Omaha daily bee., 1918-08-18

The retirement OF Henry Watterson from
the active editorship of the Louisville Cour-
ier-Journal is more than an incident in the
newspaper world for Colonel Watterson is
almost the last If not the last, big gun" of
the socalled old school Of American journal
ism. In his announcement to his readers,
Colonel Watterson explains that he intend
ed to signalize the conclusion of career Of
so years by relinqushing his editorial har-
ness, plan which he will carry out by con-
tinuing as editor emeritus until next Novem-
Der and he takes pride in the circumstance
that he has served at the head of a. leading
daily newspaper longer by many years than
any person connected with the American
Mr.. Bennett, the elder, he recalls, founded
the New York Herald in 1885 and died in
1872, 81 years, and Horace Greeley founded
the New York Tribune in 184l, dying in
1872. 81 years. Colonel Watterson consoli-
dated the Courier and the Journal in 1868,
since which time he has been personally con-
Quoting its editorial activities although be-
cause OF poor health in later years, some
times at long distance and with periods Of
rest and recuperation. Ny father, who was
warm personal friend and admirer OF
Colonel Watterson, though politically at
complete variance, founded The Bee in 1871
ana TelHd1iltu dt tnc HclIH Until lSUO, % years
have known Colonel Watterson myself
for nearly half of his 50 years and have en-
joyed his confidence and benefited by his ad-
vice and favor. / remember one occasion
particularly while he was stopping in Omaha
during lecture tour of the west, when he
sent word to me that he had some important
information he would give me in the form of
an interview for The Bee il would call at
designated hour. When went to see him,
he made the first disclosure of the determina-
ton Of Secretary Carlisle to resign the treas
ury portfolio he was holding in the Cleve-
land cabinet and remove from Kentucky to
New York to become associated with some
OF the big Wall Street financial institutions
and this news was distributed to the country
out of Omaha.
On subsequent occasion something that
passed between US furnished material for a
good story which Colonel Watterson perpe-
trated on me at the National Press Club in
Washington. | will quote it just as reported
at the moment in the Washington Times:
"Not many years ago" said "Marse"
Henry, "some political theorst made
vivcious attack on newspaper editors who
conducted their editorial pages on strict
ly partisan basis. This attack was par
tlcularly annoying TO the younger Rose
water, and he wrote an able article defend
ing his fellow editors. Desiring the widest
possible circulation, Rosewater sent his
piece to the Atlantic Monthly, which had
given space to the attack with the sugges-
ton that it should be printed in justice to
the newspaper profession.
Shortly thereafter Rosewater received
letter from the editors of the Atlantic an
nouncing that while they appreciated this
courtesy in submitting his manuscript they
had already arranged for reply article on
that very subject from one of the most dis
tinguished editors in the United States.
"Rosewater did not have any quarrel
with the Atlantic because his manuscript
had been rejected, but he did feel that he
had written an able piece, and that it
should not be consigned to the waste paper
basket. Hence he had it set in type and
sent proofs, with hold-for- release notice
to some of his newspaper friends. was
among the editors who received the Rose
water article, and / must say it was a
mighty able effort. 1t was so able, in fact,
that ! just crossed off the release notice
and sent it to the Atlantic Monthly. A
few weeks later the Atlantic Monthly came
out with defense of the political editors
by Henry Watterson. In day or two |
got telegram from Rosewater saying: I