Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-07
JUST A GLIMPSE
Of the EARLY Editorial Writers
of Kennebec Valley.
Storing Characters That Left Deep
Impress Upon Those
Who Came within the Sphere Of Their Pow
eful influence.

Tread before the Kennebec Historical
Society
To give this subject the range and
fulness of detail that it merits would
be to furnish material for a good sized
volume. l shall, therefore, undertake
at this time merely to touch briefly
upon the more salient characteristics
of a small group of men whose names
are prominently identified with the
earlier newspaper history of Central
Maine; and who eXerted a power for
progress that will extend far beyond
the narrow limits of their own day and
generation. l shall also consider only
the work of those writer's who attained
distinction in the newspaper work of
the Kennebec valley prior to the Civil
war, and shall not undertake to pre-
serve any chronological order.
In the very nature of things the best
work of the editorial writer is largely
OF an impersonal character. and he so
frequently sees the children Of his brain
adopted and reared as the natural off
spring of others. that the experience
has nothing of novelty for him. 1t is
therefore difficult to estimate how
powerful and far reaching was the i'm
press of the early editorial writer's of
this valley upon it's growth and de-
velopment. One fact. however, the
musty files of their publications reveal
beyond reasonable doubt. viz, that
more than one notable achievement in
the social and industrial life of the
community, that history has credited
to others, originated with them. But
this is natural 1t takes men of
thought. and men Of action" to push
the great movements of progressive
enterprise to successful issue, and it
is not to be wondered at if the latter
secure the lions share Of credit. The
true executive faculty is rarely SO
plenty in community that it fails to
command premium.
By common consent the ablest of the
pioneer editors of the Kennebec
valley is conceded to have been Luther
Severance. He was, in many respects,
an ideal editor. Calm, logical. fearless,
a profound student, and writer of rare
grace and power, he exerted an intu-
ence upon the thought of the Kennebec
valley, and, indeed. of the whole State,
that can scarcely be said to have been
equalled by any of the newspaper
writer's, many of them men of con-
spicuous ability and brilliant attain
ments, who have succeeded him. This
power was due, in part, it is true, to
the conditions under which his work
was done, but chiefly to his own powers
of statement, and the directness with
which he was able to force conviction
by the unarswcrable logic of his argu-
mentS. There are many men in the
world who are able to dazzle the rank
and file of the masses by their bril-
liancy. and by appeals to prejudice.
pride, or self Interest; but the men who
are able to secure an abiding place in
the public confidence, by appeals to
reason, are comparatively few and
far between. Like the immortal Lin
coin, Severance had the power to
bring people to his way of thinking,
and the methods he employed to this
end bear most striking resemblance
to those of the great martyr President.
Indeed there are many points of SINH
larity between the two. Both were
convincers; both We're self-made men,
who despite the lack of early educa-
tional advantages. made themselves
masters of a broad culture and pure
diction, and We're able to direct and
mould. each within his own sphere
the views of the plain people," who
form the bone and sinew of our
national life.
AS the late James G. Blaine once
wrote, Mr.. Severance was "a man who
would rather suffer wrong than do
wrong" and yet the early files of the
Kennebec Journal, that record more
than a quarter Of century of his
newspaper work. show that he never
shrank from controversy where he
believed principle to be at stake,
and that in controversy he combined
keen sarcasm. and pungent force, with
wonderfully condensed and direct
powers of statement. He was an I'M
firing worker and his wonderful men,
Dry enabled him to retain wide range
of knowledge. He was. therefore, able
not only to invest his own writings with a
wealth of accurate information upon
the subject under consideration. but
also to detect the errors in the state
ments of his opponents. Many of his
best editorials were never written. but
were put into type just as they shaped
themselves in his active mind.
He was essentially a modest man
and his manners, though urbane, were
quiet and unassuming No man in
his day exerted a more powerful in
fluence than himself in shaping the po-
litical thought of his State, and, es-
pecially. of that portion of it COM
prised in the Kennebec valley. The
files of the Journal show that the policy
of the paper still adheres to the lines
he originally laid down for it. His
political creed was simple and yet a
comprehensive one. He believed:
First-In the protection of American
Industries; Second-In a distinctly
American foreign policy; Third-In the
equality of all men before the law.
His work covers vast range of
subject, and discusses many issues:
but through it all we may trace these
fundamental principles to which he
adhered with all the earnestness of his
loyal nature, and from which he never
departed
me history of Luther Severance is
an honorable one. and illustrates, in a
marked degree. the power Of industry
and sterling character to overcome and
make good the lack of early education.
al opportunities. He was born in tbe
town of Montague, Mass. October 81