The Mankato free press., 1921-12-23
COLONEL WATTERSON
CONTINUED From Page One.

lCOuCluu0u rage OuC.I
In 1862 6s he edited the Chatta-
nooga Rebel, printed in a shop on
wheels and moving in evasion OF
Northern armies.
The war over, Watterson went to
Louisville. In 1868 he merged the
Journal and W. N. Haldeman's Demo-
crat into the Courier Journal. He
soon became known as the country's
foremost proponent Of solidMed
North and South.
Struck journalistic High Note
Watterson probably struck the high
est note i'm the scale of personal jour.
nalism. Even today one thinks OIL
Watterson upon hearing the name OF
the Courier Journal.
"Marse Henry" as he was called
Travelled no broad middle. road. His
trenchant pen stuck numerically into
persons and projects he opposed.
Those persons and things he favor
ed benefited by as, graceful expression
as ever found Its way to print. Wat
terson has been praised as one OF the
greatest essayists Of the age.
He had many close friends and
many warm enemies. But let friend
whose cause he championed devlate
one step from Watrerson's conception
Of right, they came to parting OF the
ways.
Watterson and Cleveland were
friends, played poker together. But
they disagreed and Watterson's pen
| turned in full force against him.
"Marse Henry" originated the phrase
"'tariff for revenue only" 1t is gener-
ally believed Watterson and Cleve-
land disagreed on the tariff issue.
The editor called the president the
wrecker and ruiner of his party, "a
bull in a china shop" But Watterson
disagreed with Roosevelt, yet reycred
Rebel"
Was Lincoln Democrat
He styled himself a Lincoln Demo
crat and Jefferson Republican" In
Later years Watterson Travelled q
great deal, spending some time in
Europe, studying people,"
He hobnobbed with diplomats and
royalty. He sold his paper to Judge
Robert Bingham in 1918 and became
the country's first editor emeritus, y
impressed him.
During the war he opened the
phrase that was used broadcast in the
call to arms-'"To He'll with the Hob
enzollerns and the Hapsburgs:" He
finally dropped all connection with
the paper and published his memoirs
and autobiography under the title
| Looking Backward"
The memoirs appeared concurrent
ly in the Saturday Evening Post and
the Courier Journal. The last months
of the journalists life were spent on
his farm near Jeffersontown, KY
Henry. Watterson spent half century
of his life in Kentucky but the nation
claimed him as its own.
Grief Expressed At Louisville
Louisville KY, December 22.-Hen-
~ Watterson who died in Jackson
Vile, Fla, early today, left Louisville
three weeks ago for his annual pill
grimmage to the south where he had
spent the winter. Apparently he was
in his usual health, which, however
for several years had not been good.
News of his death was received
isville where for more than fity years
he had been a notable figure. Appar-
emily he faced with calmness the
end of his span of life. Once, before
undergoing an operation he said tc
the managing editor of the Courier
Journal 81 am prepared at any time to
surrender my life to God who gave it
We do not lrnow about these things
and face the out. s-
whatever it may be. It is a perilous
thing for a man in his seventy ninth
year to submit to the surgeons knife
but am ready for it and all that may
follow"
While convalescing from a previous
illness Mr.. Watterson consented to
read some advance obituaries of him
self and wrote this: ST am getting a
up in the grave, as it were, and read
| ing the ,bituaries-and 'grinning al
the boys but ve1y chcerful IN"
| full it is "kind O'nice"-heaps better
than being saddled with motives and
| calling names"