The Washington times., 1894-03-18
AN EDITORS A4ICISSITUDES
The Story Of the 0kolona States News
paper of Mississippi.
". HUBBARD HERMAN TELLS 1T
How He was Driven from Ohio Way Down
South in Dixie Struck it Easy on an
Unheard.OfF Paper, Wrote an Editorial
that Put Representative Frye in Glory,
and Doomed the States"

While passing through a corridor OF the
Capitol yesterday saw an old Ohio newspa-
per man, one whom had not met for more
than twenty years. We recognized each other
at a glance. however, and after brief recall
of old times, he said:
Il am still in the newspaper business, and
would like you to furnish me with an inter-
view concerning your connection with the
States, of okoiona Mississippi
''All right replied.
swell, then, the first question l want to ask
is this: How much did the Republican man
ayers pay you for your work? Who were
they, and how
pitied the gray hairs of my inquisitor, or
then and there 1 would have given him blow
between the eyes. As it was. l turned on my
heel with a sneer of contempt and left his
presence, 1 hope forever.
The story of the Okolona States has never
been truly told. though it was by far one of
the most remarkable romances in newspaper
history. 1t was founded by certain Capt.
James E. Glanyiile, formerly of the Confed-
crate army. IL 1872. Col. 4. Y. Harper also
late Confederate, and now connected with
the government postal service in this city.
after the paper was put on foot. and short
time afterward became sole proprietor of the
concern. 70 No.
In 1875. after an editorial career of five
years in Ohio, New York and Indiana. L went
to Mississippi. 4 was a mere youth in that
old day. aBE, WAS driven to change my hab-
itat by what considered the treachery of the
Northern Democracy. l had been brought
up to believe III free trade. State sovereignty.
white sutIrtise, and commercial union of
the West and South In 1871 new de-
parturea was taken by the Northern Demo-
crats. under the lead of Clement l.. Vallan-
dighan, q "departure' that ignored these
issues. and not only ignored them, but recog-
nized all the results of the war.
Frank Hurd was furious over the back
sliding and so was /. He swore to me at his
hotel in Columbus, O.,-the Neal-that he
never would submit to it. and | vowed the
same. | went to my home. at Urbana. o.. and
in the next issue OF nv paper-the Union-I
began my fight for the old Jeffersonian prin-
ciplcs Of my party. already outlined in this
monograph. John Cockrell, now of the New
York Morning Advertiser. was then the edi-
torial engineer Of the Cincinnati Enquirer
and he began 10 guy me at a great rate OF
course, the n'-penny-bit papers of my party
followed suit. ana soon found myself stand
Ing alone. Well, l went to New York for Il
brief spell. and then became editor of the
Fort Wayne tInd. Daily Sentinel; later, city
editor of the indianapolis Daily Sentinel; but
destiny drove me back to Ohio again, and
Cockrel Resumed his editorial squibs at my
expense, till finally said:
II will 20 South, where the grand old
party of my father is still faithful to the pre-
cepts of Jefferson
So went.to Mississippi. 1 didn't know a
soul in the State, Tut | wrote to Major W. H.
WorthinGton. then editor of the Columbus
Miss Democrat, telling him who and where
l was and what / wanted. My reason for
writing 10 Major Worthincton was this: He
had managed States-Rights paper in St.
Louis. Mo-, Just after the war-a paper called !
The States, to which the uncle after whom |
Am named was his favorite contributor |
Major NorthinCton secured me a place at /
once on the OkOlona States.
Okolona was at that time (1S76) a place of |
Of l. 500 population. AZ least 1000 of whom |
were black. The Stntes had only 500 sub |
scribers. and a very limited advertising pat
ronagc. but | was in a position then to take !
a very small salary. and, besides, / liked the |
free and easy independence of the sheet
Well, the years ran round till one March |
morning in 1879. | was sitting at my window |
thinking of nothing in particular, when the |
foreman of the office rushed in and demanded |
at least three sticksful of copy. l had sent
all the exchanges out to Harper: had written |
up all the local news l knew; had touched |
bed rock on editorials, and was at my wits |
ends.
I'VE lack just three sticks of enough
quoth the foreman, land it's about time to go
to press. -
l ransacked the drawer in which I kept
my clippings. 1t was empty: but away back
IN a crevice l found squib from the old
washington National Republican. 1t read
about rs follows:
:tourteen years after the war, we of the
Nosth must admit that the Confederates have
at last captured the Capitol
ms paragraph referred to the fact that
thy Democracy were at last in power in both
brfnches OF Congress.)
& pasted the clipping on sheet of news
p4pt, and, while sharpening my pencil, the
Iofeman said:
Now, make it fat-the fatter the better"
E"Yes
Thank Godl
We have captured the Capitol,
And
From that coign of vantage
We propose to
Rule
The
Republic
And so on. The article appeared, and /