The Washington times., 1913-06-27
PEN PICTURE OF
NEW COMMISSION
Oliver p Newman Gained Clear and Thorough knowledge of
Municipal Problems Through Participation as
Newspaper Man in Many Struggles a.
By JUDS0N c. wELLIvER.

Every once in awhile somebody who
isn't a politician and has no claim on
politics, except, that he is competent
and deserving, gets the reward that
isn't commonly given on such grounds.
That's the curious thing that has
made Oliver P. Newman, Commissioner
of the District of Columbia, and Just at
the moment quite the most interesting
young man in the public eye Of this
community.
Likewise, 1t Is distinctly the exception
for man under thirty to have a career
made for him by the uncomfortable ac-
cident Of losing his health and being
shipped away to a climate in which
1t is hoped he can regain it II he can
only manage to avoid dying of starva-
ton while he Is recuperating.
That experience also contributed to
making Mr.. Newman a person of pecu-
liar interest.
1t is about sixteen years since I first
knew Mr.. Newman. He walked into
the office of the old Des Moines Leader
one afternoon to ask for job as re-
porter. ! was city editor. and he came
to me. AS testimonial, he had inno-
Gently brought along a copy Of cur
rent magazine containing an interest
ing sketch of West Point cadet life. he
having been a cadet there. The story
was excellent.
why didn't you stay in the Acad-
emy?" asked.
"Plucked; found; bad in mathe-
matics." he replied.
Responsive Chord.
That helped some, for failure in trie-
onometry in a competitive examination
had once kept me from going to West
Point. I had become philosophical about
II; Newman hadn't quite. I explained
to him with a good deal of sympathy
that trigonometry was a disorder Of the
mind; proficiency in it the proof Of an
intellectual arrangement akin to in
sanity. No man capable of doing "trig
could possibly ever be worth his salt
firmly believe that to this blessed day.
and take pride in being able to confirm
my view on the authority Of the new
District administration.
Newman got the job, on the basis Of
nothing a week for while and the
opportunity to accumulate vast and
some potentiality Of experience In that
office. too. The oldest man IN the place
was twenty-nine, and the paper was
either beloved or cordially hated by
everypody Wilnln tne range OF its clf-
culetion.
1t was very much In politics, and
pushing along the insurgency against
railroad, insurance and other boss
rule" that a few years later turned
Iowa politics upside down. The editor
Of the paper was Allan Dawson. now
editor-in-chief Of the New York Globe.
The business manager was Samuel
Strauss, now associated with the pub
Usher Of the New York Times. The
STAFF included Robert H. Patchin. who is
low head Of the New York Herald bu-
reau in Washington; Henry r. Jones,
news editor Of the Washington Post !;
John Snure, Washington correspondent,
political writer. and magazine contri-
butor: Philip H. Patchin, Washington
correspondent, globe trotter, and special
ist in international affairs, and Mr..
Newman. who promptly took to the
political game" with great enthusiasm.
There was more animation and a
wider variety of trouble around that
shop than could possibly have been d.
eested by any less youthful or more ex-
perienced aggregation.
Big Experience.
Newman accumulated large expert
ence and absolutely nothing else, and
presently moved on to Washington. He
handled the business of reporting the
Senate during the session when the
Philippine government bill, Cuban reci-