Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-16
MELVILLE E. STONE AN OUTSTANDING FIGURE In JOURNALISM

A - ~
the youth of IS, willing In spirit but
weak in flesh, enlisted as a drummer
boy in the Union Army at the outbreak
of the Civil War. 1t was the mother
who dissuaded him from the study Of
law when her woman's intuition told
her that that was not the path to the
future in store for him.
Publishes First Paper.
Rev. Stones salary was inadequate
for the support of his family and, like
other circuit riders, he was forced to
find additional income as best he could
To this end he undertook the manu-
facture of sawmill tools and took his
son into his factory. When the latter
was 90 years old he spent month or
two as a reporter on the Chicago Re
publican and then began the publica-
ton of the Sawyer and Mechanic, his
first newspaper. But the paper did not
last long and his father bought him an
interest in an iron foundry and ma
chine shop in Chicago, to which city
the family had removed. The business
prospered until the plant was destroyed
in the great fire. $780,.
In 1869 Mr.. Stone married q Chicago
young woman, Miss Martha j.. McFar-
land, daughter of John Stuart McFar-
land. To them were born two sons
Melville E., jr., and Herbert stuart, anc
daughter, Elizabeth G.
Following the fire his foundry bust
ness did not revive. So in 1871, wher
he was asked to take charge Of the Chi.
cago Republican, he became definitely
allied with daily journalism. In the
next few years, in spite of Ill health
he held important positions OH several
Chicago newspapers, including the post
of Washington correspondent for the
Chicago Mail, which merged with the
Evening Post and became the Post ano
Mail
Starts One-Cent Daily.
In 1874 the possibility of starting q
1-cent daily newspaper began TO interest
him. AS an experiment, he backed q
well known Chicago reporter in estab-
fishing such a daily In an out-of-the-
way location. 1t lasted only few
months. The following year partner
prepared to contribute $4,000 was found
His former partner also joined.
In their quest for public respect and
permanency the partners decided to be
independent of political parties. They
made it rule that none of them might
hold stock in any public utility corpora
ton. Their paper was to have only two
sources of income: From the sale OF
papers and the sale of advertising space
There was to be no pandering to the
vitiated taste of the unthinking nor
publication of So-called sensational OF
Scandalous material purely for the pur-
pose of making sales.
The Chicago Daily News, after a pre-
liminary announcement issue, began
regular publication on January /, 1875
The penny paper, which so years later
was to return its owners an annual net
profit of $1,35O,000, from the first
seemed to thrive on the very audacity OF
its new-fangled notions. On the first
day 5000 copies were sold and within a
week it was found necessary to refuse
advertising because of lack of space.
Lawson Enters Partnership.
But the capital with which the paper
was started was inadequate, and adher-
ence to high principles brought some
severe battles with advertisers. Mr.
Stones partners were not in mood ia
go through with the struggle, and their
money was returned to them. A new
colleague was found in Victor F. Law
son, who continued as partner until Mr.
Stone sold out his interest. Mr.. Law
son was in sympathy with the pro-
gressive policies of his associate and
undertook the business management OF
the paper, allowing Mr.. Stone to devote
all his energies to editorial direction
Mr.. Lawson died on August 10, 1925
after almost so years of ownership in
the paper. In 1881 the partners found.
n ktan NH>k A{ =,
consent OF the competitors to take out
Western Associated Press franchise.
The morning paper had been going
well for about a year when 1t was hard
hit. However, difficulties were the
foundations upon which Mr.. Stone built
new institutions.
Mr.. Stone as editor of morning anc
evening paper surrounded himself with
an editorial staff that was generally adj.
mitted to be the ablest of any Western
newspaper at that time.
Placed Premium on Honesty.
The ability to pick able lieutenants
was another source of pride with Mr.
Stone. He boosted shamelessly of hi
foresight in this respect, though to thu
discerning mis- 'boasting" savored Of
boosting. 1t was his way of compli.
menting those who worked under hin
or with him." as he would say. HI
demanded less in point of brilliancy
than he did Inc honest, faithful en-.
deavor, and to those who won his con.
f1dence went also the reward of a. very
tender affection. If he believed in 8
man he would stand with him to the
end
When on March %. 1918, the countr,
was amazed at a cablegram from the
Office OF the Associated Press In Paris
reporting that the Germans were bonn.
harding the French capital from a dis.
lance OF 70 miles, many doubted thai
the message could be true But Mr.
stone mad faith in the chief of ths
Paris oft1ce, and while some editor:
were specializing as to whether the dis.
patch was practical joke or the Amer,
lean reporters had gone mad, he wired
his office from st. Louis, where he hac
gone to address the Chamber of Com.
merce, to stand pat" on the Pari.
story. For the next few hours he wa.
in for a lot of chatting about the ac.
curacy OF, the "A. P" reports, but ir
the end he had the laugh on the othel
fellow. o'
In a very few years the Chicago
Daily News became one of the mos
powerful journals. in the country ant
its editor the advisor of Presidents anc
major politicians. In 1883 Mr.. Stone
was elected a director of the Western
Associated Press. In 1885 he discovered
Ottmar Mergenthaler struggling tC
finance his invention, the linotype ma.
chine. He organized syndicate which
gave the inventor 100000 for hi,
patents, the largest sum paid for un.
completed patents up to that time. Mr.
Stone was chosen first chairman of The
board Of directors. but later sold hi.
entire interest to his partner, Mr.
Lawson.
Decides to Sell Interest.
At the age of 40 Mr.. Stone decided tc
sell his interest in the Chicago papers
also to his partner. He had i'll health as
a cause for retirement, but he was infiu.
enced more by desire to educate him.
self more fully, for he felt that his