The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-10-01

university James Gray went into news
paper work and has ever since been
connected with Minneapolis. newspa-
pers excepting the two years. service :
as mayor of that city At first he was
engaged in general reporting, and la.
ter in executive and editorial posi-
tons, having been city editor Of the
Tribune. managing editor of the Times
and associate editor OF the Journal
and had business experience in the
advertising departments of the Times
and Tribune-twenty-flv years at the
desk, varied only by short vacation
in the mayors office.
Familiar With Public Affairs.
Mr.. Gray's first work was on the
Tribune, having the city hall and
courthouse runs, which gave him IA
miliarity with the people and fund
of information on public affairs and
matters legal and historical, as we'll
as working knowledge of municipal
government. At the time of the Re-
publican national convention in 1892
he was SO impressed with the dramatic
and tragic, the total eclipse of the
Plumed Knight, that he" literally tore
off tremendous article on the down
fall of Blaine, prefaoed with the lines
from Byron on Napoleon:
TITS done. But yesterday King,
And armed with Kings to strive,
And now thou art a nameless thing
So abiect yet alive"
Reputation as . Correspondent.
When the article appeared great
Eastern correspondents came in scores
to see the rural genius who had beaten
them all, and the New York Times
man and others telegraphed the entire
article to their papers. The reputa-
ton thus established was heightened
by his correspondence from Washing
ton at the outbreak Of the Spanish.
American VARIABLE, eloquent and Wig
orous letters which attracted great at.
tention.
During his term as mayor he won
number Of triumphs for the people.
one in refusing to sign contract or.
dered by the city council for the pur-
chase of coal because there was an
evident combine between dealers; un.
der Mayor Gray's orders wood and
shavings were used as fuel at the wa
ter works until the trust surrendered
Defeats Traction Company Plan.
Another victory of the people was
the heading Off of a scheme of the
street railway company to charge
lucent fare between the Twin Cities;
the Minneapolis council had granted
this privilege by an ordinance. Mayor
Gray vetoed the ordinance, which was
passed over his veto, whereupon he Sc
cured the support of the Pioneer Press
and the St. Paul city council and the
scheme was defeated.
When the smallpox epidemic broke
out, decisive and sweeping measures
of Mayor Gray stamped out the
plague; and another Of his popular
moves was his II have-have you?"
to bring home in style worthy Of
them, the boys of the Thirteenth reg.
iment from San Francisco.
Strong Editorial Writer.
James Gray is known, and widely
known, through his strong, fearless.
characteristic editorials, which have
personality Of their own So, clearly
marked that people commonly say,
That's Jim Gray's; can always tell
his articles" His serious articles are
occasionally illumined by flashes of
native humor. 1t is of the grave,
serio-comic literary type He is I'm.
consciously humorous while he de-
tends himself from the charge.
An important side OF Mr.. Gray's ca
recr is his pubho speaking, and he is
perhaps more widely known in this
capacity than any other; as an after.
dinner speaker he has made a reputa.
ton that has became proverbial. and
he has handled gridiron dinners with
zest, JUNCTION and brilliancy that
have been pronounced Incompatible
by President Northrop and other
well known men. The late Governor
Johnson at one of these dinners said,
IL have never heard, even at the
Washington gridiron dinners. fea.
| ture that compared with it in original
1ty or conception.
Connected With Church Work.
Mr.. Gray has been prominently con.
nected with church work in Minneapo-
lis and has spoken from the pulpits
| OF a score of churches Of divers de.
nomination. and his address in South
Dakota on 1.-THE Layman's Age" has
been widely quoted.
Now, as to the man-and, after all,
that is the important thing: Mr.. Gray
is man of unbounded popularity.
genial, and always ready with an apt
reply. He likes people. and is there
fore generally liked; he is what men
call "a good fellow" and women. "a
splendid man." while politicians style
him "a good mixer" ~
Mr.. Gray's Homo, Life.
Mr.. Gray was married in 1893 to
Miss Grace harrington. associate edi-
! tor of the Times. At Linden Hills,
J IA