The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-26
THE RISE OF REID.
John A. COckerilTs Tribute to
a Great Journalist.
THE ERA OF THE SON-lN.LAW.
Elliott r. Shepard tho Most Successful
One in America-Henry Il. Hyde,
. Remarkable Man.

spondence THE nomination of White.
law Reid for vice president on the Repub-
lican national ticket may be accepted, I
presume, as great tribute to American
Journalism. Just twenty years have
elapsed since the Tribune had a candidate
on national ticket. The sad and tragic
ending of that experimental attempt to
exalt great newspaper writer and thinker
has initiated somewhat, I think, against
the elevation of newspaper directors
in politics. Mr.. Reid is splendid exam
pie of what may be accomplished by a
man who enters the world with a fixed
and earnest purpose Embedded in his soul.
l can imagine him when writer on the
Cincinnati Gazette, looking forward to the
time when he would own and direct a
great daily newspaper himself. Gifted
with energy and patience, and equipped
with good education and good
habits, he had only to form purpose and
execute 1t. As war correspondent lie
achieved distinction, although it took
General Sherman fully twenty years to
forgive him for the account of the battle
OF Shiloh which he wrote at Pittsburg
Landing two days after the fight from in
formation furnished by people who saw
very little of it. That piece of work
caused great discussion in Ohio, but Gem
eral Sherman. who was one of the most
forgiving of men, finally came TO number
Mr.. Reid among his intimates.
Mr.. Reid's greatest literary achievement
perhaps, was the writing of the History
of Ohio in the War" This he did remark
ably well. When he came to New York
as a lieutenant to Horace Greeley it can
well be believed that he nursed in his
bosom the ambition TO become the owner
and editor of the Tribune. Fate SO de-
creed it. He passed through all the inter-
mediary stages of rldicule and then abuse,
and then enjoyed the sweets of adulatIon
which come to those who succeed. AL
ways atfable, diplomatic, trained TO OBJ
serve and weigh. Mr.. Reid is we'll qualified
to attain and enjoy the honors in the gift
of his fellow men.
His matrimonial alliance gave him great
social and financial standing, and with a
newspaper yielding him profit
Of at least 100000 per year it
is not to be marveled at that
he should seek to plant himself next
door to the presidency. As minister to
France he was a splendid entertainer and
he made hosts Of friends. 1t can be seen
now that this ministership was but one
step in the programme of political ad-
vancement. Mr.. Reid has been more than
fortunate. but it would be mistake to
suppose that he is in any sense creature
of luck. He owes what he has to his
ability, his foresight and his determine
ton to win. 1t would be difficult to find a
journalist so happily placed as Mr.. Reid.
He has charming children, his town house
is a section of the million-dollar palace
that the wild Spectator Willard built on
Madison avenue some years ago and was
unable to live in, and his country residence
is a beautiful farm in Westchester county,
bordering on the Sound, which he calls
Ophir.
Here he has a residence which cost him
at least $500, 900. and which is supplied
with every luxury known to this world
and climate. His farm was made famous
as the residence of old Ben Holiday, the
mail contractor whose ups and downs in
life were made the subject of many a good
story. Mr.. Reid is only 30 years of age.
He is splendidly preserved. having always
led a careful and abstemious life. His
hair, once glossy black, is now well tins ed
with gray, and he may be said to be q
rather striking and handsome man. He
is, at least, called upon to furnish what
ever there is of personal beauty to the Re-
publican national ticket.
This appears to be the era Of the son-in-
law. 1t seems to me there are more sons
in-law Just now than are absolutely
needed, and yet the list grows with amaz-
ing rapidity. l refer TO the sOns-ln-law
who are that and nothing else. Mr..
Whitelaw Reid, having succeeded to the
position and business left him by Horace
Greeley, would have made something out
of his talents and his opportunities, but
the fact that he soon became a son-in-law
at once insured his success. The most
conspicuous son-in-law that this coun-
try affords is Colonel Elliott +. Shepard.
In this field of endeavor he has
achieved the most pronounced success,
while all around him thousands have
utterly failed. Shepard was very
poor lawyer, with ha rdly one case to
rub against another, as it were. when
he met and loved the daughter of Van
derbilt. From that moment he gave up
all thought of becoming a great lawyer,
and bent all his wonderful energies to be-
coming the greatest son-in-law the Amer-
can republic has ever produced. In this
connection / point to Colonel Shepard
with pride. Had he been nominated for
vice president in Minneapolis his decara-
ton of principles might have matched
that of David Bennett Hill for brevity
and beauty. II am a Democrat" quoth
Mr.. Hill; while Mr.. Shepard could have
said, Il am son-in-law." | lave always
thought that Mr.. Vanderbilt was unjust
in his characterization of Son-in-law
Shepard when he said-but never mind
what he said. 1t was unjust and unde-
served, and should not appear in family
paper anyhow.
very interesting son-in-law. and one
who might have made great success of il,
is Mr.. J. Coleman DraytOn. Having mar
red an Aston. one would have imagined
that he had already accomplished his OBJ
ject all sublime; but the mere marriage
ceremony does not constitute everything
4 man who cannot MAINTAIN himself in q
son-ln-lAWship after he has achieved II
might almost as well not have achieved IL
at all. 1t would not surprise me If Mr..
Uravton proved to be a better man a. an
ex-son-in-law-for he is practically an ex
noW-than he was as son-ln-law. If he
doesn't, he will never accomplish q great
deal in this world.
There are sons-in-law who deserve TO he
in better company. William c. Whitney
married Henry 3. Payne's daughter. and
charming woman She IS: but he would
no doubt have got into the cabi-
net and have been mentioned for
the presidency had he married
the daughter OF any one else Nv esteemed
friend, Mr.. J. II. Patterson, editor of the
Chicago Tribune. won honors before he won
a wife. But as the son-in-,aw Of Mr..
Joseph MediIl, the owner Of the Tribune I
expect 70 hear of his continued success in
journalism. Mr.. Howard Carroll was a