The sun., 1902-05-22
A Career Full OF Contradictions

Mr. EDWIN LAWRENCE GoDKIS. who
died in England night before last. was
an irishman in America. and vet he
wrote Of other Irishmen in America IA
follows in an Engl sh Journal:
-ConNdctinr What the poll;loaI .ociaI and In.
duSri.l training Of the Irish has been a, home.
considering that ,h~v have never known the In
nuenc~ 81 sympathetic and respected upper ciasS
or OF , loved ard honor-d Go, rrnnent my wontet
slWsys {, that this r,,,duum Of wr~'chedn-ss here
IL no, hrsrr aud more s-vaE- and lrr~cslmahle
tEan is"
Mr.. GoDRIN was a British subjrc, who
preferred tn become an American Citi-
zen and 1.-Two under the flag of the tnited
States, vet he was almost constantly
blushing for the flag II his choice.
Mr.. GopHiN was an American jour
nalis' protesting high ideals Of the dig
nifty of his profession, and yet, during
the period 81 his greatest activity. no
pen was more prone than his To vitupcra-
tion Of the baldest and cr,idest sort 4
statesman whose notions 81 policy he
did not approve became in his view
thoughts ran counter 10 his own became
easily a fool or n blatherskite. A per-
son whose published statements incon-
vcnicnCed or eNasperated him wns very
likely 20 be denounced by Mr.. GoDkIS
rs n liar. This infIlnitv Of intellectual
tcmp-r generally Appeared whenever
Mr. GODKIN'S ~ympathies were strongly
engaged: and az such times his sense
of humor- and he was not without a
certain perception and appreciation ~
the ridiculous. even in his own case
was absolutely paralyzcd
There Is reason Ia suppose that Mr.
GopKIN owed his start in responsible
journalism in this country to the assist
ancc of a circle of Massachusetts, phi
lanthropists who had been anti-slavery
men and desired after the war To do all
in their power To uplift and educate the
newly enfranchscd race: and vet tho
editor Of the Nation speedily developed
a chronic distrust Of popular suffrage.
which extended al times To positive adj
vocacy Of a restricted ballot. not merely
for Colored citizens, but for whites
MIR GoDkIN honestly believed in put
ting principles above men. and yet when
he conceived an invct"ratc hatred or
an,ipathv, the man often cClpsci tho
principle. 50 far as his VISION was con-
ccrnci \ notable illustration Of this
weakness was afforded ia the second
Mckinley campaign. when notwlth-
standing MIR GoDKIN'S comprehensive
perception of the surprising import
ance ot the sound money issue. and
his undouhtei LOYALTY TO that cause. he
wrote a private letter advising vote
for BRYAN rather than for MCKINLEY.
Such are a few Of the many contra
dictipns IN the character of one Of the
remarkable figures of American journal
ism IN the last quarter Of the Nineteenth
century. lie was man Of energy of
ideas. II great and varied information
and Of uncommon literary skill He was
n powerful contruversialist. His style
A. a writer was individual. that IN tn say,
il was himself What he wrote on any
subject was almost always interesting
and commanded attention even where
II fnilcd t. instruct or convince
The two great achievements of Mr.,
GonKIN's public life were the formation
Of the Muswump party or force in Amer
ican politics. and tn" building M If IN"
Er,r'ng Post newspaper into an efficient
organ of political opinion. In the first
enterprise. his part was prcemlnent.
Through the Nation and afierward
through the Ercnmg Post, he was the
Inspiration. the prophet ard the DOM
mating intellectual executive of tho
singular and ,ong- persistent movement
which came to he called Mugwumpery.
Frw editors have ever impressed the
stamp II their own minds moro deeply
upnn a particular cult While the recent
success of the FrCripq Post as a news
pm cr is due only in part Z" Mr. Cop
KINs efforts. that part is considerable
and has been gratefully ACKNOWLEDGED
by hIs late associates.