The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-07
THE LATE JOHN WALTER.

Mr.. George w. Smiley, the veteran LOn-
don correspondent of the New York Iri-
6uner has rendered a service TO journalism
by drawing au elaborate portrait of the
late John Walter of the London Times.
He was retiring man, who seldom IN
bosomed himself; thus, when he died, his
bographers were at loss to paint him ac-
curately. The material they needed Mr..
Smalley has supplied,
Born to wealth, power and to the con-
duct of business which gave him ample
occupation, he was able to apply to the
management of the Times the simple prin-
ciples of rectitude which we're born in
him. He never asked himself what is
right or what is wrong, for his instinct de-
cided the question without inquiry. He
never seemed to understand meanness.
or tlme-serviDg; no thought of either ever
entered his mind, and when he noticed
them in others. he spoke OF those who were
guided by them as victims of immeasur-
able folly. The doing ones whole duly
was, In his mind, matter of absolute obli-
CATION, and of general custom. He was
faithful to duty himself. and he took for
granted that those in his employ were
faithful. What he did himself was to use
the influence which accident had placed in
bis hands for the benefit of the people
among whom he lived, aud for the nation
to which he belonged. He expected his
staff to be governed by the same rule, and
asked nothing more of them.
He never looked upon the Times as
neymaking machine, and was iudif-
fereDt to its net profits. They fuctuated
widely during the period of his ownership,
but he never concerned himself about them.
When baance-sheets were laid before him
he just glanced at them, and laid them
aside with some complimentary phrase to
the Dancial managers. He never showed
annoyance when the receipts fell off, nor
exultation when they improved. He was
so cold a man that he rarely praised a
member of his staff, even for piece of
unusually excellent work, and this some
times damped the zeal of his subordinates
and deferred men from giving him their
best work; but he did his best himself and
be gave others credit for doing their best.
His trigid nature could not realize that a
kindly word OF appreciation often proves a
powerful stimulus 10 eXertion, and that
words of praise, when deserved, might
have been seeds of future harvests. In his
dealings with his employees he was liberal
and generous. He paid the highest salaries
in London and allowed the longest vaca
tiOus, and thus, in spite of his chilly aspect.
he was admirably served, and when good
man jnined the Times he rarely left it till
his death.
Mr.. Walters pension list was prodlgious.
Mr.. Smiley mentions young man getting
q pension on the death Of his mother. who,
on the strength of her husbands connec-
ton with the paper, had drawn the same
pension for twenty-seven years. 1t was in
keeping with Mr.. Walters character that
he never allowed his personal enmites
to Influence the conduct of his
journal. When vacant post had
to be filled three equally qualified
applicants filed requests for appointment.
Or the three one had gravely wronged Mr..
Walter. When The applications were re-
ferred to him he directed the manager to
be guided by merit only. and his enemy
got the post. 1t was part of his system
never TO dismiss an old employe except for
an unforgivable offense. Thus he retained
the commercial editor, who passed into
the service of Mason and Slidell when our
Civil War broke out, long after London
Ii was foreign to his nature to entertain
suspicion in any form.
Being Tory of the true-blue type be
was instinctively opposed to reform, either
in politics or journalism. That his in
tense and implacable conservatism worked
injury to his country and to his paper goes
without saying. By his single Influence
he delayed the march of progress in Eng
land for years. But he was so upright in
his opinions that he commanded the
respect Of the most energetic reformers.
People felt that however wrong he might
be he always meant TO be right, and that
he never did or said anything from mean
or underhand motive. His intense devo-
ton to the moribund institutions of bis
country was curiously requited. Just
before his death be said 81 have known
all the Queens Ministers. | have a pro-
found respect for her as a good woman,
and L should like before die to have five
minutes talk with her." But Queen Vic
toria never thought it worth while to see
him