Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-26
The Story of Reid.

ne story OF neiu.
In 1868 little group of young men
made their first appearance in New
York city. All of them, we believe
were Of Ohio birth, and all had done
something or been something in the
great Civil War, which had come to q
happy end a while earlier, and which
changed this country from separate
and bumptious parochial groups into
an informed and united nation. These
young men all lived together. and
very likely sometimes helped support
each other in those unbounteou1 days.
John Hay and Whitelaw Reid We're
two Of these young man, and both got
writing jobs on the Tribune John
Hays fame is secure. both in letters
and in craftsmanship. and Whitelaw
Reid has also added some renoWn to
that Ohio group. But whereas Hay
was content to write. Reid was man.
aging editor within a year. This di-
vergence was not by chance. Both
branches of work are equally impor
tant and equally essential. but they
not only require but appeal to diff
ferent gifts. Mr. Reid's gifts were on
the practical side; and SO far as he
was by nature and training and habit
literary il was the downright practi
cal effect of what he thought and
wrote and printed that governed. He
could not help it; that was the con-
stitutiOn of his mind: and that made
him pre-eminently safe" mana
term which is sometimes applied with
a sneer. but which includes qualities
that are as needful in private posi-
tons of responsibility as they un-
doubtedly are in all good public work
Within three years Mr.. Reid became
the owner of the Tribune
Charles A. Dana of the sun made
this change in Mr.. Reds newspaper
relations notorious. by animadvertinS
upon il with a truly feminine jeal
ousy and pertinacity. Perhaps that
episode furnished a basis for the no
tion, revived again in these days, that
no capitalist can lend money to an
energetic and capable young man who
ventures To acquire a newspaper with
out also exercising control over the
newspaper which the young man
makes. So far as we recall, the
Tribune was as straight under Mr..
Reid in those days of beginning as it
was earlier under Horace Greeley
himself, and with considerably fewer
intellectual vagaries and fads.
Mr.. Reid held on. paid his debts
and accumulated money. He lied TO
no one, cheated no one and he was
trusted. Then, in 1881, he married
Elizabeth Mills, a capable woman
who had money, as the saying goes,
both in esse and in posse. and who
made him the best of wives. With
out his own gift OF money making
and the millions got together by d. O.
Mills Mr.. Reid never could have made
his later career in London. There is
no use in denying this One may
fairly question whether or not, in
deed. Mr.. Reid has not made the Dor
chester House entertainments too Law
ish. too sumptuous, too splendid. But
what would you?
Mr. Reid was not eminent for schol-
arship. His eminence, such as it was,
consisted in the harmonious balance
of such qualities as good faith, in
telligenee, experience in affairs and a
very kindly and, friendly nature, all of
which are essentially commonplace,
and all of which are taken for grant
ed in the position which he held in
London. What was he to do to EN- :
phasize the fact that he had been sent
10 England bSTthis country? There
had been American statesmen and
scholars there before him, and il was
part of his practical sense to know
that he had neither the opportunity
nor the gifts to compete with them.
In this dilemma he made prominent
daZzlingly prominent, at times-the
American people. 1t was a kind of
appeal that London understood and
appreciated, not regarding it as vulgar
ostentation--as it was not-but as a
worthy and most engaging method Of
transmitting solid cash into friendly
and useful acquaintance 1t was the
surplus thousands that were thus
utilized in London by Mr. Reid, for
both he and his wife have never al
lowed their lavish entertainments to
reduce the sums with which-far
more, probably, than is known-they
have helped along those who needed
help.
For the rest, Mr. Reid always spoke
and wrote web when to speak or
write became part of the days work
He was not imaginative-he never
aimed to be eloquent, which is impos-
sible without imagination; but along
all matter fact, utilitarian and
practical lines he was clear, cogent
and often impressive. His career is
remarkable for its straight forward
and continuous success. II may al
most be said of him that he never
took step forward which he did not
nold. one reason for this probably
was that each step of his was taken
with due forethought. A mind of this
natural quality cannot he reckoned
great, but 1t is exceedingly helpful in
an the affairs of men, whether these
nave TO do with individuals or with
the public Hartford Courant.