Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-09


incident totally different from the one re-
counted in the narrative, and many start
from the necessity of having some one to
whom to attach such a tale, since a great,
mans name will carry 1t farther than a
small.
Edward Rosewater is no exception to
this rule. Since his death the story teller
has been busy as usual, and Is likely to be
for some time to come. Many Of the tales
retailed concerning him during his life
have been revamped, and others are COM
ing to notice till II is hard to even keep
track of them. al
Many anecdotes that are Characteristic
of the man are readily recalled by those
who knew him wen. but these are only
appreciated by those. who were close to
him. for 1t was necessary to know him
we'll In order to get the point of the story.
His strongest traits were his simplicity
and his all-embracing generosity and ready
sympathy with humanity. On these charac-
teristics are based most Of the stories that
are cherished by those who were closest
to him. He was a ready victim to the
man with a plausible tale or with a sub
Bcription paper. 1t must not be inferred
from this that Mr.. Rosewater was an easy
mark" for he certainly knew hawk from
q handsaw. but he wss the most accessible
man Of his importance in the world. and
once a good talker had gained admission
to him. IL was easy to interest him In
the plan, and he invariably helped II.
When he was spoken to about any of the
many enterprises he had aided and which
came to grief because of the dishonesty
of the promoters, he would quietly sayi
''weil. 1t might have done some good"
.
He was keenly sensitive. not to legiti-
mate criticism, for he respected the opin-
Ions of others, but to the willful misrepre-
:. sentation with which he was bounded Or
binary opposition did not disturb him, for
he was broad enough to understand how
man might honestly differ with his views;
but the opposition that was interested and
sinister he could not abide. Men of stand
ing circulated stories calculated TO inJure
him, and these grew with repetition, until
he was forced to publicly deny them. But
this denial was not always sufficient to
quiet the story, for opponents would re-
vive It. In another form. and 1t would go
on and on. He was cruelty attacked at
one time in connection with some funds he
had raised through the aid of The Bee for
the assistance OF some young women who
deserved a public recognition. Mr.. Rose
water had TO do with the collection and
administration of the funds only in his
capacity as editor of The Bee; vet years
after the transaction had been closed and
the money had been turned over to the
benefciaries. It was publicly charged that
he had diverted 1t to his own use. This is
the reason why The Bee has since refused
TO raise and distribute funds for charitable
or public purposes. beyong subscribing and
giving publicity for their solicitation. A
similar yarn was the one that said he re-
ceived 100000 from the Omaha brewers for
his services In the prohibition campaign OF
1890 As matter OF fact. that campaign
cost him his time and expenses away from
the paper and $500 he paid for an editorial
writer to furnish copy while he was gone.
This list OF untruths that were told from
time TO time for no other purpose than to
annoy him and discredit him in his work
might be multiplied indefinitely.
-
He was very much averse to notoriety Of
any sort and sought publicity. as little as
possible. He entered the arena only be-
cause he deemed Il necessary that he
should raise his voice. He did not shrink
from the responsibilities of leadership, but
he did not court the wide publicity given
him. 1t came merely as an adjunct to his
perpetual campaign In behalf OF his ideals
and ideas. 1t was apparently difficult for