The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-05-24

= - fJTa 7.s-.sr q
torship Of the Kennebee Journal. folr
lowing the death OF Clarence Bur
leigh.
Mr.. Chadbourne Is perhaps best
known to the people of Maine AZ
"Chad of the X. j." For more than
ten years he wrote editorials that
were characterized by their positive
statement. He was criticized BY
some other editors and by many OF
his friends because he did not hesi-
tate to nail facts down BY personal
reference. He carefully cultivated
q style of forceful, direct-to-the-poirt
editorial comment that easily. could
be read and understood " by !, the
average reader of the farms and vile
lagos of Central Maine. He did not
mince matters and from day To day
he interpreted for his readers the
meaning and effect OF current news
events and policies. Early and late
he plugged at the Job, for 1t was his
pride to deal with big news features
as promptly as did the editor Of any
metropolitan daily. He never waited
to see how"the big editors" hardlad
a subject, he dealt with 1t at once
according to his own light and con-
viction. ~ tiH
This much may be said Of the res
pect in which Mr.. Chadbourne's opin-
ion on national and international
topics was held, 1t is fact that many
scores of times. when big things,
/ nationally or internationally, were
breaking" editors Of two OF New
Yorks largest dailies and OCCASION
ally Philadelphia and Washington
paper, wired something as follows:
please send at our expense by wire
200-word extract OF your leader for
| tomorrow morning"
These kilograms Mr.. Chadbourne
has preserved and some times, brings
forth for inspection by intimate
friends. The New York Times was
one of the big dailies, that often re-.
printed editorials from the Kennebec
Journal. ~ 5sie . i
During the first years OF the World
war a magazine was published In the
Central West, known as editorial"
1t was made up Of reprinted editorials
from the leading newspapers Of the
country. They were it's Editors con-
ception of what is best In editorial
leadership of public opinion. Scarce
ly half a dozen New York or other
Eastern papers ever were mentioned.
Those oftenest copied were the Boston
Transcript and Springfield Republic
can with the Kennebec Journal next
in the list. "In one year." the editor
of Editorial wrote Mr.. Chadbourne,
you have had 80 editorials reprinted
in our magazine. wrote you this
in congratulation and to boast that
we know a good thing when we
see it."
He alienated friends but many
struck to him through the "resubmis-
sion fight" of 1921 when he daily and
from every angle hammered the booze
interests and all that had any remote
connection Herewith or dared !. lift
voice or pen In defence thereof.
When the people had voted on the
question in the Autumn, 1T was found
that the Kennebec Journal had car
ried In it's columns in. Ave months
more than 500 columns OF editorial,
news matter and statistics, in favor
of prohibition OF the liquor trafiic, but
chiefly denunciation of the selfish
interests who made and sold into1i-
cants. He assailed the trafic and
its constituencies methods instead OF
It's poor dupes, the personal libert-
yites ~ ,..f !,
Mr.. Chadbourne also made many
enemies and some friends by placing
The Kennebec Journal(a strong and
until then thick-and-thin Republican
newspaper sQuarely against Presid.,
ent Taft's Canadian reciprocity plan.
On equal suffrage. tod, he was q
hard hitter. His faith In the superb
or character and ability fof the
average woman over that Of the aver
age man was unfaltering.4 He often
remarked that the, women he hid
associated with through life We're sof
higher moral type and saner mind
than the men he had worked and
played with.
Mr. Chadbourne's editorial policy
was honest and fearless facing OF
facts and unwavering pursuit OF the
moral side of any question. He
made enemies, and he held friends.
He was sneered at and reviled. but
he maintained his own self respect
and that of many people. as thousands
of letters and kilograms in his per-
sonal collection testify. /.
Perhaps the browning work Of Mr..
Chadbourne's editorial career came
in the last few months Of the war.
With his son in the service and his
wife in such feeble health that the
borderland was ever In view, his soul
yearnsd to bring comfort to- her. and
to thousands of other mothers, and
fathers. too, who were being bounded
to death by the relentless machine
that was every day declaring the war
would last for years. Homes whose
sons-and daughters, too-were over
there or waiting to go, needed and
deserved word of hope. Mr.. Chad
bourne had become tired OF the
sophistry, deceit and downright dis
honestly Of means and measures to
obtain submission to the war organ
ization whip. He saw the war mon
ster in all its hideous colors and
growth. He knew, how this agent
of the devil had been fostered and de-
veloped by international politics and