The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-14

the newspaper calling is the fact that,
more than any other man on either side
of the Atlantic. he raised their vocation
TO level with the legal and medical
professions as regards the scale Of re-
Enumeration. He honored his fellow
craftsmen of the pen. and he compelled
the world to honor them.
Shortly after the death OF his father
Paul Dana, who was then 40 years old
and who had been on THE SUH
editorial staff for seventeen years was
made editor by vote of the trustees of
the Sun Printing and Publishing AS
ISOLATION. In the following year
GS9SD the younger Dana bought from
Thomas Hitchcock, who was one OF
Charles A. Dana's associates both in
financial and in a literary way,
enough shares to give him the control
Of the paper.
Paul Dana continued in control OF
the property for several years and held
with credit his fathers title Of editor
until 1903. William Macllay Laffan,
who had been associated with the
elder Dana since 1877, obtained the
business control. HIS proprietorsh,p
was announced on February %, 1902,
and it continued until his death in
1909.
The sun Under william NJ. La fan
Among the makers OF THE Sun who
best knew the paper and the intel
lectual demands OF its readers, Laffan
must he included with Dana and
Mitchell. A. the time when he came
to be master OF the paper his career
. 1. I +.
field. and he was, moreover, a thor
ough SIN man, sympathetic with all
the ideals OF his old friend Dana.
Laffan, who was born in Dublin. Ire
land and had light and delightful
brogue. was educated at Trinity Col
/ lege and at ST. Cecilia's School OF
Medicine When he was 20 he went 10
San Francisco, where, beginning as IA
| reporter, he became city editor OF the
Chronicle and managing editor OF the
Bulletin. In 1870 he went to Balti-
more to he a reporter on the Daily
Bmlletin. and of this newspaper he be
came editor and part owner. EVentu-
| ally he became the fun owner OF both
| the Daily Bulletin and the Sunday
! Bulletin, and in this capacity he en-
! dearcd himself to the citizens Of Balti-
more by his fight against political
| rings.
| He left newspaper work for a short
| time TO become general passenger
agent of the Long Island Railroad, but
! in 1877 on Mr.. Dana's invitation he
went on THE Sun as a general writer.
| Himself an artist who modelled in
| clay, painted in oils and water Colors.
and etched, his judgment made him
valuable to the paper as an art critic.
Like Mr.. Dana. he was interested in
Chinese porcelains, and he made a
deeper study of them than did his en-
ployer. When catalogue was needed
! for the Chinese porcelains in the Nor
gan collection in the Metropolitan
Museum Of Art. Mr.. Laffan. who was
an active trustee of the museum, was
called upon to edit the work. He also
edited book on Oriental Porcelain"
He was the author of American
Wood Engravers," published in 1888
For these things he is remembered in
| the world of art. The men of the stage
remember him as one of the most dis
tinguished dramatic critics that New
York has seen. Even to-day, in the
comparison OF the styles of critics old
and new. Laffan's incisive reviews are
recalled as standards.
In the business world of journalism
I.affan is thought OF chiefly as the
publisher of THE SuN from 1854 on
and as the live spirit of THE EVENING
! Sun for many of its years. As the
actual director OF TnE Saskatchewan
his editorial powers were almost en-
tirely delegated to Mr. MitChell-Mr