The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-11-14
CARMACk AS HE WAS KNOWN
BY THE FOURTH ESTATE
(Rv a Former TenncsseeanD

Former United States Senator Ed
ward w. Carmack. who was shot
down and killed in Nashville last Mon
day, while never one of the boys"
among the newspaper fraternity. was
we'll liked. His forte was editorial
writing. which he did in a sarcastic
vein. He was a much better fighter
than a defender. The Senator knew
all the boys on the city editors staff,
but he appreciated more the effect of
an editorial filled with ginger than he
did news story with snap and vim.
However. he was not averse TO good
SCOOP"
An editorial writer must remain in
the background nowadays" ne said
few months ago. while the reporters
get all the glory"
In illustrating this he told Of a story
with its scene laid in Memphis when
he was United States Senator.
Il had promised a magazine" he
explained, to write a story regarding
my attitude toward the Fourteenth
Amendment to the Constitution. l had
! intended to prepare a bill repeating
! this amendment and promised the
magazine to state my reasons
1t seems that a Memphis CORE
! spOndcnt was advised by the New
/ York Herald of my intentions, and
/ one Sunday the correspondent APP
/ iNp6cItu ne upon Inc llldltCI
promised t. give him an interview
early that evening. 1t seems that on
/ the sam" day there was a Southern
| League baseball game in Memphis.
! The spondent learned that a
pitcher for the Birmingham team had
declined 10 work on Sunday because,
as he explained. he was formerly a
Methodist preacher. The correspond
! ent Wired two queries to the Inter-
1 Ocean al l'hirg They read
"'A-United States Senator Car
! mack to introduce bill for repeal of
Fourteenth Amendment. Tells reason
why. Fifteen hundred words
'B-Methodist preacher. pitcher for
! birmingham team. refuses TO play
Memphis on Sunday. Fifty words
The reply came as follows:
Rush, fifty wor'is Carmack, six
hundred preacher pitcher
Then l realized that a reporter
was superior To an editor
Senator Carmack had just become
editor of the Memphis Commercial
Appeal when a most unusual thing
took place.
a murder had been committed in
Memphis which seemed to have
aroused the Indignation of the city
One night mob took nineteen ne
groes out and hanged them almost
within the city limits. The Avalanche
carried the story. The Commercial
was ScOoped.
My God. I'm ruined" said the city
editor 10 Editor Carmack the next
day. and forthwith resigned. members
Of his staff following suit.
When Senator Carmack was de-
feated by former Gov Bob Taylor
the latter inquired at their first meet
ing if Carmack had any favOrS to ask
Il never ASK faVoIs Of an opponent.
the defeated Senator replied.
But | might fulfill some obliga-
tion." insisted Senator Taylor.
Then 60 to the State Department
said Mr.. Carmack. and tell IN
therell be h to pay if Charlie Travis
of Tennessee loses his job"
1t was Senator TayIor's first officia
act to go 10 the State Department anl
demand the retention Of Mr.. Travis.
For real. genius and forethousht.,
Senator Carmack once said. you vii
have to recognize" the reporter. l re-
member in Memphis few years ag'
that We had d reporter who had jus
rented a cottage into which h DOM
ciled his bride II was on Christina
following when he learned that hi
mOther-i in law was TO visit him. Tn
cost Of furniture. rent and other mis-
CtliancouS expenses incident To
wedding had demoralized his bank &C
count. H. had drawn in advance upon
tn" office t. his limit. He remember
FL that a New York paper owed hin
for correspondence.
one night b. asked my advfc
upon thu finanfal matter and *
planned that the New York paper Wa
behind with him for several months
He had decided L. wire them ana ask
I'd that frame the message. I wire
for him as follows:
christmas near, turkeys dear m
mother-in-laW here. Please rus
check
Five days later he got a check f.
$51"