The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-23
Tribute 10 Mr.. Dana.

In the New York Sun OF yesterday Is a
beautiful tribute TO the late Charles a.
Dana from the pen OF Mayo w. Halle
tine
He declares that there never was more
genuine American than Mr.. Dana, never
citizen who was more deeply impregnat-
ed, by birth and education. with the spirit
OF our institutions. Greeley himself, he
declares, was not more purely and I'M
mistakahly a product OF this country, Of
us traditions, OF its atmosphere.
He differed from Greeley not only by
virtue OF a more viriie temperament and
much greater moral stcadiless, but in this
significant particular, that TAR wider
and deeper intellectual culture mad given
him more unerring intuitions. greater
breadth Of vision and Of sympathy, and
more powerful logical faculty. He had
none Of Greeleys premature cock-sure-
ness and none Of his ill-timed irresolution
after the die was east"
Speaking or Mr.. Dana's ACCOMPLISH
ments. he says:
without undertaking the charm or the
value OF classical history and literature.
as some college men have done. he used
his academical attachments to unlock the
treasures handed down In those languages
of modern Europe which are daughters OF
the Latin speech and he used his mastery
Of his native Anglo-Saxon TO obtain an
intimate acquaintance not only with the
kindred German but with the allied Sean
dinavian tongues. As regards the scope
and thoroughness Of his literary accom-
plishments, he has never had an equal IN
this country within his own profession.
Literature, however. represented only one
side Of his equipment He was one OF the
few men who, despite the cares or pusi-
ness and the constant labors OF an ar
duOus profession, was able 20 keep pace
with the current OF scientific research and
speculation; with the biological botani-
cal, astronomical, dynamical, and philo-
sophicaI discoveries and tendencies Of his
own day. II should he added that in
singularly prehensile and trustworthy
memory were garnered the products ot
long observation and reflection on poliu'
cal, historical. sociological, and economi-
cal phenomena. In a word, II could be
said Of him, with incomparably more
trWhfuness than IT was said or Ferdl-
nand Lassalle, that he came 10 Journalism
armed with all the learning OF his time.
Coming finally 10 speak OF Mr.. Dana
conduct OF the Sun. he says:
For the first time Il might be said OF
an American editor that. while graduating
the space allotted to a subject by It's rela-
tive Importance, he did, in very TRUTH
obey the dictum Of Dr. Johnson, and sur
vey mankind from China to Peru. His
conceDtion Of news and editorial comment
differed widely from that Of preceding
editors. lie believed that, not only as re-
CARDS local incidents, and local
politics. but as regards the per-
sonages, events. movements, discov-
eres, and discussions Of the world
at large, the newspaper ought to be the
abstract and brief chronicle, and. we may
add. oxpounder, OF the time. Besides dis
charging his former function, he thought
that "a daily journal should suppiant the
lecture-roOm, supplement the pulpit, ana
absorb the old-fashioned magazine and
quarterly review. Here, again, Mr. Dana
stood forth as the author Of an innovation
OF incalculable value He may almost be
said 10 have invented the cheapest and
most useful instrumeut of popular educa-
tion that tho world has known. What no
once made Of the Weekly Tribune, he in
comparably expanded and improved upon
i'm the Sunday Sun. BY the force Of his
example he revolutionize1 the newspaper
calling i'm America he found journalism
a trade and he left II a liberal profession.
ct was a position of unique distinction
which Charles a Dana occupied at the
head of a profession to which he gave un-
precedented dignity and limited hori-
ION. lie was, above most Of his contem-
poraries. the man who should have been
selected by wise citizens TO serve tho
state. He would have had nothing 70
gain. however, by exchanging for seat
i'm the Senate, House, or in the White
House. desk which. for prestige and IN
nuence. might well be likened to