Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-07-19
HISTORICAIi
EPISODES
Seventy Years With Type.

Seventy Years With Type.
There is the judge. He will not
know you except you speak"
The remark was made by ex-senator
James Ryan. He referred to his part,
ner ana brother, Judge Sam Ryan of
the Appleton Crescent.
Eighty-three years seem to rest
lightly upon the broad shoulders OF
the veteran editor, the oldest in the
state, since the death of the late
William E. Cramer of Milwaukee. The
plump, soft hand ami familiar voice
were as free from trembles as they
were 46 years ago, at our first meet
Ing when he called my attention to
his brother James. as James, last
month, called my attention to the
judge, saying that he hired The
Crescent force, but the brown hair
was as white as carded cotton and the
large, dark, laughing eyes were
laughless and sightless.
Ii was memorial day and the old ea
itor was in his navy blue uniform, on
his white head the black hat of war
days and over mis- heart, yet young,
was the usual ribbon of mourning;
fastened to that was the Grand Army
badge.
AS long as | could see / marched
with the rest OF the post 70 the GENE.
terry. But it is better, / suppose, to
ride than to miss the impressive ccre-
monies in our beautiful city of tle
haC Cd
ccmraue who can see, lea the veneer
able soldier to a carriage.
After the cermonies had pleasant
talk with Judge Ryan, His host OF
friends will be glad 10 know that mis-
health is good, that he is keeping up
with the procession-is as familiar
with current events as the average
citizen-thanks to mis- devoted wife
and relatives who read to him every
thing of value in the papers. His
admirers hope that good years are in
store for him; that his par ner-
brother, the ex-senator, can, for some
time to come, point to the sturdy old
oak and say, There is TIE Judge"
A few weeks ago the Ryan brothers,
Sam and James, celebrated the fifty.
third anniversary Of the birth of their
paper, the Appleton Crescent, win
which they lave been connected I'M
interruptedly all OF these years. But
81 are not all OF the years tina Judge
Ryan has been a newspape. man in
Wisconsin. He began his printer
career seventy years ago; Le was one
of the editors of paper &c Green Bay
in territorial times, six years before
Wisconsin became a state, long before
there was mile of railroad; When
Milwaukee was little more than a viii
lage, with a population of less than
S,000 when Chicago, instead OF a
city of 100000, had less than 25.000;
long before Minnesota Kansas,
Nebraska, California and oregon We're
nation had population of between
20,000,000 and 25,00O,00O, instead of
S5000,000. He was an editor when
there was no Manitowoc, no Apple
ten, Neenah, Menasha, Marine tie, La
Crosse, Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls
Stevens Point, Grand Rapids and
numerous other cities and villages
that now hold nigh rank in CIR state
Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Sheboygan,
Madison, Green Bay, Racine, kenosha,
Janesville, WATERFOWL and White
water were little villages when he be-
gan writing for Wisconsin and her
interests; and it is due TO him to say
that there are not many Wisconsin
editors who nave written with greater
yigor or more enthusiasm than this
veteran. who still lives and loves tle
state of his adoption, though he can
not see it or any or its beauties.
Nearly sixty years ago Sam Ryan
was the sprightly young editor of the
Fond du Lac Republican, fearless
advocate of the Wing party and its
candidates. While a resident of Fond
du Lac he held the Office of post
master. Again he returned 10 Green
Bay, but in 1852 selected the little
village of Appleton, which then aaI
only a few hundred inhabitants, for
hiC permanent home, and in company
with his brother James founded The
Crescent. Two things The Crescent
has always been-democratic and an
everlasting worker II behalf of all of
the good interests of The city and the
lower Fox river valley. The files OF
The Crescent during the past fifty
three years contain many thousands
Of columns of editorial and class
articles, calling attention 10 the city
and the valley. VINO doubts that
these earnest columns have had much
to do in making Appleton one of the
most beautiful and prosperous cities
in the state, and the lower Fox river
valley TO blossom as the rose?
AS a party paper The Crescent has
been a lard hitter Its senior editor
could tear a political opponent from
limb 10 limb. carve him crosswise. fiji
the fresh cuts with coarse salt and
approve the ceremony with laughter
and unrestrained glee. Nothing used
to do the vigorous, slashing editor
more cool than 10 stir up tle animals
Oh the opposing political camp. But
as the years advanced he mellowed,
as nearly all mankind mellows with
age. He served in the civil war in the
Il ird cavalry, has been a member Of
the assembly, was for many years
probate Judge Of Outagamie county.
anu for a long time was Appleton's