Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18
REAPiNG REWARDS
The Postmaster Generals Successful
Motto.
CONS7ABGT AND CONCENTRATION
Each Step in His Career Has Led
to Higher Aims.
EDITOR, STATESMAN, ORATOR


Postmaster General Charles Emory
Smith. now reaping the richest rewards Of
journalism and siateSua -siiip, las fulfilled
the a-1b .irn Of his boy hood. The boy edi-
tor and orator has by constaUcy and con
centrdtioE achieved brilliant success along
the very l.ues H. lad down as Il lad Each
step in career full Of interest has carried
him higher. Mr.. Smith began life, as he
told Horace Greeley, "A country editor, in
reality he began boy editor.
THE frs seven years of my life" said
he were spent on a farm near Mansfield.
Conn. That he farm exercised any partic-
ular influence on ne an unaware. uIiess
it was To breed a distinct resolve not to be
a farmer From, the time | began to read
and thini, IF the future ] wanted TO be II
Journalist or a lawyer. TO achieve the right
TO have ny nam. mentioned among public
characters. Ny parents removed to Al
bahy. y '. in 1919, and soon afterward
the first Indications Of my decided bent
came.
Editions nf One Copy.
81 had not been a. the Albany Academy
long before / started ny .'Tst newspaper,
the Academy Record, one copy 10 the eli-
tfon, all written out by hand, but made up
as far as possible Ike he printed newspa-
pers OF thy cay. By this time l had de-
cided tina. ioJrrc ism was my goal: the
law was TO longer in qTestion. When
tried 10 find out what | should 10 20 fit
myself specially for the career | had select
ed I gropsd in tHt dark. Journalism was
not a profession; nor had the intimate re-
larons ~ today been at that time estab-
hsEed between journalism and statesman
ship ] felt sure. however. that Horace
Greeley was model for any boy. knew
he H-ust BE- a scholar as well as 4 speaker.
a statesman a. we'll as a writer. There
was certainly no time TO lose if / set myself
such imposing task.
The politics of Albany. the capital city
of the empire state. is always interesting.
] learned Ill 7 could about it while l was
at tn academy. The presidential cam
p.igu OF 49,. when the famous old wing
party uf Webster and Clay went to pieces,
found me with rather more than the boys
orliirary interest in national affairs. / be-
gan IeaGiliS he history of my own country.
which 10 this asy I find the mos; fa1c nat
ing as well as fruitful Of studies.
Fervid Politician at Fourteen.
THE excitement Of the Fremont cam
pais1 in - appealed TO ne as strongly q
to most OF the electors y boy of fourteen,
wI5h my studies - look after. / attended
all TIE etinss. listened eagerly TO the
speaking. took part in the rarades- The
republican organization formed TO support
feTyid with tho sSiemnity of conviction. 1t
voiced The growing anti-Slavery sentiment
which was strong in the country. The feel
INK Of national unrest the PFTStHHmefrt OF
national disaster, infianed the imagination
eyen If the schrolhUy. This party, which
seemed 10 ne founded on Righteousness and
justice, which had sprung from the ruins
OF the once grand old WING party and now
appealed to the conscience Of the country.
was the political Organization with which
desired above all things 10 he connected.
r..g
cipies a. announced on the stump were So
many new text books. Politics was a part
OF my education.
Beginning Newspaper Work.
80 it came about that when l had fin
ished my academic course | was able to
offer to the Albany Transcript edited by
one Of my former teachers. editorials which
the editor liked well enough to warrant his
engaging M to go on writing them. The
conditions Of Journalism Were so differe nj
then ami now that il i hardly necessary
for me 10 say my engagement on the Tran
script did not establish precedent Few
outsiders get into the sanctum nowadays.
The newspaper business has broadened out
on the lines Of other successful business or
CARNATIONS and the beginner must start at
the bottom as e. rule.
i h1I year Of this work. which Was
also q year o. the study and pTatice of
politics. ana then l went to Union College
a Schenectady. The war fever was al
ready in the air. | went into the DreSi-
dentiS! campaign Of 1850. and stumped the
Counties adjacent to the college. and aC-
qJiTe,! marked TASTE for political speak
Ing. a taste unmarried by the stage fright
of most Untrf'J orators. Yet in the more
recent years | have experienced time and
time again feeling of apprehension or
hesitation when rising 10 speak on some
theme 81 grave Import That this feeling
was not experienced in 1850 II seems 70
me must have te.,l dua to tn deep re -scnal
interest ! took in the canvass. IN all the
.Fga. .sH ~