The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-04-19

training were at utter variance with
the more generally accepted modern
newspaper methods. Not that he was
unprogressive OF that he was even
for an instant behind his times. On
the contrary he was In the journalism,
and In his range Of reading and think.
ing, a pioneer; a seeker after new
fields, and above all a developer.
But IN his crisp, clear style; in the
deliberative attitude which he brought
70 all his vast volume of writing, his
thorough knowledge, his conservatism,
his wide vocabulary, in his utter and un-
bounded contempt for sensationalism in
any Of its forms, he was distinctly Of
the type best known as Of the 'old
school, a school Of which he was one
of the last and truest representatives.
TO the men who have been most
closely associated with him during these
last few years of slowly failing physi.
cal strength, Mr.. Burke's keen, un.
failing mind has been little less than
a marvel. lie began his newspaper
career as a very young man. Save for
the brief interval of the war, when
he fought for his country with honor
to himself and credit 10 his regiment,
he remained in direct newspaper work
all his life; almost every day Of his
life for during most Of the time he was
connected with that amending grind of
seven.days a week newspaper. He had
few vacations; desired few. Frequent.
ly and more frequently Of late he has
been urged to take longer periods of
rest. OF late he has yielded once or
twice to the opportunities Of his friends
and has given up for a few days his reg.
ular routine of work. But as invaria.
bly, he returned, fresher, rested, eager
TO take up the work again. II was
his desire in the %infrequent occasions
when be could be induced to talk of
himself, to "die in the harness" He
did. He remained in the harness until
the last and wen after sheer physical
weakness forced him 10 give up, his
mind continued to follow the workings
Of the newspaper.
Here is a remarkable career. Modest,
retiring, seldom receiving personal cred.
it for the work done; never seeking
it; always content that his own bril-
liant brain and forceful style be used
for the benefit Of his newspaper and
the community, no man can estimate
the good he has done. As a boy he
was a pioneer in western Iowa. He
was again a pioneer in Kansas and
once again in New Mexico, loved it;
dreamed big dreams Of its future and
was ever ready to point the way to
the practical realization. Day after
day for twenty.nine years he has been
showing the way TO build, not only to
Albuquerque, but TO all New Mexico.
Never in all those years ear a word
Of encouragement for city or territory
be pointed out. II has always been the
vigorous optimism that achieves.
And so, while we cannot estimate
in dollars and cents, in fact, while we
cannot estimate in any accurate way
what are the results Of this man Is
life work, those Of us who have
known something Of that work; those
Of us who have seen results follow his
writings, know that his achievements
have been great; that it has been a
life well lived; that while much of
the joy Of living was found in his
work, and while he cared little for
amsssing riches, his influence has been
greater because of that his hand has
been one of the most active and most
useful in laying the foundation for
the new southwest.
Mr.. Burke will be missed in New
Mexico. His editorial writing has been
read respectfully by thinking people
for many years. Those writings will
be missed. There is not another journal.
list Of mis- equipment in the southwest.
But he has well earned the rest that