The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-03-25

OcTdG.
From Then to Now.
This was said in long conversation
which 7 had with Mr.. McCuIlagh in
the editorial den at the top OF the big
Globe Democr building, and he was
enlightening me about the recent reduc-
ton in the price of the st. Louis papers
to cent each. The den Mr.. McCullagh
inhabits during his working hours now
is very different from the one in which
he sat when I went to him just 2 years
ago to ask for place On the local staff
of his paper and to take my first as
signment The old den was in build
ing on Fourth and Pine streets two
squares east of the structure into which
the paper moved few years ago. The
editor room was a dingy square apart
ment on the second floor looking on
Fourth street, i'll lighted and equipped
with we'll worn furniture. There was
not much of this furniture, and it was
almost hidden under dusty stacks of
newspapers and manuscripts. On the
editorial desk there was a clear space
just big enough to afford rest for one
of Mr.. McCullagh's hands, and on this
he wrote his editorial matter, holding
the paper in place with his left hand.
When he wanted to ask visitor to sit
down, he usually had to sweep a pile of
papers from the seat of a chair to make
room for him.
In those days thought could run
the paper about as well as Mr.. McCul-
1agh, and I half suspect he knew it.
Times have changed. The editor of The
GlObe-Democrat sits in we'll lighted,
handsomely equipped Office on the sew
enth floor of one of the finest buildings
in St. Louis. The vagrant newspaper
and the fertile contribution still litter
the desk and cover chairs and tables.
But there is clear space about the desk,
and one chair-a very comfortable chair
lis ready for immediate occupancy.
Moreover, know now that I could not
have run The Globe-Democrat IL years
ago or at any period of the intervening
time in which observation and expert
ence have been teaching me what amaz-
ing qualities are required for the sue
cessful management of a great neWspa-
per.
But One Creator.
There was an impression in the local
room of The Globe-D Democrat 10 years
ago that certain rivalry existed between
the counting room and the editorial
rooms of that paper for the credit of
having made it the leading newspaper
west of the Mississippi. The manager
of the paper was thought to have an
idea that he had made The Globe
Democrat and even the modest advertis-
ing man was credited with saying that
the paper never would have amounted
to anything without him. To the read
ers of the paper there has been but one
creator, however. The business Office
could have changed hands hundred
times, and the people who swore by
1.-THE Globe" or 1.-The G.-D,'' as it is
more commonly called, would never
have known it. But Mr.. McCullagh has
a personal following which, as he said,
is not limited to people of one political
creed. ALI it's readers swear by the
''great religions daily as it's editor
facetious]y calls it, and if you meet one
of them in New York or Washington he
is pretty sure to shake some famous
journal in your face and say, ''Why,
these eastern papers are not half SO good
as The G1obe-Democrat. - have heard
that from a great many Democrats and
Republicans as well.
Recently the people of st. Louis were
astonished to read in the morning pa
pers-theEe are only two in this city,
barring the German dailies-that their
price had been reduced at one jump
from cents to cent. They could not
understand why the reduction was
made. and they don't understand it yet.