Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-05-16
rle. increased its circulation

iliZation" ana It's great cartoonlst was
manifest in praises not only from the
whole of the United States, but from
across the sea. It was a great place in
the sun that this paper. which
ceased to live last Saturday, held in
those days.
To relate the great events in which It
figured largely which have happened
since that time would be to rewrite the
history of an important period OF the
country's life 1t would repay those who
find interest in such study to trace the
story Of it's welding Of its splendid
power One portion of it is not pleas
ant to those Of us who were loyal to
one Of the great statesmen OF our
State, for the Weekly with Curtis and
Mast fought bitterly against the
"Plumed Knight" and the plumes
that were waved so eloquently IN the
nominating speech. were at once afnxed
by the ready pencil of Mast to the high
white hat, and the resulting headsear
is pictured wildly in the memories OF
those OF us who recall that heart
breaking campaign.
This happened mere than 30 years
ago. and shortly thereafter Mast and
the Weekly separated. In 1856 he ceased
to work for the great paper, the great
ness of which he, more than any other
of the staff, had builded. Colonel Wat
terson has said. In quitting Harper's
Weekly, Mast lost his forum; in losing
him, Harpers Weekly lost its political
Importance
Ii was given, both to Mast and to the
journal of which he had been so great
a part, to outlive greatness. Mast had
to realize the sad truth that new gener-
ations find new favorites, and it was
pleasant to him to find in the impulsive
heart of Theodore Roosevelt recogni-
ton OF his unvoiced claim to consider
alton at the hands of the nation which
he had served so faithfully. When his
fortunes were at low ebb. in 1902, he
was appointed to a consulate in Ecua-
dor. He was appointed in March, and
he died at his post in the following
November The strength that could
overthrow the citadels of corruption
! could not withstand the combined as
sault of old age and yellow fever.
The journal continued to exist. but
! did not keep its high place. Doubtless
many influences conspired to supplant
it in the popular favor, not the least OF
which were the changes that have
come in the methods of illustration
and in the multiplicity of illustrated
periodicals. Years ago such papers as
Harper's and Leslies were relied upon
to visualize the worlds happenings in
the drawings which their pages con.
tanned; but today we have quickly
spread before us actual photographs
rather than artists imaginative draw
ings, of what events Of Importance may
have happened anywhere in the world
Caricatures drawn by hands more skill
full than Nast's-but 1t would not b.
safe to say they were conceived ir
minds more brilliant than his,-coms
daily from the presses Of most Of thu
great journals.
Able men have given the blood from
their young veins to the old Weekly
and it has had it's flares of the ole
spirit Colonel Harvey was its edi
tor when he discovered Woodrow VIII
son; but the discovery did not seem t.
do what it should to restore the fiusl
Of youth to the old picture paper. Will
son emerged from the Darkest Afric;
of New Jersey into the glare, spurninl
the sheet that had proudly boaste'
from it's beginning that it was tn
journal of Civilization" and leaving
the discoverer to ruminate sadly as t.
whether or not his discovery had bee1
worth while. And now as 1t passes. tn
> old Weekly leaves in the courts. as
visible reminder that 1t has existed.
libel suit for several hundred thousan
dollars against it's last editor. the bril-
liant and somewhat cratic Norman
: Hapgood The recent ambassador t
Mexico objects to having his reputation
chopped into the malodorous Mexica
stew.
But it is fitting to forgive the old 70
the inconsequence Of their wanin
years, and to recall the gloriou
achievements Of their prime; and 70
Harper's Weekly, and for the men VIII
made it a power for good, there will b
many kindly thought in the minds c
The World War a Year Ago