Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-06-28
AN OAK OF
Col. Henry Wntterson. Isditer of the
Louisville Courier-Journal.

Col. Henry Watterson, Editor of the
Louisville Courier-Journal.
Twenty-Five years ave wrought a
great change in Henry Watterson, as
well as in the occupation to which he
has devoted his life. Marse Henry vas
a potent factor in that potential jour
nalism which did more to mold public
sentiment after the Civil War. during
the reconstruction period and even in
the campaign Of 1880, in which Garfield
was saved from defeat by ConkIing,
than the platforms Of parties aud the
u~tterances OF orators. These latter
We're but the echoes of the policies
which the great editors outlined, and
OF these molders of public thought lone
wYs more influential in Democratic pol
plcs a quarter of a century ago than
Watterson, of the Louisville Courier
Journal. He was a giant of the era
of political editors. He was aaame
with enthusiasm when the sanctum was
the heart and vitals of the paper, when
the editorial end of the publication re-
tanned an influence in public affairs
which has largely descended to the
counting-room since the commercial-
Ism of newspapers has come upon the
land. Profit was not the primary con-
sideration with editors Of the Waiter.
son stamp.
To-day Watterson still writes. Now
and then some utterance of his rings
like a bugle blast across the counfrv
and the populace sits up and h~earkens.
But the virility which once marked his
editorials has vanished and, as q rule.
They sound like an echo out of the past.
Watterson is still courageous. still MIC
turesque, but the age is fast Slipping
away from him and the journalism of
our day Is not of his own. Would that
his wit, his imagination, his emotion
Edight be perpetuated!
Watterson has been a militant edi-
tor. He was born In politics and rear
ed in politics. His father, a Jefferson
ian Democrat, occupied a seat in Con
gress when Henry was born. The child
was frail, with one eye useless and the
other so weak that much of the time
he was kept in darkness. His early ed
ucation was obtained by others reading
to him. But as he matured his ply
olQuC AupAoNSo diiu. LIS SlS0L was
strengthened. When he was able to
read he began to devour with avidity
all sorts of standard literature, and for
years he has been one of the best-read
men in the country in history, biog-
raphy and poetry. He also studied pol
itics and as a boy knew every public
man in Washington. At Is he was re
garded as a prodigy, and at IS he be-
came musical critic for a daily news
paper. At 20 he was editing a news
paper in Tennessee which defended the
Union cause. but when the maefstrom
OF the C~onfederaey engulfed him he
rushed into the Confederate army and
became q scout. Even then the lust Of
writing was in his blood and he began
to issue a paper called The Rebel,
which was a unique institution. 1t was
peripatetic, moving about as the Union
armies came into range Usually a
covered wagon was the editorial sane
tum, press and composing room. On
one occasion the forms were already
made up, chronicling a Confederate
victory in the engagement which had
taken place that day, when the tide Of
battle turned and before the forms
could 60 to press the Union army was
rUating t4e CCnfudauatas. aWatterson
abandoned his "office," and when the
Eederals rushed in and seized It the