The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-19
John Hay on the Tribune Staff.

(Moses P. Handy in New York Mail and
Expressly
Twenty-four years ago had the honor
of serving on the same editorial staff
with John Hay. 1t was the editorial
staff. of the New ork Tribune as it stood
| Immediately after Whits1aw Reid's sue
cession to Horace Greeley as the editor-in
chief of that great newspaper. We
juniors-I was the youngest editorial
| writer-were very proud of that staff,
| and of Hay more than of any body else.
Yet he was only one of a galaxy of stars
revolving around Reid. John R. G..
Hassard was the managing editor, musi-
cal critic AMI most polished of editorial
writer's. His fame survives with the
profession, if not with the public. Isaac
Fl. Bromley was the political satirisr
and the best of his kind, although
Charles 7. Conedon. then advanced In
years, and only an occasional contribu-
tor, was a prime favorlte with old
Tribune readers. Charles H. Hunt
wrote the Financial editorials. William
Winter, then as now, was the dramatic
critic, and George Ripley. assisted by
Eleanor Hutchinson, did the book re-
viewing. Bayard Taylor. the poet and
traveller, afterward minister, to Germany
wrote more or less editorial, but hal
not yet tired of roaming. William +. T..
Sbanks was the city editor, with the
brilliant Arthur Bowers as his assistant
W. q. Wyckoff was the editorial writer
ON scientific topics. Noah Brooks was
the night editor. and I. N. Ford, now
London correspondent of the Tribune,
the day editor. George W. Smalley, the
London correspondent of those days, was
wearing the fresh laurels won by his war
correspondence. z. l.. White, f. V.
Smalley and Il. j. Ramsdell were the
Washington correspondents. Mrz.
Rebecca Harding Davis wrote editorials
on socialstopics, and made them one of
the popular features Of the paper.
eoi npsi brightness e Mr.. Mr. Reid leaned
on him heavily and they were close
friends. His equipment for journalistic
work was unsurpassed. His collegiate
plemented by four years at the White
House in close association with President
Lincoln at the most critical period in our
couptry's history Then he went abroad
and represented thesUnited States sue
cessivelyssat several of the great European
capitals, at time when france and
Germany were undergoing crises and
when the great powers were making over
the map of Europe. Thus the best
channels to knowledge Of men and
affairs of both continents have been open
to him, and the result was Wonderfully
well-informed and well poised man at. the
age at which most Americans have not
had more tran time to master their own
surroundings and take the measure of
their own capacity, much less to reap the
harvest of their personal am billions.
John Hays retirement from journal
ism was loss to the craft and the public
that Ia tardily compensated by his return
to diplomatic life. 1t was primarily due
to his marriage and the necessity growing
out of the death of his father in law for
his assuming personally the manage
ment of large property. Meanwhile he
kept in touch with old pursuits by oc-
casiona1 literary work, and in particular
by the labor of writing in collaboration
with Col. Nicolay the monumental "Life
of Lincoln," which was published few
years ago, and is the great repository of
Lincolniana in which all future historians
and biographers must find their source
of supply. II e has beautiful home in
Washington. is a frequent resident of
Cleveland, and is at home In all the
great capitals of the world. With Hay
as EN- bassador and Harry White as secre-
tary of legation, the American embassy
in London cannot fail to be once more AN
ohiect of Dride TO all Americans