The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-09
H. P. HALLS TRIBUTE
Long Time Contemporary Of MIR. Wheel
ock Writes Sketch Of Life.

and personal acquaintance with Mr..
Wheelock writes the following interest
ing sketch for The Journal:
'1n the death Of Joseph A. Wheelock
both the state and the editorial frater-
nifty suffer a loss which cannot be re-
paired. I say this advisedlv, because
he came to Minnesota at so early day
that no one else can ever reproduce or
re-enact his experience. Others must
take things at second hand, but he be-
gan at the beginning, and it can liter
the history of the territory and Of the
state: All Of which he saw and part
Of which he was.
"He was associated with W. R. Mar
shall, afterwards governor, in establish
ing the St. Paul Press in 1860, and has
ever since been the editorial head of
that paper and it's successor, the Pioneer
Press
ellis early career as an editor was
much more stormy than his later years.
The great contest between the Donnelly
and Ramsey factions in the state CON
tinued perhaps for twenty years, and
Mr.. Wheelock was ever in the fore as
the champion Of the Ramsey faction; in
energy, impetuosity and indomitable
will he made and saved the Ramsey
faction from utter and ignominious de-
feat.
Never Sought Popularity.
editor In fact in P his most a as We
days. he was regarded by the whole re-
publican party as "a bull in a china
shop and it was customary to say
when he was in his prime that if Vince
La IL L - -
certain to win. This was not true lit
orally, because his opposition really was
forceful, but he could not be controlled
I can say for him from fairly init
mate acquaintance and active con.
tests as an opponent, that no man ever
| lived who was les capable of venality
There was not money enough on earth
to buy him or swerve him from what
he believed to be right when he had
once arrived at the conclusion as to the
course which he should pursue. It be-
came so proverbial that he could not
be controlled in his political policy that
all attempts in that direction were
abandoned, and when a man wished tc
run for an office the question was not
what will the Press or the Pioneer Press
do, but what will be Mr.. Wheelock s
view? It was a personality which has
in later years drifted away from news
papers, but Wheelock was the Press
absolutely and entirely, in it's editorial
management.
"In one sense Mr.. Wheelock coult
: not be said to be great editor. Hav
ing been intimately associated with hin
for years upon the same paper, [ cal
testify that he did not edit the pape
only so far as his own product wa
concerned I was continually getting
the paper into trouble by insertin,
matters which I should not have done
simply because I had no one to guide
He would always aim to be just, and re
paired damages inflicted by others il
the paper, but he tabooed the routin
Of reading copy other than his own.
Forceful Invective.
Ellis command Of the English lar
r guage was never excelled and rarely
If ever, equaled by any other news
) paper worker in the entire Unite
t States. His invective was especial
forceful, and woe to the politician VIII
fell under his displeasure.
/ "There was no such thing as concea
ment and underhandedness in his ed
= torial work. His influence upon the IT
,, publican party. which he always repre-
= character as in its direct. Every on
felt there was no use to try any unde
:, handed games with Mr. Wheelock {
= the head of the leading party paper
:, the state. The consequence was ths
such things which are common in pol
i tics would be omitted.
"His advocacy of the payment Of tt
old 5,000,000-loan railroad bonds VIZ
absolutely pure and because he honest]
: believed that the state should be r
:. heved from the stain of reputation.
v is perhaps no injustice to say that the7
. were very few Of the strenuous adv
=. Gates Of the payment of those bonds
a public or private life, but occupied tt
n position Of attorneys working for pc
q sonal gain, but this cannot be said
" Mr.. Whcelock. He was laboring f
J what he regarded as the public welfar
"Mr. Wheelock was not an edit
9 who mingled with the people personal
). and soug ht to voice their sentiment
5 He was retiring, and while he was wild
$ " known his personal acquaintance
It this state was very limited. Everyboe
:, knew Joe Wheelock. as he was f
j. miliarly called by reputation, but fe
- knew him as he really was-the state
- man-e editor of the state.