The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-26

ChaDsbli.ns las, Saturday night. Four
ar five prominent officers Of the govern
mcnt. formerly connected in an editorial
capacity with TIE Chicago Inter Ocean,
save a dinner 90 a former managing
editor a. that paper. Senator Pierce, OF
North Dakota. This pretty little dinner
called o. mind the prominent part which
newspaper men are now playing ~ pub
he afIaira 10 seems 90 me taat wher-
ever one tun8 ia this capital city he
comes upon newspaper men who are
welding great influence in politics and
other fields of human activity, over and
above the influence which they natural
IL exert as writers and editors. ! DO not
ms vet hope that the editors will be able
20 take the place Of the lawyers as the
principal c0mp0ncnts Of the ranks OF
statesmen
Probably the lawyers will always lead
IN This respect as 10 is right and proper
,hov should. a somewhat careful study
~ both senate and house has convinced
me that the best preliminary training for
n national legislator is that acquired in a
law Office. in court. and IN necessary IA
iniliariiy with The laws and parliament
ary usaecs The training Of the law Is
not indispensable. TO success, but 1t Is
much In ones favor. Two Of the most
successful men Of their times in the house
of representatives. James G.. Blaine and
Samuel j. Randall. had not this advan-
faec. Neither ever studied law. One OF
tie most eloquent, witty and useful
members Of the house during the last
quarter Of century, the late 5. S. Cox.
was not q lawyer. There are many other
exceptions tothe rule, bat the rule never
thcless remains that nearly all Of the
leaders ON both sides of the house and in
the senate have had legal training and
experience
But in purely executive offices this
rule does not hold good. Here the edi-
torial training is fully as good as that OF
the law Some of tho most successful
executive officers Of the present govern.
ment are journalists, and the same thing
has been true of past administrations
wish here 10 pause m0mcntarily 70 de-
fcnd thc use OF the word journalist. II
is good. wholesome word, Of well de.
fined. precise meaning, perfect pedigree,
convenient application. IL may as APP
propriaioly apply to the reporter as to
the editor, to the desk man as to the
special correspondent A newspaper is
"a journal of the times. and all of us who
help make journals are journalists. It's
the common fad among press workers a.
say: Il am not q journalist, l am o
newspaper man." But protest against
that. The counselor does not call him
self "hwyer man." and only in de
lision is the physician termed a "medi-
cine man." No such cant is INDUCED in
BIS the educator, the architect, the min.
lister. the civil engineer Why, then
the awkward, supernuous newspaper
man" as a substitute for journalist:
Daniel Manning did not object to be
Ing called q journalist, and he was NOR
than that he was q great politician,
a party statesman. He mad,
Grover Cleveland prcsidentof the UniteC
States and served crodiiably in his cabi
net. Charles a. Dana was and is
journalist. and he was cabinet officer
Daniel Lamont was journalist, and h,
helped make Grover Cleveland, both be
fore and after the election of that gentle
man TO the presidency. Another jour
nalist. and a good one, now occupies th,
delicate and responsible position Of pri
waite secretary TO a president whom j,
helped To- make. John G.. New, proprie
tor of The indianapolis Journal, and the
present consul general 70 London, had
strong hand in the nomination and cleo
lion Of Harrison; but there was no mol,
vital, well balanced, effective force il
That effort than that oxerted by Eliial
Halford as editor Of the principal paper
of Indiana
Long before Gen. Harrison was nomi |
mated for the presidency, before he wa
much thought Of for that Office, / went
10 Mr. llaiiord for data on which tC
write a sketch Of Gen. Harrisons career |
In giving me what wanted Mr. Halford
predicted that his friend |
would be the next president of the Unit |
ad States, and described TO me in detail
hc forces, influences and conditions
which in fact afterward did combine t.
fulfill his prophecy. 1t was faithful ad
lercnce 70 these principles and ability t.
inspire others with the same spirit |
through the columns OF the journal OF |
which he was editor that made lalford |
such a potent factor in the raising up t. |
he presidency of Benjamin Harrison.
As / have said. on every hand we Sc, |
evidences OF the capacity, usefulness ana |
rcat influence of men trained in IN, |
making of newspapers. Successful con
,truction Of newspapers is after all th'
highest OF sciences and greatest of arts.
.incc il involves perfect understanding
# human nature. So why should the
ucccssful editor not make successful
government executive 1t is pleasure |
% record the fact that two of the most |
noteworthy personal successes under this
have been made 10y jour |
.alists. first Assistant Postmaster Gen
raj Clarkson has by common consent
made the most distinguished personal
uccess Of the Harrison regime. Ills
is greater than that Of any
'thor officer of the government at the
present moment Though a second rate
,nicef hc is consulted as often and relied
ipon az implicitly by the president as
ny member Of the cabinet. His wife j.
,lis. llalrison's closest friend. Even
ucccss ike this has not turned the mod
st editors head. His ambition is still
n the line OF his profession, and he in
ends Fastening the day when he can re
urn TO ,he making Of newspapers.
Another sucoe ssfui officer of the ad
is Public Printer Palmer,
'so a veteran journalist 1t was but a
"a days ago that President Harrison
nj 20 one of his friea.ds: "Thcre is one
meau Of the government about which ]
ave ceased 90 have anxiety. l have no
ut Of worry about the government
rinting Office, which every one tells me
managed better Than it has been for