Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-01-20
Career and Work
of Harvey W. Scott

of Harvey w. Scott
ETHE Harvey " Scott memorial
number of the quarterly Of the
4 Oregon Historical society, which
has just come to hand, contains q
fund Of Information relative 90 that
most interesting figure la western
Journalism which cannot fan to claim
and hold the interest of AN who love to
read Of strong men
The quarterly consists of more than
200 pages. hS far the greater part of
which is devoted 60 personal reminis-
censes of MIR scott by Alfred Holman.
now editor Of the san Francisco Argo-
naut. who received his first newspaper
training under Mr. Scott on the ore
CONAN in 1869 and 1870 and who for
forty. years was intimately associated
with MIN MIR Holman writes with "a
sympathy that comes from long and
devoted friendship with e man whose
bipness In every aspect of life inspired
an ardent administration and aticc-
don and the close view that he gives
ii the llttNNAlAl NlfAN Va Wv hNhfflNfh ~"
his sketch is one Of absorhine interest
With the early struggles of Harvey
| ". scott. his life as "a public man and
ithe Journalistic career that placed
him upon pinnacle with Greeley,
Dana, Bennett. Watterson and others
Iaf tho school Of strong indiyidualists
that dominated the journalism of am
earlier generation, the public IS al
lready familiar. IT Is In the recital of
incidents illuminating the Bentlcr, saf-
ter and more human side OF the man
that Mr. Holman's narrative is most
attractive.
Writing. according 10 his biographer,
was not a natural gift To Mr. scott
Literally. he forged his matter into
form, and If the form WAS always fine
! il was made SO less 10y instructive art
| than by unremittng labor" Ills work
would probably have gained something
81 buoyancy n ne had been less sc-
we're critic of himself only on very
rare occasions would De allow HIM
self 10 depart from his customary for
Imaliy Of expression and at such
times che had in it a kind Of delight
lakin 10 the exhiliration of a naughty
child over some pleasing smartness. -
AS illustrative Of this phase Of his
lcharacter MI Holman recalls an in
stance when some rather ridiculous
man had made grandiloquent dec
ilaration of heroic views, and Mr..
scott remarked. 81 don't know Just
now 20 treat that" one of his edi-
torial assistants suggested: Just print
what he SAYS and put under II as
your sole comment Wouldn't that
lar you" Mr. Scott pooh poohod the
suggestion. but half an hour later
he came into my room. which adioin-
ed his own. and road to me "a para
|eraph n which in modified form. he
had used The suggested expression. lie
eureled over il with the keenest de-
Hight. and later when his proofs came
me- walked through the editorial rooms
reading 1t To others of the staff The
following morning, with the paper
spread before him, he ran over the
particular paragraph with boistcrous
satisfaction in a literary prank
Am insight into the philosophy of
the man IS given Ia his comment In
regard % certain political boss whose
"msmes he admitted was bad, but
for whom hc had "a certain admira-
ton aud friendship on account of his
Initiating common sense and SORT of
rock-rihbed honesty a. am pretty
much of the opinion" ne Is quoted As
Saving chat II takes more OF a man
10 be good political boss than Il
does 10 be- "a bishop. Now your bishop
must either ho bit of blank fool
~ something or n hypocfite. Either
would be fatal To political boss. just
lconsidCr whAt the elementary qualities
g Ut his character must BE- First of ali
he must have honesty no man whe
4 tells lies can find support ina Other
. men. $50 man who Is careless about
hs word can have the respect Of uthet
! men So man who lacks loyalty car
: commaud loyaltI"
j Mr. Scott wc are told, could have
. been United states senator from ore.
8 eon had hc been willing 10 make M,
compromises necessary To secure hin
1.-The election bm he would not stool
To make these compromises Probably
= he would not have made good semi
: tor for ncW community, because h'
E had not tho talent for small ta.ag
E which hs constituency demanded an,
e ho would no doubt have been consid
E cred ncglcctuL Twice ne WIS ten
G derod important diplomatic appoint
G montg once be President Roosevelt
q and once by President Taft bat il
each case he declined We often re
marked when efforts were made q
$ stimulate i'm him the spirit Of politiea
ambition. that he would not ste
= down from the cditorship ofthe ore
CONAN into the United states senals