Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-03-30
PASSING OF n. E. HOWARD.

IN the death Of Arthur +. How
ard, which occurred at Rich6eld
last week, the curtain is drawn on
all that is mortal Of one OF the
best country newspaper writers
this state has ever held, and one Of
Natures gifted humorists. Editor
Howard has not been nearly SO
well known to the newspaper fra
ternity of recent years, due TO his
advanced age and the fact that f.
nancial reverscs have relegated him
to a subordinate position. But
twenty years ago, when the writer
Of this was getting his early train
ing in newspaper work, Editor
Howard was editing the Salina
Sun, the envy of all his brother
publishers for the spicy, original
way in which he served up the
news of his locality. The names
of his prominent townspeople be-
came almost household words to
the readers of his paper, many Of
whom were totally unacquainted
with "Saltville," as he used to term
the town. He had a way of writ
ing up the commonplace occurren-
ces Of the town so that they were
most entertaining to people entirely
beyond the circle of acquaintance.
AS a feature writer on large dali
ley or magazine he would have
commanded big salary; but he
preferred the freedom Of the little
print shop, and the. luxury of be-
ing.his own boss"
Some Of our readers may have
read and shed tears of mirth over
his book, "A Bunch of Carrots"
which was really the work of an
artist in the line Of humor, or the
bubbling over of a nature attuned
to see and sense the ludicrous in
everything.
Regularly once each year he
used to turn the key in the door to
his office and HE himself to the
mountains, where for two weeks
he would angle for trout and enjoy
the seclusion Of the mountains and
the communion with Natures God.
He was little long on seclusion,
anyway, which perhaps accounts
for the fact that he never married.
During his fishing trips, the "Sun"
would cease to shine in Saltville,
for he would not entrust the con-
duct of his precious publication to
anyone else, even for a week or
two.
Later he was induced by some
of his political friends to move his
publication to Richheld, the county
seat of Sewer county, with the
promise of financial support, which
we fear failed to materialize in any
important degree, for he was un-
able to make the paper go in the
face of competition, and here was
the beginning of the end of his ca
reer.
AS is too often the case in small
communities, they failed to recog-
nize the genius in the man, and one
of the best opportunities for pub
licity that will ever come to the peo-
pie of that section was trampled
under foot and lost.
1t was never our pleasure to
know Editor Howard personally,
but through the medium of his pa
per as well as through personal
correspondence, we always felt to
know him very well. He had one
besetting fault, which doubtless
had much to do with his failure to
retain his standing in newspaper
dom, as we'll as his failure to sue
coed better financially. He had an
appetite for stong drink, and per
iodically held high carnivals of his
own. This may explain more than
anything else why man possessed
of his remarkable genius should
have spent the declining years of
his life at the case picking up type
for someone else.
Sad, inded, is the contemplation
of such a life-the waste of talent
and genius sacrificed to the mon
ster, drink.
A. f. Howard had a right to a
name with Ebert Hubbard, Walt
Mason and other national writers
if he had only improved and not
abused the talents with which he
was endowed. And now he has
gone, known and mourned only by
small circle of intimate acquaint-
ances and friends of better days.