Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-12-16
CAREER OF
EDITOR IS
OUTEINED
B George a. Benson.l

1t Is not very often that newspaper
men get an opportunity to speak or
write publicly words OF praise for
their, chief, but that opportunity has
come to ME today, i have known and
labored with our chief, Mr.. w. p.
Davies. for upwards ofTtweive years,
and this, Is the first opportunity I
probation that l have felt for many,
: many moons I was chosen for this
pleasant task because I have been
longer associated with him, and I am
not insensibIe Of the privilege that
a come to me. l realize, though,
that my pen is lacking in eloquence.
There Is no glamour of freight upon
1t; IT. cannot catch up those homely
and human rays from the great fire
place Of the heart and cast them back
upon my paper as ! write. I am de-
fcient, to be sure; but he is my chief,
aud does not like TO have mo admit
lts5s AndS,s no. I write without his
knovviedge2 and against his innate
modesty Which would stop me did 1t
knoW.%M%5ta|t@I
y Mr. Davies came to the newspaper
world with q wide experience that
fitted him well for the adventures and
STRUGGLES of Journalism. lie. had
seen much and done much, and had
equipped himself with a knowledge
Of, lfe that enabled him to give life
It's proper ~perspectives and valuations.
And OF all things, thai il what a news
paper man wants: a keen and just
vision of life in all its qualifications.
He was born: in Brantford, Ont, IL,
September, 1862, and he was educated
at Newport, Ont AS = young man
he clerked IN a store, where, I'M
doubtedly, he learned that habit OF
going deeply and thoroughly intc the
issues of the day and giving them
heir proper valuation. l cannot
imagine any round-stove gathering in
that little store without him, and I
cannot imagine him sitting calmly
along side the prunc-box or the ap-
plc-barrel (they had them in those
days. and mot taking part in the DIS
cussion.
1t was along in 1882 when he first
came to North Dakota. He was with
"a survey party which went into the
Jim River Valley. Two years later
he went to Angus, Mimi, a short dis
lance from Cr0okston and purchased
Understanding to Canada for the
winter. He came back In the spring
OF 1885 and improved the land. The
next winter he returned to Canada
and improved himself: he married.
In the spring of IS he returned. to
his farm with his bride and remained
there for six years. I don't know
what happened to the farm In that
time.
He taught school for q spell (out
near Marvel I hin 1t was), did some
carpenter work for awhile and fused
around at other occupations till the
spring Of SO when he plunged into
the swirling pool Of newspapermen.
He went, down over his head and
never came up. and he has been in 1t
ever since. lending 1t dignity and
poise and bringing to It a personality
and brilliance that has made It q
very pleasant world Cor those Of us
who have como into it and labored
under his guidance.
He began his newspaper rec on
the Northwest, News ~ 'ss and re-
manned with that paper till it went
out in ~. Followed, then, 4 few
months alternately on The Plaindeal-
er and The Herald till. late in the
summer ofS'S7, when he moved per-
manently into the editorial home Of
The Herald. He has been there sver
since, and It has been a mighty good
thing for The Herald.
Occasionally, he has paused in his
iabors to go picking grapes in some
farmers vineyard along the river, or
to rebuild an automobile in his base
rnent workshop, / have picked grapes
with him tthis was in the days be-
fore the eiEhseenth amendment when
SsraItes NtlIi were used for Jelly and
81 know what an expert he n. I have
not beenNin his basement workshop,
but 1 knowsof some things that have
happened thcrin. An automobile, all
SCARED and burned by ire. has been
rebuilt down there; two or three
cylinders have been made TO function
where only uneewas wont TO do so,
and, best Of all, many little nick
hacks and iim-cracks have come
from is benches 70 so scooting
through the neighborhood to brighten
some child,s face.
HIS love Tor children 10 a striking