Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-01-08

,;,.es a brie, but, for obvious reasons
;,conn,ete history of its useful IKE
Ed,tor pusbury has graphically pre-
u.nted the story of his papers carry
life and paid handsome conpiiine"'
INC, wbo founded his newspaper
and brought it up to the memory Oh
tho nassing generation. He says os
way of introduction:
..yr,,, this issue The Republican Jou our,
Ln,ars unon its S5th year. anu ~
W. yyiu have completed 3. YEA 10 new
the present management. onntipue its
pieos e.1savors to promote the mateIlaa
and moral welfare OF the cn,Ix naws
20 f,Ilfll the mission OF Weehi: o;,>.
" ~ l., presenting the news OF inc
pagei ia In this connection a priei
history OF the paper may De Oh iii.ei
This brief history includes the ae-
.;,.i,;as of William H. Simpson, a 1or-
NOR owner of the Kennebec journal
and who sold this newspaper TO james
= p,aine in MAY, 1858. OF Mr.. Simp-
sons ownership of the Belfast journal
its present editor writes:
NV s;nnson was a master printer ana
80 r,tv made the paper mouei ~
eTs nIically but soon demonsIIate 90 .A IN
r. welded a trenchant pen re
fact one Of the abiest soit 10 said Of Mr.
e eteI ~ IN Williamson's History is literally
true of him: of writing
lie introduced a style OF wr't th;s
new 20 the newspaper press OF tnrs
State~a manner of dealing with ever
a., vents remarkable for its 1resn-
ness. conciseness and play ,snrb;
His political articles were phliosopn
vare ALWAYS made brilliant ana att.ac
i've bv apt illusions. curious quota
tions and a warm glow OF huInor. ~
that rare faculty OF paragraaip n Hsoore
was unrivalled. He was an antasoI.S'
to be feared in political controversy
for he comprehended at once ms au-
versary's situation, ne perse ,he d,ns
weak points. and be possessed the can
gerous faculty of overwhelming WIN
Wit and ridicule those whom ne couio
not confound by argument
'Those now living who read The Jour.
nal when edited by Mr.. simpson Waii
recognize the truthfulness of this para
graph as applied to his writings; lie was
compositor in The Journal ONCE when
Mr. Moore was editor and his literary
stvle may have been shaped somewhat
then, but he was endowed, as was MI
Moore. with great natural ability. orlgi.
a U
in 1873 The Journal ceased to
be Democratic paper. The Democratic
party went over to Greenbackism and
Mr.. Simpson was not inclined to desert
Washington. =. c. to ask the present
editor 10 come on and take charge Of The
journal he said that Its political future
was undecided" It was not long unde-
signed editorial. Mr.. Simpson announced
his intention of supporting the Republi-
can candidate for governor and gave
his reasons therefor. While the editor
bury in May, 1879. Mr.. Simpsons name
appeared as editor and proprietor until
October, 1851. when w. II. Simpson. Chas.
4. Pilsburv and Russell G. Dyer formed
publican Journal Publishing Co.. with
Mr.. Simpson as president. Mr.. Pilsbury
as editor and Mr. Dyer as local editor
and business manager. A year or two
later the editor was made business man.
ager and after Mr.. Dyer left to enter the
employ Of the Dana Sarsaparila Co.
reporter was employed. and there has
since been but one editor He has been
the managing editor. the local editor the
literary editor. and all the other kinds
Of editor needed in getting out a weekly
newspaper"
This is all true but is far from the
whole of the story, because every in
SEPARATION of Editor Pilsbury is that of
the true newspaper man. He must
rely upon the memory of his readers
for credit and justice But we are
among his readers and we wish to jog
the memory of some others of his
readers. We would not pretend to
pay him deserving tribute at this time
nor in the hasty routine of a days
work. for that would be impossible.
But we would suggest to readers of
the Belfast Journal that for 81 years
they have had the benefit of all the
experience and mental equipment of
one of that type of newspaper editors
that has made New England famous
in the reading world. Coming to Bel
fast from the Washington field where
he had represented leading news
papers of the country, he has unspar-
ingly devoted every thought and en-
ergy of his life to the making of
family paper that has held it's place in
the foremost rank of the highest type
Of weeklies. He has. indeed, been
every sort of an editor needed" in
getting out a paper that has stood for
truth. cleanliness and justice. Has
there been a moral question, the Bel
fast Journal has been on the right side
of it. Has there been necessity for a
leader toward the light and right.
Editor Pilsbury has been in the firing
line.
The influence upon a rising genera
ton Of an always clean and whole
some newspaper can never be meas
ured. II is there, week after week,
breathing inspirations of good, I'M
locking the combinations of puzzling
questions. combining the ministra-
tons of the professions. doctor. law
year. minister. teacher, counseline
wisely in the place of friend, pointing
out the pitfalls and smoothing the
way. 1t is fixture: it is accepted as
a natural course, but largely unap-
preciated. AS we fail to note the fine
days of summer and refer more often
to the billiards. of winter, so we pass,
as our due and almost without ap-