Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1921-12-30
HENRY WATTERS0N
TAKEN BY DEATH
Famous Southern Editor and Po-
IiticaI Sage Dies in Florida.
VICTIM OF HEART DISEASE
Man Who Took Big Role in Nations
Political Life Passes Away at Age
of Eighty-One Years-Ad-
nirer of Lincoln.

Jacksonville, Fla, Dec. 23.-Henry
Watterson, one of the country's best
known journalists and former owner
and publisher of the Louisville (Ky.)
CourierJ ournal, died at a local hotel
Mr.. Watterson was eighty-one years
old, having been born in Washington,
d. O., February Is, 1910. The first
appearance of the Courier-Journal
which he organized by combination
of three papers, was November 8, 1868.
Colonel Watterson's death was due
to heart failure, superinduced by con-
gestion of the lungs, according to
physicians.
He was conscious for a few min
utes at intervals, and 30 minutes be-
fore his death called his wife into
the room and conversed with her.
After a few words with Mrs. Waiter
son, the son and daughter were sum-
moned. Members of the family said
his death was peaceful, Colonel Wat
terson having lapsed into uncon-
seriousness again a few minutes before
ne passed away.
Sagacious Political Leader.
Mr.. Watterson was one of the last
of the old-time personal journalists.
Besides his power of holding public
opinion through his editorials he Is
credited with having shaped the plat
form of the Democratic party in more
than one presidential campaign.
He began newspaper work in Wash
ington, d. c., and when the Civil war
broke out, although opposed to seces-
sion, returned to his Tennessee home
and joined the Confederate army. He
served as aid on the STATS of General
Forrest and General Polk. During the
campaign between Generals Sherman
and Johnston, Watterson was chief
of scouts of the Confederate army.
Held Passion for Lincoln.
Abraham Lincoln was said to be
the great passion of Watterson's life.
His lecture on 'Iincoln" was deliv-
cred in hundreds of cities and it was
his pride to tell of calling on Lincoln
the morning of the Inauguration and
of standing beside him at the cere-
mony.
'Let no Southern man point his
finger at me-" Mr.. Watterson said, 'be-
cause / canonize Lincoln, for he was
one friend we had at court when
friends were most in need"
When Watterson founded the Jour-
nal he made a plea for harmony in
the South. Thoroughly reconstructed
himself, he urged all to follow his
course in complete submission to the
federal government.
Mr.. Watterson always advocated
tariff for revenue only" phrase
which he coined and which finally was
adopted by the Democratic party. He
was an ardent friend of Grover Cleve-
land during the latter's first admins
tration as President, NUT opposed
Cleveland's third nomination.
Avoided Public Office.
His service as a public official was
confined to a fractional term in con-
gress. He accepted a seat there in
1S76-77 at the wishes of Samuel J.
Tilden, with whom he was closely al
lied. Mr.. Watterson refused renomi-
nation for the full term.
From 1872 to 1892, however, he sat
at all national conventions of the Dem
ocratic party as delegate-at-large
from Kentucky. He presided over the
that nominated Tilden in
1876 and was chairman of the plat
form committee in those Of 1880 and
1883.
Mr.. Watterson opposed William Jen-
nings Bryan in his candidacy for Pres
ident in 1896, but in 1900 the Courier
Journal gave him lukewarm support.
In 1908, however, what Mr.. Watterson
denominated as the "free silver her.
esy" being "as dead as African
slavery" in the United States, he be-
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