The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-07-08
OLIVER OTIS.

s1rs animation as to his illness the news
,s,.e. July 1st, of Oliver Otis, editor of
.aaI Opinion, was a severe shock to
s.rjs and fellow journalists. The edito-
,.gs q. .us Rockland Opinion of July 1st,
a. inverted column rules, had this brief
,,,smea. by Ensign Otis, the son Of the
ssed
,iysr Otis. editor of the Opinion, died this
srT st i've o'clock. An obituary will ap-
-r our rext issue. l could not write it
f-o-pInQ, and no one of our force could set
t.s6fit in type. We are sending the paper
..s. now He would not want US to shirk
.ny
,he Portland Argus we'll says: "This is a
~.s that speaks volumes. Between the
set the few sentences are read the affec-
entertained for the good father and for
,s5 employer; while that faithfulness to
smell was one of the shining virtues of
IT, )-s is convincingly borne witness to-"
|!tbs aye of thirteen Otis was the "devil"
| me Franklin Patriot office in Pennington,
|fse .r 1874 he was publishing The Clipper
susuro. little weekly newspaper of which
sss sall that it had about all the faults
Il newspaper could have save one-nobody
/ a5 u. vas dull" In that year he was
4 70 Eockiand to edit the Opinion, then
lbished 1y L. M. Robbins, and with the ex-
|aonol Two brief periods his life-work had
h. gega On that paper. In write-up of
| Otis o. q Maine newspaper some years ago
VS. sa4 of him;
Hvbagi, there is not man in Maine who
knsIe more enemies or more friends in the
-,eqf MS career than has Oliver Otis. He
! nsue enemies because nature endowed
1 Win caustic wit, an independent mind
1 5elserant tendencies. He has made
EHds because he is kind of heart. possessed
Ea4 qualities which made him fight for
b cause as valiantly as many fight for
b. which brings with its success rewards,
Eecsuse he is true to his principles and his
1--we have read Mr.. Otis Alright he did not
ii lame or fortune; but he certainly attain
tie yHs as distinctive figure in Maine
9na.Gm and no doubt enjoyed the modest
npeiency sometimes granted country
gnslst He was never a time server or an
He served one term as repre-
aatlVe to the legislature and was once a
nidats for mayor of his home city, but in
th cases it was at the call of his party. He
/ rightly been called Democrat of Demo.
Els He believed in the principles and pol
5i bis party and advocated them with
nset ability. But he did not hesitate to
tcl3e OF condemn when he felt that the in
sis Of MS party demanded it. He was an
nest advocate of the single tax, and his
4 the only newspaper in Maine to adopt the
calico simplified spelling, to which he con-
N1tly adhered despite the ridicule of his
,Nmporaries. Whatever he wrote was read
ID Interest, even when his articles extended
several columns. Of late he has not
Ien much beyond digests of the news. in
ill the war news has been prominent.
lae winter enjoyed the acquaintance, and,he
isyes, the friendship, of Mr.. Otis. He GER
l!Y had ours in full measure, and we recall
hOy as seated in his sanctum with the
aisr Y, D. alight and the implements of
calling before him. Wide as the poles
i-l7F q political beliefs we occasionally had
Is s'7i what each regarded as the others
's''ss but there was no personal i'll will be-
V 'Gese Encounters, but rather the respect
'N taose who have the courage of their
iYe;i0ns