Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-17
Belongs to n Fading Tyne.

Belongs to Fading Tyne.
Murat Halstead is &C years of age. AS
a Journalist, Mr.. Halstead belongs to a
| type that the changed conditions of late
| years have not tended to multiply. The
| newspapers have attempted to rely upon
| organization, management, and the enter
prising use of large amounts of capital,
| rather than upon the brains, character and
| distinctive personality of a great editor
| Mr.. Halstead belongs to the school of
Journalists exemplified by such men as
| Horace Greeley. The three most conspic-
uous representatives now remaining of the
American school of great writing editors
are Charles A. Dana, Murat Halstead and
Henry Watterson. MIR. Dana. who still
inspires the editorial page of the Sun and
does regular work with his pen, is ten
years older than Mr.. Halstead; while
Henry Watterson. who has made the Cour-
ler-Journal power throughout the South
about ten years N'
Mr.. Halstead's work, like that of Greeley
and WatterSon, and like much of Mr. Da
mas, has always been characterized bv
originality, frankness, restlessness of mere
party tles, Willingness to confess error in
tense human interest, wide range of cog
nizance and sympathy apart from politics.
pr0IoHnd pro ird and intense american patriotism,
anu lnseparabIe identity with the whole
spirit CT American democratic institutions
Halstead's EARLY Days.
Mr.. Halstead was born in Butler countv
~, IN 2 quaint little neighborhood away off
from the railroad, which is rather proud of
d d, considerable list Of men who have grown
up within sound of its church bell and
gone forth to make themselves known or
useful in the world. This little neighbor-
hood is now named Shandon. The nostof
old times in that neighborhood. Mr.. Hal
stead mas written in Cosmopolitan Maga-
saF,1i -,
sketches entitled "Paddy's Run Papers.
In March, 1858, Mr.. Halstead Joined the
STAR OF the Commercial, the paper of ali
others upon which he had set his heart.
Gradually Mr.. Halstead became the ruling
spirit in the editorial conduct of the paner
trolling ownership.
HIS powerful and graphic method of re-
PoTIlhg pontlcat conventions had become |
culLy c,a y Geveiioped when, in 1856 the Demo-
ana me republicans at Philadelphia made |
me ticket of Fremont and Dayton. In 1859 |
MIR. HalStead attended and described for
the Commercial the hanging of John Rro1yn
near Harper's Ferry; and he was i'm the |
reporters gallery as Washington corre- |
active in the president making season Of |
IS'o ana subsequently published a book |
ABOUT the conventions of that year which |
mas now long been out of print He was nj |
the charleston convention in 1860 and re- |
ported porte the e, convention that nominated Lin |
com ana Hamlin at Chicago He witnessed |
the making at Baltimore of the Rel and |
everett ticket. and attended the adjourned |
Democratic conventions, also in Baitimore
one of which nominated Douglas and The |
other breckenridge. He was undoubtedIv
the IN only man in the country who witnessed |
al those history making ConyentiOns nj
1861. He foresaw the impending conflict.
As War Correspondent,
During a portion of the war Mr.. HaIste.d
repfesented his paper at the front: and |
through all that period his pen was inces-
SANITY SAN. active and his reputation as a bril-
ilaht correspondent became a national one |
his experience of military matters was |
much enlarged by the fact that he visited
Europe in 1870, and having failed tn ioin |
the Ere nch armies. succeeded in ioininp
those of the German invaders His remin7
lscences of the Franco-Prussian war have
Subsequent visits to Europe have furnished
occasion Tor many letters and articles on |
various themes. One of his most interest
ing journalistic experiences was his trim to |
iceland on the occasion of the millennial |
celeDration in 1874, in company with CYRUS
". Field, Bayard Taylor and several other
distinguished Americans and Europeans
His Political Chances.
Mr.. Halstead at one time if NOT tu,,oo
@ Sa5 the logical and suitable man for United
states senator from Ohio. but the honor
~ lii not come to him. Even when nominate
President Harrison. Mr.. Halstead failed Of
,onhimatton by the senate. and this defeat
NhlCh was reasonably attributed to his
earleSS criticism of certain members of |
hat body, will stand as one of the great
Isl tributes TO his courage and honesty as
public man. "
From time to time his writing began TO
lppear more frequently in magazines and
3SrnaIs 'iS rIsoa OF general circulation and for
anne in time to be substituted-as repre-
entative of the Halstead interest in the
,ommercial-his eldest son. Mr.. Marshal
taistead, who had grown into the position |
" general manager of the paper. For sew |
raj years past Mr.. HalStead has been fully |
dentiled with the Journalism of the Great
r New York, primarily as editor of the
irGoklyn Union. but also second |
.rily: as n general writer whose trained
zen Is always in demand. His recent trip
Q Cuba for the Journal is at once Illus
ratlye OF his unabated love of adventure
nd his interest in a fresh subject while
Is2 significant of a new and highly inter-
sung tendency in our journalism. Ii Mr.
ialstead's writings were put in book form
hey would make column of at least 500
ood sized volumes
Murat Halstead was married in 1857 to
iiss Mary Banks and they have seven
ons and three daughters living. Four sons
re journalists of reputation, the eldest
aNing been for some time the general |
manager of the Cincinnati Commercial Ca |