen minutes
blazed away at each other, and made up. The next
my family heard from me was a telegram asking
that my drcss-cOlt be sent down! After the
dinner we walked to the depot together he took a
seat in the car beside me, and for fifteen minutes
before the train started we had one OF the most
delightful and charming talks we ever had"
1t is because Mr. Bowles is too ready to see evil
in the conduct of his friends, and too ready to
attack them in public without necessity and often
without justification, that we cannot prize the
c,;o al; 10 n of
attachments; but he scarcely rose to the feryor of
that higher Feeling which grapples one to the
soul with hooks of steel. Yet he sometimes came
so near IT, lie was, in spite Of ALL easy to like,
so hard to keep angry with, that one cannot help
believing that Incompatible friend was spoiled
in him to make an impatient journalist
When the war was over no said that ne wanted
to be rs 9aysg as he pleased" In his case that
was a want long felt and often satisfied. II had
more to do with his theories OF independent
Journalism than he suspected. theoretically
IN, Independent journalist is man with firm
attachments TO Prncipleand loose ties to party who
is not afraid TO dcnOunce wrong on either side.
Practically he is too apt to 10 q free lance on
mule. with delight in charging backward. Any
body knows enough to ight the enemy: it takes
superior person TO ght his own side. NIr. Bowles
was Republican By conviction; he believed the
highest Importance 10 the country; yet often when
IL cams to the commonplace duty o! supporting The
cause he believed H. the bOysh instinct of disorder
was too much for hun; he played truant aud broke
windows. OF course he had plausible apology for
all his escapadcs. There was something in the
platform which he did not like, or something in the
predominant Influences among the leaders fell short
of the Ideal. or the convention had failed 20 nom
mate Charles Francis Adams He never could
unicr-t. MI that to wait for the ripe opportunity
and to use the agencies available is not only good
politics Jut the hguest and pure,t craftsmanship
lie would stop the onward march Of the United
states Of America while sam BowIes debated his
personal preferences. There times of general
wrongioins when 1t is tho duty OF honest men to
break with old party associations; but with Nh
Rowes thcsa tmcs seemed to como ab)at every
other day. Whenever Massachusetts, district
made a questionable nomination, The Repub'icm
imagined that events were RIPE for a dissolution of
parties and disqualification Of the clements and
that the political mIiionn nm was Just around the
corner, waiting to come il soon sam Bowles
gave the word. He gave the word very often. but
the millennium tarreS. He came 10 he looked upon
rather dangerous ally. Mr.. Blaine. whom he
abused in pubic aud embraced in private called
him the most dependable cu,s,' and not fow
persons accused him OF peridy-a crime OF which
he was entirely incapable Yours is mighty
smart paper said politician to a Republican
reporter. but it's got 10 influence
That criticism was lar from disturbing Sam
Dowles. 10 make II mighty smart paper was his
one ambition; and he made paper which has
served for years a model to the provincial press
We have already spoken of his remarkable talent
for news getting. There vas 4 striking illustration
OF 1t in 1879, when he obtained for ruG TaIBUxr,
The Springfield Republican and The B1si0a .ltIqs a
fall and report Of the secret proceedings OF
the National Council of the In, W Nothing party AT
Philadelphia Tho occasion was one of exceptional
political interest. aad the daily revelations were
read with intense curiosity. Mr.. BDwles was
suspected rs the correspondent, but the source of
his information could not be discovered. lie wasa
familiar figure AT political conventions, where no
TALKED with everybody. offended nobody absorbed
news as Il sponge absorbs water. aud generally
scnscG the situation " with remarkable quIckne,s
HIS extensive acquaintance with public men was
Of vast service to him in such employmcnts Mr.
Merriam gives 4 dro illustration OF the use he
made of Henry Wllson-one of the particular
friends whom no loved to pound over the head
when he says that the pair lifted each other as a
flowing spring tits pump. The success of The
EegubicR. however was owing TO something quite
different from political reporting In the practical
management of paper the most important news is
the news which its subscribers care most about
reading. Mr.. BOwie4 had the shrewdnesS 10 SEQ
what that In tho largo affairs of tho world he
could not compete with tho great metropolitan
dallcs but there II broad field in the Connect
cut valley which he could hold against all rivals by
working cghborhOod gossip. One of his partners
said of his habits in Springfield: He and would
20 into II little restaurant on Sanford-st and one
and another would drop in and exchange few
words AMI while we woreeatng our lunch he would
pick up half a column of news friend in another
town said Z" | would meet him on the street. we
would chat few minutes about the events of the
day and next day would find IN the paper every
thing had told him. Here we have a hint of the
kind OF news for which The Republican became
"a pvprv toyn in tina circIn of !; o,ar,