University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1916-02-09

| as the second In Its series of "Guber-
Material Possibilities" a sketch of F.
W. stephens of Columbia. Editorially
the Republic says the article is by a
! friend of many years, who has had
exceptional opportunities of knowing
Mr.. Stephens on the public side. 1--WE
desire to reiterate," the Republic says,
''the statement made at the inception
of the series: that these articles are
from the pens of friends of the men
written about; that they are appre-
Citations rather than criticisms, and
that the Republic is merely the me-
dunn for presenting them to the pub
/ lie and gives special editorial indorse-
ment to none"
The article follows:
T. W stephens of Columbia is a
Missourian of the MissOurians. He
was born and reared in Columbia,
graduated there from the State Uni
versity, and has been for forty-fiye
years an editor in his native town He
has wandered far afield, has jOurneyed
on the Ganges and the Rhine, listened
to the temple bells in Burmah and
ridden in outlandish carts in Japan
all to get a proper appreciation of
Missouri. He returned from his trip
around the world convinced that a
man ought to know London, Paris,
COnstantinOple and Calcutta in order
to realize properly the blessing of liv-
ing in Columbia.
1t seems highly probable that the
thing which has brought Mr.. Ste
phens to mind in connection with the
governorship just at this time in the
history of the state, is the fact of his
long familiarity both with business
and the responsibilities of public life.
He has for many years conducted a
large publishing house and is familiar
through much experience with finan-
cial problems, labor questions, and all
the intricacies of peculiarly techni-
cal line of manufacturing. A citizen
who believes that every man owes the
best that is in him to the state, he has
often been called upon to render
special service He is just now at work
supervising the building of $780,
900 capitol for Missouri 1t is to be a
structure of great stateliness and
beauty; but it is also to be the first
building of its kind that was ever
planned primarily as place for the
transaction of the public business
with its various departments related
to each other in a practical, common |
sense way. Mr.. stephens has acted as
commissioner for the erection of pub !
lie buildings before, and has served as
president of the Board of Curators of
the State University, and chairman of |
the Board of Trustees Of the Missouri !
Baptist Sanitarium
Mr. stephens Democracy is of the |
quiet, steady kind that gives an ac-
count of itself in hard work. He |
has never sought public office. His
interest in politics has centered on
two things; the selection of honorable
and efficient men for public office and
he conducting of government accord
ing to certain fundamental principles.
These principles have underlaid all
MS thinking and writing on political
questions, and have been determining
actors in his choice of men and meas
Tres for support Whether he has
,ver given a thought to the character
,f his own political record or not it
s impossible to say, but if he ever
loes he will review years of consist
mt effort in the line Of the public
rood as he conceives it, with no lapses
ither of industry or loyalty.
On the personal side, E. W. Stephens
las a special knack of making and
olding friends. He is unaffectedly
ond of folks; his sympathies are