The Washington herald., 1909-06-20
A KNIGHT JOURNALIST

Sir Hugh Graham. the first Canadian
journalist 70 be knighted. has had ca
reer that should be an encouragement 70
young men 20 persevere under difficulties
he carried 20 Montreal. as a country boy.
nothing but common school and acad-
emy education and an alert brain To-
day he IS a newspaper owner. a Inucn
sought leader IN phlianthr0pic financial
enterprises. and knight Bachelor. made
50 by King Edward on his last birthday.
says George Murray IA the New York
Tribune
Il IS merely by accident that he is a big
newspaper man II he had begun as
Office boy In q wholesale house or q man
ufacturer's Office IL IS more than probable
that he would have worked out his career
in these lines Of endeayor Just as surely.
As Il was. the record stands thus. once
boy in the Montreal Evening Telegraph
al the age OF fifteen. one month later, as
sistant bookkeeper; fve months later still.
bOokkeeper. four months later. business
manager. Three years later he went 20
the Montreal Gazette, where he met Ian
posed the next year that they should
start a paper OF their own. In 1888 they
launched the Daily star. with less than
500 IN the treasury-bUt with George T.
Lanigan's telling pen and an unlimited
amount OF pluck.
Before very long the two partners dif-
fered- SO Lanigan withdrew and Graham
went on alone. An offer from his princi-
pal creditors 10 give him. as sole prOpTi-
etor, a clean sheet was refused. and the
young proprietor announced his deterui-
nation 10 pay every cent Of the over
whelming debt OF his paper with interest.
| And this he did. but not until be had
/ tasted every experience thar comes TO the
man who insists upon making bricks
without straw. he had no working capt
| tai. and the concern was staggering under
| huge load Of debt. while he was in
/ creasingly harrassed by lawsuits
Had Many Libel suits.
During his struggles he had some
ninety-three libel suits on his hands, and
/ he lost only three. His credit became so
low at one time that he had 10 buy ~
: coal by the bucketful and send the ofioe
/ boy for it. He had 20 pay for his paper
day by day with the street sales OF the
/ evening before. What seemed like the
/ last straw on MS load Of trouble was the
refusal OF his neighbor 20 continue the
/ supply OF steam power that was fur
nished by means OF a shaft through the
/ wall unless arrears were paid up--a pro-
| ceeding that would have meant suspeU-
/ frsrr mir 20 ha
/ a horsepower and horse. These ar
rived during TIE night and for several
: DAYS a big white horse was on the pas
roll. The horse treads were erected III
/ a corner OF the press room and the mo-
tive power walked into the Office every
! morning through the little counting
house 70 the press room, which was equip.
ped with a fat machine capable OF print
ing only one side OF a sheet.
The irregularity OF the animal power
/ created a perfect pandemouium- Wher
the press was stopped every few minute:
10 let 20 relays Of white sheets, the AMI
nal would start galiOping on the Mill
/ This becoming uncomfortable, caioric en-
CINE was installed. but proved inadequate
Il needed help. and every Afternoon tnS
bookkeeper. a clerk and Two reporters
. the bulk Of the staff. could be seen help
I piston rods-a spectacle as near % tha
Of absolute despair as il was possible q
see But Graham never despaireo. tollec
early and late. and, with untiring re-
sourcefulness. contriVed means for al
tracing attention to his little paper
pushing II steadily up the hin
The King. however. does not ofter
knight men for business success This
distinction implies that Sir Hugh dlc
more than build up a great newspape'
property and a fortune, and herein lies
the secret OF his imperial honor. he al
once began 10 use his newspaper. his Tor
tune. and his OWE abilities in The public
service The list OF projects that he ha'
undertaken and carried through Is for
uidable. You can hardly mention a strik
ing public need OF the last three decades
which did not ind Hugh Graham en-
deavOrirg 10 the best Of his ability e
meet Il. When the famine broke out II
India. for instance. he set on foot Z
movement 20 raise a relief fund IN Can
ada, 20 which finally 10000 people sen
in contributions.
The Boer war aroused his patriotic Yer
!. vOF In ike fashion. When Il scenes