The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-07-15
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FLOWERS AFTER DEATH.

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Columbia Record
The newspaper press Of Georgia is
somewhat freely throwing bouquets
at the memory of one William NJ
Bairman, member of the Fourth Es-
tate, recently deceased. We extract
from the Augusta Chronicles editor
ial comment the following:
News has already been printed of
the death of Mr.. William Michael
Bairman, of the diUorial force of the
Macon Telegraph. He, in life, was
unassuming. Few people knew him
to be the strong writer and method
ical newspaper man that he was. He
was most systematic, could turn out
work-and the finest kind of work
with rapidity and was always on the
job.
Mr.. James B. Nevin, of the Atlanta
Georgian, pays Mr.. Bairman high trib-
ute, and especially refers to the fam
Gus Macon Telegraph scrap book, the
keeping Of which was confded to Mr..
Bairman.
"The political hosts in Georgia may
not realize it quite" says Mr.. Nevin,
'Sbut when William Michael Bairman,
of the Macon Telegraph, passed away
on Thursday last the best informed
man on things political in Georgia
ceased to be-" Continuing, Mr.. Nevin
says:
''Not only was he the best Informed.
man in Georgia on State politics, but
he was one of the sweetest and gen.
tlest characters that ever lived with
in the commonwealth.
"Mr. Bairman was modest an ex-
raordinary degree, and one rarely
saw his name in print-this writer
never saw it figure in the headlines,
at least, until those headlines an
nounced Mr.. Bairman's untinely
death"
What curious and pathetic COM
mentary on life is contained in the
above! Mr.. Bairman was a man
whose name was unknown in life.
zone rarely saw his name in print." "
Mr.. Nevin, who kept up with all the
newspapers, never saw it in the head
lines until those headlines announc-
ed his untimely death" He who had
contributed to the fame and upbuild-
ing of hundreds of others through
the newspapers had practically never
seen his name in print The very
readers to whom he spoke from day
to day and on swhom he lavished his
best thought did not know of the
existence of the man. He was too
modest to put his own name in print,
and there was none of all who knew
his merit and deserts to take that
kindly office on himself while yet the
modest worker was in the flesh!
1t is strange how generous we all
are to our fellows after they are dead!
How pityingly and patronizingly we
pile up the flowers on the grave that
hides a co-worker from our sight!
But what avails to pour praises into
'sthe dull cold ear of death?'' If his
clod-closed sense could entertain them
it would be but to excite bitter smile
on the lips of him who had wrought
all his life in vain for rewards like
these.
No doubt natures like Mr.. Bairman's
are peculiarly sensitive and appre
ciative of commentator and praise.
No doubt the zeal and fidelity with
which he labored set the measure of
the happiness that recognition would
have given him! But modesty was his
crime! He was penalized for it as
surely as if it had been an offense
against the laws of the land! He was
condemned to see the credit for the
work into which he put his heart and
his soul and his brain from day to
day go to others, possibly, who had
no false scruples about proclaiming
their own merits and getting all that
was coming to them! His no doubt
was the rather common fate among
newspaper workers to see the very
children of his brain, ignorant OF their
own parentage, running off after and
taking their patronynlic from strang-
ers.
We may be in error, but we some
times think that this injustice to fel-
low workers is peculiarly alive and