The Press., 1895-04-18
ORIGIN OF A REFORM.

Col. William A. Taylor, who was ean- didate for secretary of state on the demo- cratic ticket in Ohio, but was showed un- der along with many other good men who had thrown their fortunes with the un- popular side, can tell, if he will, how it is that the Cincinnati Enquirer to-day de- votes so small portion of it's space to editorials and how, on one memorable morning it made it's appearance with the shortest editorial, perhaps, on record and was the only one on that day to be found in the paper-"Y Yesterday was the Fourth of July"
 It all came about in this way:
 In the days when Washington Mclean owned the paper it had six editorial writ CTS. Between them they had to write six columns of editorial matter on the topics of the day. They were considered to be indispensable to the success of the sheet, which unconfronted by it's now formida- ble rival, the Globe Democrat of St. Louis, at that time swept everything before it and circulated even as far south as New Orleans.
 On the night of @ certain Fourth of ,Ju- ly the six editorial writers assembled in Col. Taylor's sanctum. It was terribly warm evening. Col. Taylor suggested that they should all proceed to a certain saloon across the way and celebrate the patriotic occasion. This suggestion was at once acted on, but hardly had the half dozen shapers of the public opinion lined up against MT. Terrence O'Flaherty's mahogany when the door of the saloon opened and in walked Washington Me Lean, the proprietor of the paper.
 Col. Taylor and his confreres at once saw that they were in for it. Although heavy drinker himself, one of Mir. Me Leans rules was that no member of the staff must indulge during business hours. To the intense relief of the revelers, how ever, that eccentric individual strode up to the bar, exclaiming:
 "Gentlemen, I'll join you"
 The editors then tried to escape, but Mclean, who had been on the toOt for week, would have none of it. He swore he would discharge the first man who re- fused to drink, and the unlucky editors were compelled to swallow glass after glass of the fiery destroyer" Horrible visions of the paper going to press with out single editorial began to oppress Col. Taylor Watching his opportunity he at length succeeded in stealing off and reaching the office.
 He sat down at his desk determined to redeem all of them before morning, but hardly had he written the words, Yes terday was the Fourth of July" than he perceived the floor sinking at the end of the room and the desk at which he was writing slipping away from him. He went home. The next morning the paper ap- peared, and ill it the beginning of the ed itorial Col. Taylor attempted to write, "Y esterday was the Fourth of July"
 It happened, fortunately, that the night editor had been much pressed for room that night. There was a fire, riot, and two murders to find space for. Accounts of these filled the space usually devoted to the ponderous editorials.
 The funny part of the whole thing was that when MT. Mclean reached his desk next evening he found it swamped with congratulations from 'OId Subscriber, ," saying how much they liked the paper in its new form. Mclean took the hint, and never again daring his his ownership Of Of the the Enquirer did its columns contain any ed itorials. Col Taylor was sent to Wash ington as correspondent. The other gen tlemen who figured in that remarkable nights adventures were also given posts of importance in other capacities.