The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-11
WELDED THE PEN
D. S. b. JOHNSTON TELLS OFF PIO-
NEER JOURNALISTIC VENTURES
IN MINNESOTA
FEW VETERANS STILL LIVING
Interesting Paper Read Before the
State Historical Society
Last Night-Giftss of
Portraits.

d. S. B. Johnston read an able and in
teresting paper upon the History of
Journalism in Minnesota at the month
ly meeting Of the Minnesota Historical
society last night.
Mr.. Johnston was at one time the
editor of the st. Anthony Express, and
was well acquainted with all the men
assc ciated with the early Journalism of
the state. The paper was full Of inter-
esting personals sketches, and was in
teresting throughout.
The closing portion of it is quoted be-
low:
1 have given in this paper the names
of fourteen weekly and tour daily pa
pers, all l have been able to find that
were started in Minnesota prior to 1855.
OF these, the Pioneer, Chronicle and
Register, three in number, appeared in
1919. The Dakota Friend and Minnesota
Democrat appeared in 1856, the Watab
Reveille, the st. Anthony Express and
Minnesotan came in 1851. and the North
western Democrat in 1853, no paper haV-
ing been started in 1852. In 1854 the Re-
publican, of St. Anthony; the st. Paul
Times, st. Paul Advertiser, st. Croix
Union, and Winona Argus, and the four
dailieS Of the Pioneer, the Minnesotan,
the Democrat and the Times appeared
being total in 1854 alone of nine papers,
counting the dailies.
Our editors, as a rule, We're well edu-
graduates.
Such men are not Of the wild beast type,
Of which criminals are made. The high
est and best of life, set in rough environ
ment, the gathering of clans around their
ch1eftains, the devotion of men to their
leaders, the bond that holds friend 10
friend, and, beyond all, the desire to
make this the noble state it has since
become, now shine like links of gold
through the personal journalism of the
early hfties.
Only Few Survive.
The editors of those years who are vet
barb an editorial arrow and send it home
fatally and yet so clean-shafted that the
wound IN MS adversary would not bleed;
Yale-cultured rAtWater able alike in the
editorial chair and FORUM the pyroteen-
ME Charles G. Ames, to whom politics
meant principle, and the patriotic Mai
HotchKss supporting Fremont for the
pr eSldency and placating his Democratic
Republican, conscience by flying thor
oughly Jeffersonian' at his mast head. =
Those who have passed over the Great
and eXposer of shams; Joseph r. Brown,
ms successor born with wildness in his
blood, but so superbly gifted that wheth-
er IN WlgWam or legislative hall he was
always the leader of men. His political
opponents called him by no harsher term
than Joe, the Juggler,' while he was
only plain, familiar Joe Brown to those
who knew him best MANY a man still
hand and fervent God bless yoli'' with
which he greeted those who met and
parted with him.
Then there was the rollicking-gatted.
JoY1al John P. Owens, the "rough-and-
ready" of the editorial fraternity of tha
. S(s al and his associate, the sedate and
SELF balanced Mclean. and Col. D. A.
ROBERTSON, the hero of many a rough
and-tumble political struggle. There were
also David Olmsted, the talented first
mayor OF st. Paul, quiet, determined and
noIdlng his friends with hooks Of steel:
4. NJ. NeWson, the natty, good-natnred
editor of the Times and author Of Pen
Pictures of 'Old Timers" and the err
rate Sam Whiting, gifted, but closing his
life by suicide ms
Hon. Oliver Gibbs, of Prescott. publisher
OF the first Republican paper printed in
Wisconsin, mouth of La Crosse, was pres
ent at the meeting, and after Mr.. John
ston had concluded he added some inter-
esting anecdotes.
Hartwig Deppe. of West St. Paul read
a nYe-mmute paper upon the German
history in the year at the time of the
roman invasion. The following were
elected members of lie society: Henry
l. SImons, of Glencoe; Hon Donoias
Greeley, of Pine City, and Douglas P ~"
nam and f. G. Bradbury, of ST Pam
Many portraits are being presented ~
the society, and among those IafelV ~ -
ceiVed Is an excellent crayon likeness of
Maj. Z. M Newson, author of Pen Dr. %
lures, presented by J. C. DonahoWeri ~