The Portland daily press., 1890-01-25
JOURNALISTS ON DECK.
They are very Prominent and tnflu-
entail In the Government.

remarkable dinner party assembled at
Chamberlin's last Saturday night. Four
or five prominent officers of the govern
ment, formerly connected in an editorial
capacity with The Chicago Inter Ocean,
gave a dinner to a former managing
editor of that paper, Senator Pierce, OF
North Dakota. This pretty little dinner
called to mind the prominent part which
newspaper men are now playing in pub
lie affairs. 1t seems to me that wher-
ever one turns in 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
ly exert as writers and editors. do not
as yet hope that the editors will be able
to take the place of the lawyers as the
principal components of the ranks of
statesmen.
Probably the lawyers will always lead
in this respect, as it is right and proper
they should. A somewhat careful study
of both senate and house has convinced
me that the best preliminary training for
national legislator is that acquired in
law office, in court, and in necessary ia
miliarity with the laws and parliament
airy usages. The training of the law is
not indispensable to success, but it is
much in ones favor. Two of the most
successful men of their times in the house
of representatives, James G. Blaine and
Samuel ]. Randall, had not this advan-
tage. Neither ever studied law. One of
the most eloquent, witty and useful
members of the house during the last
quarter of century, the late S. S. Cox,
was not a lawyer. There are many other
exceptions to the rule, but the rule never
theless 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 the most successful
executive officers of the present govern
ment are journalists, and the same thing
has been true of past administrations.
| wish here to pause momentarily to de-
fend the use of the word journalist. 1t
is a good, wholesome. word, of well de-
fined, precise meaning, perfect pedigree,
convenient application. 1t may as APP
propfiately apply to the reporter as to
the editor, to the desk man as to the
special correspondent A newspaper is
journal of the times, and all of us who
help make journals are journalists. 1t is
ti.v vVusIuoa fad1s~.->ens press workers to
say: 81 am not a journalist, am a
newspaper man." But protest against
that. The counselor does not call him
self "lawyer man." and only in de-
rision is the physician termed "medi-
cine man." No such cant is INDUCED in
by the educator, the architect, the min
ister, the civil engineer. Why, then,
the awkward, superhuous newspaper
man" as a substitute for journalist?
Daniel Manning did not object to be-
ing called a journalist, and he was more
than that. He was great politician,
Warwick, party statesman. He made
Grover Cleveland presidento of the United
| States and served creditably in his cabi-
lsnet. Charles "A. Dana was and is a
journalist, and he was a cabinet officer.
Daniel Lamont was journalist, and he
helped make Grover Cleveland, both be-
fore and after the election of that gentle
man to the presidency. Another jour
nalist, and good one, now occupies the
delicate and responsible position of pri-
vate secretary to president whom he
helped to make. John G. New, proprie-
tor of The indianapolis Journal, and the
present consul general to London, had
strong hand in the nomination and cleo
ton of Harrison; but there was no more
vital, well balanced. effective force in
that effort than that exerted by Elijah
Halford as editor of the principal paper
of Indiana
Long before Gen. Harrison was nomi-
mated for the presidency, before he was
much thought of for that office, went
to Mr.. Halford for data on which to
write sketch of Gen. Harrison's career.
In giving me what | wanted Mr.. Halford
incidentally predicted that his friend
would be the next president of the Unit
ed States, and described to me in detail
the forces, influences and conditions
which in fact afterward did combine to
fulfill his prophecy. 1t was faithful ad-
herence to these principles and ability to
inspire others with the same spirit
through the columns of the Journal of
which he was editor that made Halford
such potent factor in the raising up to
the presidency of Benjamin Harrison.
As | have said, on every hand we see
evidences of the capacity, usefulness and
great influence of men trained in the
making of newspapers. Successful con-
struction of newspapers is after all the
highest of sciences and greatest of arts,
since it involves perfect understanding
of human nature. So why should the
successful editor not make successful
government executive? 1t is pleasure
to record The fact that two of the most
noteworthy personal successes under this
administration have been made by jour
nalists. First Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral Clarkson has by common consent
made the most distinguished personal
success of the Harrison regime. His
popularity is greater than that of any
other officer of the government at the
present moment. Though second rate
officer he is consulted as often and relied
upon as implicitly by the president as
any member of the cabinet. His wife is
Mrs. Harrison's closest friend. Even a
success like this has not turned the mod
est editors head. His ambition is still
in the line Of his profession, and he in
tends fastening the day when he can re-
turn to the making of newspapers.
Another successful officer of the adj
ministration is Public Printer Palmer,
also veteran journalist. 1t was but a
few days ago that President Harrison
said to one of his friends: "There is one
bureau OF the government about which
have ceased to have anxiety. l have no
sort OF worry about the government
printing Office, which every one tells me
is managed better than it has been for
many years" This is high praise, and it
VIII be readily conceded that rome but
an experienced printer and publisher
could SO manage that great office as to
deserve it. Mr.. Palmers editorial train
ing, and his absorption of the traditions
and the human nature of the print shop,
now stand him in good play.
Among the most effective workers In
the various Worlds fair interests which
have been SO ably and numerously repre-
sented here of late, saw members of
the editorial fraternity CALAMITY con-
spicuous. COL Elliott Shepard was the
haadsomest and most polished Of the