The Washington times., 1901-12-29
PERSONAL MENTION.
A Kansas Newspaper Man.

William Alien White who so sturdily
defends American politicians in his
powerful stories OF Middle Western life.
"stratagcms and spoils." is only thirty
three years old, yet has been for several
years the editor OF one Of the most prom
inent newspapers in his State, the En-
! poria (Karsas) Gazette" He was born
in Emporia, By the way.
His father. Allen White country doc
tor, was OF New England parentage, and
his mother Of Irish descent. Mr.. Whites
parents moved to FL porado. Kan, when
! he was a baby, and there he spent his
boyhood and youth He was graduated
from the town high school, and later,
after year at Emporia College, entered
a printing office IS devil. H. remained
there long enough to learn the rudiments
! Of the trade. when he entered the state
| University at Lawrence, Kan.
He studied there OF and on for four
years, working on the local papers as
local reporter. printer, aid editorial
writer. He was not graduated from the
university, but took a job as manager
Of the "El Dorado Republican"
In 1891 he went to the Kansas City
| Journal as editorial writer, and in 1892
he was political correspondent at Topeka.
| When the campaign OF 1892 closed White
went to the Kansas City Star" as edi
torial writer.
in 1883 he married Miss sallie Lindsay.
! OF Kansas City. Kan, and two years later
bought the "Emporia Gazette" He wrote
the famous article, What's the Matter
With Kansas IL August. 1886. and in
the fall Of that year brought out a book
OF stories under the title The Real
Issue" These stories were many of them
printed in the Kansas City Star" while
: White worked on the paper.
White is a practical politician. being
chairman Of his ward Republican Grgani-
zation, 4 member OF the county central
committee, and member OF the Repu6-
lican State central committee. He works
in every department OF the Gazette"
writes locals, personals. runaway items,
local advertisements. makes advertising
contracts, attends 10 the Office CORE
Gpondonce, writes the editorials. ard
soliclts job work.
In 1899 the stories which had been run
ming in various magazines were collected
and published, since when he has devoted
himself TO writing stories of political life
and sketches OF a pol. .cal nature for
Scribner's and other ma .aZnes.
DIR. Hale and the Nc,..bcy.
] ne New YORK lFfIunE EGNg-
AT dinner in Boston ths,ctt.r even
ing the Rev. DR.. Edward Everett Hale re-
lated this bit Of personal experience to
the writer, who happened to be his elbow
companion. The boys s.ho vend books
and magazines on the trains said DR..
Hale, need TO be students OF human ma
ture. and If you Nill watch them closely
as they are pecdl3g t3eir wares you viii
discover that they are very shrewd in
reading physiognomy. ! was on a train
in Pennsylvania the other day. The news
agent passed through with an arlnfui OF
books. When he came opposite M seat
he looked me over carefully. and digging
beneath his pile. produced book and
handed IL 20 me. II was one Of my own
books Il have read that" " said ! and 7
spoke with some grufibess. Pretty soon
/ he came hack and passed another book to
NE. l considered It almost more than a
coincidence when ! saw it was another Of
my worSs. Il have read thai. too" ! said.
even more pruiiiy After the boy had
gone ] thought the matter over, and I
concluded 10 Gld ont II his acumen had
selected ne as one likcly to be interested
in these books, or Il it were simply a
strange coincidence So when lie passed
again ! caught him by the sleeve ana
asked: My boy. do you know who ! am?"
''fIow the devil should ! know who you
arc?' he answered, with just as much
grufhess as ! had shown "All / know
IS you don't know a good book when yon
see it. for don't believe you have read
either Of these ! showed you just now"
! bought q book said Dr. Hale"