Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-07-04
Hail and Farewell.

rs VIZ ~ " O(NSu VI OOUVu lC
spared their advent into The world,
with more equanimity, than one bright,
useful, upright man, torn from moor
ings. The late Robert Buchanan was
the incarnation of / can, In n world Of
cant. Believing in truth as an eternal
principle, he uttered 1t regardless OF
consequences To himself or others.
For his personal popularity, the ac-
emulation OF earthly gear, the worst
place you can put such q man, Is at the
bend of u newspaper. Only the priest
through the confessional learnings OF
SD much weakness and wickedness
among humanity. The priest hears Of
it, but the editor hears and sees It too.
The treachery. the untruth, the dis
honesty, the corruption, the beastly
greed for gain, the unhOlly sacrifices
for fame aud place, all reach the clergy.
man through auricular confession. In
the line OF his business rs newsmOnger:
In discharge Of his duty rs local annal.
list; in the creation OF statesmen, and
association with politicians, the news
paper man learns Of the fraility, base
ess Of man and woman; not through
the ear alone, but the eye. and by
dreadful daily experience. Therefore,
men like the late Robert Buchanan,
truth seekers, truth speakers uncom-
promising in principle and unyielding
TO pecuniary influence, tread u thOrny
path In editorial life. Their unselfish-
ness, courage, industry, learnings are
not without their reward, for the earth
Is better, the air purer from the
u~tterances and examples of such, long
after their earthly tabernacles Of clay
have moulded away. Passion and
envy, the wounded pride Of ,tOadies and
hypOcrits and wtongdoers. compose the
conscript armies Of hnters and malig-
ners, against this Robert Buchanan
type Of white souled truth tellers.
But when death comes. the evil host is
infected and sinks into Shiny seciusiOn.
As Dickens says: "All the living
knaves and liars in the world were
nothing 10 the honesty and truth of our
dead friend" Face to face with 80
much guile, forced by the very nature
OF his business to grow familiar with,
yet never yielding to its sinful embrace;
heroically refusing to have his con-
science stilled by great worldly gain
what nObler eulOgium can We give his
memory, than TO admit after 50 years
Of existance he held his place at the
front OF a fOrlOrn hope. Fell in his
kindly armour, uncOntaminated, un-
complaining, with his back to the field
and his feet to the foe, and like
LOchiel.
Leaving in hattie no blot on his name,
Looks f. pss":e'y to heaven from the dea'h'ed Of
The late Robert Buchanan was a
Glaswegian, but In childhood removed
to Canada. where he received collegi-
ate, training, at Toronto. At Apple
ton, WIS.,, began his newspaper ex-
perience In 1863, when he established
the Post, and in 1866 sold the estab-
lishment and removed tO u wider field
Of usefulness at Marquette, Mich. In
1869 he removed to Iowa, and founded
the Cherokee Times, and made it u
paper Ut Importance and vast influence.
For a short time he owned and edited
the Davenport Daily Gazette. In South
Dakota he edited the Sioux Falls
Leader previous to its consolidation
with the Argus. At the time of his
demise he u owner and editor of the
Sioux Falls Forum, which he estab-
iished Two years ago. He was a mem
Der Of the legislature from Minnehaha
county and during his business career
was once a real estate dealer and at
n time a school teacher. The widow,
three sons and three daughters are
left to lament their great loss. The
courage, industry and intelligence OF
Robert Buchanan, In any other calling
would have brought great wealth.
He had the real missionary spirit and
sacrificed for it, material acquisitions.
Every occupation has its own saints
md heroes. The clergyman takes
his ideal OF useful existence from
Biblical characters, and to realize ii,
s~urrenders comfort, society, prospect
i've gains, to convert the heather in
Asia or Africa. The editor starves
away at his chosen calling, trying to
benefit others, regardless of loss to
benefit himself. Both are missionaries,
sctuated by the same spirit, seeking
the ideal help which is best for each,
both In persuaRt OF the same object.
The result OF which has been exem-
pliied In the late Robert Buchanan: q
mental discipline and an elevation of
character, which may he best described
under the genaral term, virtue, it is
not that such men do not love ease,
and popularity, and wealth, and power;
It Ia because there Is no merit In re-
nOnncing what we DO not enjoy With
ont such r~enunciatiOn, there can be no
true missionary spirit. We cannot H.
lustrate this more clearly than by re
calling the ease Of Button. This
French nOblemen had everything in
the way OF wealth, position, and elegant
ease that heart could crave. Good
health and pleasing appearances; social
standing and fortune. At the age of
~ he retired To the country. began
work every morning at five, shut him
self In AZ old tower with a slice OF bread
and . cup OF water, and labored till
noon. He worked after this manner,
twelve hours at q stretch, six days Ia
the week for forty years, except oc-
casiOnal excursions for scientific pur-
poses In the service of the Jardin des
Plantes. In all that time he never
turned. fourth an ill-favored page or
had sentence. 1t Ia hard for the com
mon mind to comprehend such charac-
ters. In every town they exist, but
90 often as prophets without honor.
Modest in his acquirment, indifferent
TO vulgar distinctions and VAN sue
ceases, scrupulOusly filling his dOmes-
tic duties, Mr.. Ruchanan's life was
made up Of incessant thought, industry,
and q full share Of the calumuy and
ridicule shOwered by mediocre men,