New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-08
SIR EDWARD r. RUSSELL.
A BRILLIANT REPRESENTATIVE OF
JOURNALISM


49, rlsilv Post" is a brilliant example OF the fact
finally discovers which is his peculiar bent while
al the same time its evidence Is not wanting and
shows Itself though only IN a tentative way
Like many another youth, he had ideas of the
ministry. hut he abandoned them, ana. when his
father died and he had TO earn his own living. he
became a clerk and occupied several similar posi-
uens- llet ne peSahs d IedcueI IN schSoi' anu
nect!on with journalism began. IN modest way,
Gazette," Even there however ne made his mark
for when the editor left the proprietor offered him
guinea and q half week. with perqusites in the
shape Of an additional four shililngs for the pur-
5;o~ was The precursor of that which he has held
on the great northern paper for the last thirty
Sir Edward is, however. not a Liverpool man.
except by residence, for he was born in London in
Ssa where hts father was art bookbnder and
rec0g7lizs" as ar abIe speaker from MIN Sir
EDWARD derives his desire for public career
yrbge from his mother he inherited that love of
literature which carried him into the newspaper
world Yet he never went To public school, nor
a. s ne his mother re learned good English and his
Latin and Greek he picked up in enc way and
When he. vas. nine the family removed to York
fo~ know ledge he used 70 attend evening classes
among his fellow students being Sir Edward
,farES 8 g. n P. At sixteen he was member
preparing himself. although unconsciousy. for his
II was through his taking part in debate on
SIR Robert PeeLs Free Trade legislation that he
obtained what he has always regarded as two of
his most precious possessions-a letter from Golden
nd q BOOK OF MS SfNeches OF 1879 from the author
himself Desirlng TO read al that the great au-
-h0rftes had 10 say on the subject he in a youth
ssfro3 reference and 10 his SUNRISE ~ return
Of post he received the information with further
speeches awaited him at Mr.. CoDden's house if he
OF the value OF advertising Sir Edward ought
"a be decided advocate. for II was an advertise
merit which practically led to his present position.
vertised for another position. mentioning what he
considered his qualifications Soon after he re-
csved a novel reply Il from the proprietor
of '"The Liverpool Daily Post He had cut out
me advertisement. stuck Il on A sheet Of paper
ana written underneath it: IF this is true there is
situation mere Tor you Al "a week as assistant
The youthful journalist went to Liverpool The
street and taken home to dinner Next day
he was tried for his position He not found
the tine. Six years after he left although he had
been offered partnership. and returned to Lon
the now defunct) Morning Star" OF which
Justin Mccarthy the editor In addition to this
work he. in lime, became dramatic critic. and
since that time his contributions 20 dramatic crti-
cism nave been not the least noteworthy features
Sir Edward IS a great friend Of Sir Henry Irving.
r3r me L-yceuIn hrst nights. which for twenty
years and more have been such distinctive feature
az london life. Sir Edward used always TO
highly. indeed does Sir Henry Irving think of the
criticisms reprinted and distributed among the au-
diences Al the Lyceum- Indeed Sir Edwards con-
u0n % pamphlets on Shakespeare and in lectures
on matte subjects. interspersed with literary,
political and hiogra phicai topics.
n nose Old days Of Journalism Sir Edward
-lan 20 write his leaders and was consequently
brought INTO communication With the leading poll
leans -no ministers or the daT- From them he
vas constantly receiving valuable information
sii 20 ii.3e a. y seems TO-DAY II was lmpos-
thar The London newspapers u.u NOT admit any of
used in The form Of their London letters ana to
obtain which they now keep a special correspon-
Jsaer t5ese etrcur3stsnces not little valuable
material must have been wasted. for Sir Edward
Tg1af Inn
LORD clarendon and the members Of The ca binet.
nobeman. who held the post of Foreign secretsr1
oTce mace remark % him on the subject of Spain
AZ -t 9lloNs low ntlIe mat country has changed
ID ne quarter OF 4 generation. IN Spajn. he
go Ministers come and 20. mn NM f 6
enc JhinE which Is always the same-thev never
81 no sTaT r. nov 2EeTgr ss saw way Of using
hadynE II. and would send EN- TO The Scots
way decidedly its own Whatever NAV he IFS nlsL
.t,La nov II nad no regular rate then and some
Ll.es -o short article II would nay five srrneas
while long would only receive as eo5nnersa
leceved his cheek Sir Edward never M Knew gt VINE ne
-..s month work was worth 70 him from that
-, sun. he made much money for those days and
-, eai1inss Tor four years Were t1.10o year
seeaed except by one Individual although no
make nuch greser income than THIS Snd oei %
sE. with considerable less labor for where they
ia4oronsly use his own pen -
JOURNALISTS nave exceptional mir ,F
feelHE al sorts IF men, and there few celebrf-
les or our time with whom he was not ACQUAINTED
indeed as leader Of the Iiera F,rv rs posllG,
rs 70 suggest in the pages of Every Month a
liverpool Post ever Vent 10 see see M 9ce D ne
Sir Edward -1-'
Similarly. he a friend Of Mr. Bright TO
nlom. indeed. in Darr- The Morning Star al one
rTne belonged. ana OF him he saw good deal.
-s,i3ough A Quaker Mr. Bright was not ignorant
on ne ta-Ie Of wine under certain circumstances,
and Sir Edward WAS present that memorable
.zslo3 when ne commented pint Of cham
paEne 70 man as splendid thing on which TO
fortunately. scarcely the exact effect that was
a1Lclpated- One day after Mr. Bright had made
man say. Bother that fellowl'' referring to
M Brtghts speech He is the curse Of the coun-
Hare you read the speech~' he asked.
Then read it, and he handed over the paper.
When The paper was returned there were tears
II was while he was stu on The Morning star
sia- Mr.. Bright went down TO the Office and it
80 then Sir Edward was first introduced TO him
and The -r3i-'I,Ia ~ ne 3aorIs! aT11asged he
opinion that it would be a long affair. and that
Prussia would be beaten. Sir Edward declared
that on the contrary. he believed that il would
be short affair and that Prussia would win His
view was brilliantly yindicated, ana when next
- ne M Bright That gentleman SAID, wei,
ei g9g were Fg1 !T at ,f- ain star. and
hefore John Morley took I'D the rens. Sir Edward,
Nlo however. did nor receive his title until 1888,
when AR Gladstone knighted him. acted as editor
arc later assistant editor 10 that famous leader
ot me Liberal party.
About this time he received offer 10 become
eclf0r q "a paper IN Melbourne The wishes of his
mother. however prevailed. and he remained in
Eng. In 1865 he received the offer % go back
70 Liverpool be editor in chief OF The Post.
ron which 5e had never entirely severed his con
iee'toI. for he used constantly TO write for its
pages even when he was in London
In 'ss6 Sir Edward returned for one Of the
divisions a GlasEOW and reelected 10 the next
Parliament bur the increasing need for his services
y connection with his paper compelled him 70 APP
ly for The Chiltern Hundreds. ana he Withdrew
rom me House the great regret Of his constitu