The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1888-11-09
FAMOUS NORTH CAR0LINIANS
TIL LATE VI Al W. j. YATES ENTI.
tiled TO a PLACE AMONG THEM
An Imperfect SKI tch of the Life of IA Self
Made Wan, Good Citizen. and an
Honest and CONSCIENTIOUS Editor.


no1nc,' the sudden death of Mai. William
J tr-, the veteran editor of the Char
lnttc Democrat, who died in Charlotte on
I'll morning of October 23th He had
b.tI n his office at work all lay and Went
it"',ir - supper. He was il good health
an at.er reading until bed time, he re-
lirc,t tor the night About three O'clock
Ill he morning, Mrs. Yates was aroused
by ft',-irg his arm thrown around her and
ny n, heavy brea hing. He made no re
Spei~e 10 her inquiry if anything was the
matter with him. Very much alarmed
MrS ldteS struck a light, and saw that
her husband aas in a dying condition.
Tie m, m er4 Of he household were has
Ii ~upmoued but before they could
r.'tth hlin he had expired in the arms of
il,s Nife He a-:sed away 50 quietly and
peacefully that j; WAS diff ,ult to realize,
ii looking on ms face, that the sleep which
bound him Was ,t.rual He had hal a
sa!den and severe stroke of apople1y, a
, pod vessel in his BRAIN having burst
while he was lying asleep in bed.
Thus terminal, at the age of 81 .ears
the life OF man who had carved out for
himself UN his own efforts an honorable and
nS.fuI position in life. The death of such
a III =. Is !, loss that cannot be estim ted
lie achlrvenea.~ and the position ne at
tti.e. ough 70 oe known TO ambitious
>outAe everywhere They would serve al
a stimulus to honorable ambition.
Maj Yates had no easy environments
in his early days. He did not enjoy the
advantages of 4 collegiate education He
started out in life as an apprentice in the
office Of the Fayetteville Carolinian Here
ttls wocA was hard and his pay small. He
~as enured 70 poverty. He served an ap-
prenf ceship TO Economy His income for
N any years necessitated the closest econo-
my IL learned the lesson and learned
il - We'll that he never forgot it. Even
after he had amasSed large estate, though
he was liberal to the poor and to b4nev-
oleut objects, he was always frugal and
economical. Beginning life as an appren-
tice III the office of the North Carolinian
Mi Yates. BY industry and economy,
came 10 be owner of that paper and of a
house and 10. before he was twenty eight
years old In 1856 he sold the North
Carolinian and purchased the Charlotte
Demo- RAT which he has successfully pub
lisa ed since In 1881 the Southern Home,
published at Charlotte, was consolidated
with the Democrat and published as the
Home Democrat, Mr.. Yates retiring from
It's active management. He thought then
that he could retire from Journalism and
find rest waich he needed. But he was
mistaken Aud was not long before
be grew reStiye. Il cannot say out
OF this office was his frequent remark
when he went into the HomeDemocrat
Office He shortly re catered actively as
{ iitor and the name OF the paper was
changed back to the Charlotte Democrat
There is !. peculiar fascination about
t3y the initiated 1t is the rarest thing in
the world that a man who has ever had
-.the smell Of printers ink, 50 to speak,
gives up newspaper work. He may see
renumerative avenues IN other lines open
ing up before him He may see toll, prl-
va ion. and poverty before him. !.uJ he
sticks 10 his love. To Maj Yates new S
paper work was his life. He lived in it
aud by it, His methods Of economy and
his perfect system, added TO his ability as
an editor, made him successful beyond
any of his contemporaries. He made his
PAPER bring to him a handsome income,
an! he was one Of the few North Carolina
editors who put by snug little fortune
from the profits of weekly paper. To
do that was to do what no other man, 50
far a. our information goes, has been able
10 do As a successful editor ia imam
cal WAY Maj Yates certainly has had no
equal in North Carolina.
Mai Yates-s crowning virtues (and he
had many virtues) were his honesty and
his candor He did not know what it was
To dis-emble. He was as honest as any
man Ills writer ever k!.e". He did not
have two standards Of honesty-one III
financial matters and the other IN matters
of opinion. He was strong in his convlc-
tons and honest enough to give expression
to them. He did not give heed TO the
consequences. His paper always reflected
his true sentiments. He was all over a
candid man. If he gave his opinion, and
he was always ready to do so, there was
not room to misconstrue 1t. Ii ne dis
agreed with you, ne was candid enough 10
say so. If he didn't like a popular thing,
be had the honesty and the candor %
strike it heavy blows. People knew when
they read the Charlotte Democrat that
its uttcrances were honest and fearless.
No man nor party could dictate the polcy
Of his paper 1t was his paper and reflect
ed his views. We may well say OF him.
as was said of Horace Greedy after MS
death
He was a journalist because he haa
something to say which he beI1eved mel
would be the better for knowing not oe
cause he wanted something for himseil
which journalism might secure Tor MIN
Mai. Yates hated Sham and hum
Dug quite as much as the Philosopher o.
Claggenputtock Upon their hatred o
Sham. he aud Carlyle would have oeef
in perfect harmony. If man trleo u
win Mai. Yates by flattery or caJoiery' h'
Was Unra n faiI He gave his cOnhOeHC'