The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-11-27

ability; no one could reach his posi-
ton without it, but he is also a lucky
man. Only twice, indeed, has his luck
failed him. Once when the army
worm destroyed his cotton plants and
once when he ran for the Vice
presidency. AS a student at Miami
University; as a newspaper publisher
in xenia, o., where he ran the
News" his first paper; as correspon-
dent, first reporting the Ohio Legisla-
lures doings and later the battles and
movements of the Civil War and as
the successor Of Horace Greeley in the
conduct of the Tribune, his luck has
never once deserted him. He was
lucky, too, in his marriage both finan-
cially and otherwise. His wife was
Miss Mills, daughter of d. o. Mills,
the financier; she brought him money
in plenty and their domestic life has
been almost ideal.
He is now 81, and bad luck must
hurry if it is even to overtake him.
Those who know Mr.. Reid we'll say
that he is marvel as to self-control.
Every one familiar with the work.
ings of a morning newspaper knows
that there are times when a lit
tie strong, unconventional language
seems to clear the atmosphere Won
derfuly. In the early days of his
control of the Tribune such times
used to come along pretty frequently.
But If any one connected with the
Tribune ever heard the chief swear
the fact has never been recorded. Not
that he can't be severe on occasion.
The contrary is true; Whitelaw Reds
reproofs are greatly feared by the
men on the paper Here's little an
ecdote I'm point: Once upon a time
there was an editorial writer on the
paper whose long suit was an endless
flow of words. He could use up more
good white paper and more good
black ink and say almost nothing
than any other man, on the paper.
Some of his articles were so long
drawn out that the Tribune's edi-
them. One day Mr.. Reid called the
writer to him. The latter had no idea
what was coming,-no long-winded
writer ever had a notion that length
is a defect in his work-and waited
anxiously for whatever was coming.
Mr.. Reid said, simply and gently, too,
for that matter:
Mr.. -, I wish you'd write less
and think more in the future"
There isn't the slightest doubt that
the writer would have preferred an in
terminable string of genuinely sui
phuric oaths to what ne actually got,
but the mildness of the rebuke didn't
stand in the way OF his reformation.
He did think more" and write Less
from that day forward.
No one who knows Mr.. Reid thinks
his lack OF violence due to lack OF a
good healthy temper, though. They
think, rather, that he saw early in life
that to win the prizes he sought he
must control men. and that he realized
the necessity Of controlling himself be-
fore he began to try TO control
others.
Unlike most editors. whltelaw Reid
IS an excellent business man. II was
quite as much due to his business
ability as his editorial capacity that
he made the Tribune pay out despite
it's somewhat shaky conditions after
Mr.. Greeley's death. The Tribune
counting room sees him rarely nova
days. probably, but for some years he
gave as close attention 10 Il as he
did 10 the papers editorial policy.
Every day In those years he spent
some time Ia the counting room. al
ways visiting II before ne took the ele-
vator 70 his work IN the tower
In no sense a thicl-sleinned man.
Mr.. Reid has never WINGED NJ The carl
caturcs Of him that began 10 be
printed as soon ~ he was thought
worth the caricafure's pencil
~ this be IL like the tate Thomas
side hiassolf win CLEO when Harpers