The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-03-31
HENRY WATTERsoN AS HE rs,
One Who Knows Him Well Writes
Intimately About Him,

Henry Watterson was prepared by
one who knows we'll that prince Of
editors and patriots:
When, many years ago, Henry Wat.
~terson, then IN unwilling member OF
congress from Konutcky, stated, in
replying to n speech of "Pig Iron
Kelly, Of Pennsylvania, THAT at nc
distant day from the one on which
he was speaking, iron would BIO pro.
duccd in tho Southern States at O
cost not exceeding IS per ton, he was
laughed at by his practical opponent,
and his statement was pooh-poohed
as that of a tneorist and dreamer.
And yet all the world now knows
that shortly thereafter Mr.. Waiter
sons prediction was more than liter
ally fulfilled, and that Birmingham,
unrcstraincd, is now able to dictate
the price of that great commodity.
Mr.. Wattcrson know that he was
stating the truth. lie was, as Pat
rick Henry advised the young law
yers always to be. sure OF his cv!-
dence. lie was personally aware Of
the fact that vast veins Of workable
iron orc-cookin" coal and suitable
MISUNDERSTANDING all Of the
necessary ingredients for the manu-
tacturc Of iron, existed in Immediate,
unparalleled proximity in certain To-
calitics Of the South. Ifa philoso-
Phically understood the character Of
the people Of this section and the
changes which were rapidly taking
place as the result Of the civil war
between the Statcs-loading us 70
become. in part, at least, manufacture
crs Of the raw material at Il doors.
lie reasoned that we were true
Americans, and that. favored as we
WERE, we would moi, could not, fail to
avail ourselves Of such advantages,
and that the unprecedented would
certainly occur.
Mr.. Kelly made the same mistake
about Mr.. WattcrSon that many 9TH
crs make. tie is Il thcorist--anothnr
name for tlinkrr-and perhaps Ire is
than both. Those who believe that
they know him fairly we'll think him
a brilliant editorial writer and a
forccfnl, eloquent speaker with an in
innate knowlcdgr Of National poll
tics. l"vin" his fellow man. especial
~ K~rntuckians, .iovially partaking
with them Of daily portions Of a
beverage. Il product Of Kentucky,
which gives the State celebrity.
This estimate is partly true, but ap-
prrciative friends Of his calibrc who
have FOR years enjoyed his intimate
friendship know that such a charac-
tcrization falls far short and is, in
part, wholly untrue.
Mr.. WattcrSon is Il thcoriSt be-
cause the greater part Of his life
has been devoted to Il study and hiwn
appreciation Of the writings Of the
sagcs and thinkers Of the world
men who have outlined. in one way
and another, plans for the amcliora-
tion Of our ills and the general bet
terment Of mankind. Endowed with
great natural ability, reinforced by
energetic study and thought, he has
been able to firmly lay hold Of the
salient, practical features Of good in
these and to perceive and discard the
impracticable and untrue. If he is a
dreamer, rs many Of our greatest
men have been, it is because he has
always believed that. thu good propos-
ed by these writer's and thinkers
could be achieved in time, by nn up
lifting to IL full realization Of their
value and the possibility Of bringing
about their fulfilment.
His acticc life began at the seat of
government at tho opening of tho
great struggle between the States Of
the Union. The end Of the intcrven-
ing forty-sevcn years finds him just
as active, in the fullest possession of
undimmel mental and physical vigor
in fact, with a mind greatly en-
richcd by hard study and experiences
more important and varied, perhaps,
than those of any public man who
can he named, for it is not office but
principles which interest and concern
us. Before his active career began
he had thoroughly mastered a philo-
sophie knowledge of his country's
history and fully appreciated the
trend Of affairs. He knew personal
~ the leaders Of thought, understood