The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-02-05

esteem and affection for one OF her
strongest. bravest and most noble
sons The Capital of the same city
says of him. among other things:
Mr.. Perkins performed many pub
nc missions in way to bring LASTING
honor to his own name, but the gen
eral verdict will be that his great
work was in the editorial chair of the
SIOUX City Journal. He was n news
paper man in the best sense of the
word from the ground up. He had his
eye upon every detail Nothing wa.
TOO trivial to escape his attention He
mad a wonderful style OF composition
! II was easy to distinguish his work.
Ills writing combined grace and force
oHe OF the best testimonials to the
respect IN which he was held was in
me fact that people continued to read
MS opinions even when thev found
themselves compelled to dissent from
his Views.
And now the editorial pen has fall
len from the nerveless hand. The last
combat for George D. Perkins has been
fought In the battle of personal con.
vlction. How he will be missed this
sometimes misunderstanding really
n UGH loved man! When the remains
CT Daniel Webster were lying in state
in the Marshfield home an obscure
end humble neishbor who had watch
ed the career of the great statesman
from boyhood until the summit Of
fame had been reached, passed by the
casket and softly said-'D Daniel Web
ster, we shall be lonesome without
you
And thus we imagine it will be in
Sioux City today.
"a good and pure man." says the
Waterloo Reporter. ITO know him
was to admire and love him. with a
cold and distant exterior there beat
within his breast heart true, loyal
and bubbling over with the best man
possesses. A gallant soldier in war. a
fighter In peace, for the principles
that go to make nation, vigorous and
pure, he welded the strongest editor
ial pen Iowa has ever produced"
Similarly the Iowa City Citizen de-
clares:
To the younger newspaper men OF
the state Mr.. Perkins was more than
great editor; he was counsellor
and friend. Always of kind heart,
he was interested In the success OF
others, and his addresses at many ed
itorial association meetings in the last
twenty years have constituted strong
influence in the moral aspects CT
newspaper work in Iowa. The people
of the state may well mourn the loss
of one OF its really constructive char
acters.''
The Davenport Times recalls that
Mr.. Perkins directed the policy of the
editorial page of the Sioux City jour
nal for forty-fve years. and during
that time.a generation had grown UP
that. at least until the last few years.
looked upon the editorial page of the
Journal as its political bible. The
Times rightly credits him with keen
sense of proportions, happy ease OF
analysis and delightful lucidity OF
expression. That he was sincere in his
convictions none will question. The
Davenport Democrat records his pass
ing as that OF one of the best known
and most representative figures in
Iowa journalism, and goes on to say
of him.
In a public address on one occasion
Mr.. Perkins declared that the con
tract between the publisher and the
people is not written, signed or seal
ed, but it ought to be none the less
binding upon a man of honor" As
an editor Mr.. Perkins seemed always
to have this contract with the people
in mind. He made the Journal pa
Ter of much interest and Of more in
fluence. His editorial utterances we're
olear-cut. informing, and bore always
the evident stamp of sincerity. he
never claimed infallibility of judg-
ment. but was warm in denouncins
aisloyalty to public interest. and was
never guilty OF it. Those who knew
lin well appreciated in him many fins
Qualities, ripened by years OF expert
ence, and their thoughts go across the
state today with keen appreciation OF
what Mr.. Perkins half-century O
active life within its borders has
meant for Iowa.