University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-05-15
Charles 4. Dana and The Sun

Ii is not unusual for old time news
paper men to encourage the employ
, ment of college men in journalism
; now. But it is a recent thing, and
, POSSIBLY no great editor has done more
: in this regard than the founder of the
New York Sun, Charles Anderson
Dana.
Perhaps. this is because Danna was
a college man himself. He was an
argument himself for college training
in journalism. Because of his versa
tile development, broad vision and
keen intellectual pOwer-all the pro-
duct of Harvard training-he surpass-
ed Greeley or Bennett, and established
la newspaper which is still considered
1.-THE newspaper mans newspaper"
Dana served an apprenticeship un-
lder Greeley. He came TO the editor of
the New York Tribune after leaving
lcOllege and was placed on the staff
as city editor. Then came a. gradual
rise until Dana was first assistant
editor. In spite of the prejudice
which Greeley held toward the horn
ed cattle" or college men, Dana made
good. For fifteen years, Dana stayed
with the Tribune.
| A single instance will show the diff.
ference in the development of the two
men. Greeley. great though he was
lacked the fore light which comes with
the training of the student The result
was grave mistakes, human and nat
ural, OF course. Yet avOidable in many
cases. He brought about the election
| of Lincoln to the presidency. Then he
refused Dana's counsel and caused the
president to feel distrustful of him.
A breach resulted. Many episodes of
this character had been avoided by
the advice of Dana beforehand.
In March, 1862, Dana broke away
from Greeley and became assistant
secretary of war. His familiarity with
public men and measures made him
Invaluable TO Lincoln and Stanton. He
resigned i'm 1865 to accept the editor
ship of the Daily Republican of Chi
cago. He made il n good paper. but
failed 10 get the half million dollar
backing he desired and he returned to
the scene of his early labors in Newt
York.
Dana had no difficulty in getting the |
New York Sun started. His reputation |
in that city was made already. He
made it policy of the paper to keep |
his columns open to the dreams and
proposals of any honest devotee to the
Improvement of society. Free discus
sion of topics on general interest was
never denied. And furthermore, Dana
was not satisfied with the chronicle
of news. He believed the newspaper
should be an exponent of the time.
For twenty-nine years, Dana built
up the Sun. He made it a model in
style. The fOrcefulness of his edito-
rials and the breezy humOr of the
news gave the paper reputation
which it has never lost. While the
Sun was model in style, the high
class English employed was not of
the school ma'am variety 1t employ
ed oollOquialisms freely. and used {
slang with irresistible effect. 1t intro ID
iuced new and sparkling words TO the h
newspaper reader 4
Back of the excellent highly literary i
style of the Sun was the personality q
Of Dana. He was a gentleman to his
'flice boy as well as TO his best adver- {
User. He was appreciative of the II
work of his subOrdinates, and told hi
hem so. On one occasion, he whote: n
Il thank you especially for today's a
Irticle. Ii is profound. powerful. wise C
nd true" n
But always with these words of en- Il
now unknown among s,
ewspaper critics and editors, was a Is
beral check for the article. Dana W
as absolutely fair in his criticism. al
nd unusually sincere.
Dana was independent in the con- lii
uct of the Sun. and was naturally al
Misunderstood. Because of the uncer- lii
lin stand of the Sun some of the read he
3 found fault. But the main thing |of
lat appealed to them was the accu.I