History of Linn County Iowa Part 21

When the struggle is over the men who control in politics will be those who have been soldiers.' And so these men went after commissions. They were wise and far-seeing and reaped reward of their prudence as well as of their valor. I saw the commission of one Linn county man made out for the majoralty in an Iowa regiment, not only before the regiment had been organized, but even before a single company had been raised. I saw another for a colonelcy, fixed out ahead in the same way, by reason of political grace and pull. Not but what these men, and others, made good officers. I am only explaining the reasoning which prompted some of them to enter service, and the means which were most efficacious in securing prominent places.

"And after a time it was considered that to get a high commission was tantamount to drawing a big political prize.

Men were thus rewarded for their a.s.sistance given to successful candidates, and opponents found their way to army prominence beset with many obstacles. You know that a movement was started in Linn county to defeat Kirkwood for governor for the second term. This developed considerable strength, and a ticket was nominated with William H. Merritt of Cedar Rapids at its head. Merritt had been lieutenant-colonel of the First Iowa, and his was known as the 'fusion' ticket. It was an attempt to combine 'war democrats' and some elements of the republican party.

Kirkwood was successful, and those men who had sought his defeat were, naturally, persona non grata with the state government. When commissions were going they were not remembered. Seymour D. Carpenter was one of these. But he did finally become surgeon of a regiment, because there was crying need for surgeons. Then when he was away from gubernatorial influence promotion was rapid, and the doctor was given a position as medical director of a department.

Ellsworth N. Bates was another who suffered because of partic.i.p.ation in the anti-Kirkwood movement. Mr. Bates persisted, however, and his merits and standing could not be ignored. He was elected captain of a company. With his regiment he served with more than usual credit, until he sickened and came home to die. There were others in Cedar Rapids and in Linn county who had similar experiences. Some of those who are still living, if they would but give full statements, would verify my remark that the proportion of politics mixed with the patriotism of those times was greater than is generally known.

"Speaking of Ellsworth N. Bates recalls to mind one whose name deserves to be remembered in Cedar Rapids and in Linn county. He came to the town fresh from college. He was a real scholar and a man of rare natural abilities. He had the art of making friends--of gaining and retaining esteem of all who knew him. He was one of the very best public speakers I have ever heard--quick to respond to varying occasion, with ready thought and a phenomenal command of language. His choice of words and use of appropriate imagery made his addresses models of their kind. As a lawyer he met with instant success. He represented Linn county in the legislature, and was acknowledged as a strong man among the law-makers. He made a splendid fight for the state senatorship candidacy, against H. G. Angle. He was a.s.sistant secretary of the second const.i.tutional convention of Iowa.

When the war broke out he was one of those who did much to rouse sentiment for support of the government. Then he raised Company A of the Twentieth, and proved himself a real soldier in camp and field. When he came home, near to death, he had lost none of his old enthusiasm. He and I were intimate friends, and to me he told his plans for the future. Had E. N. Bates lived, I know that he would have ranked among the real statesmen of Iowa. As it was he accomplished more and had greater influence upon contemporaneous affairs than many whose deeds are very carefully preserved."

Mr. Hollis also tells us how newspapers were made in that awful period of the nation's history:

"We were not sensationalists in those days. The events that we had to chronicle needed no trickery of headlines or large type to command attention. Here are the lists of dead and wounded in an Iowa regiment at the battle of Winchester,"

and the old editor opened a file of the _Times_ for 1864-65.

"Do you think it needed a flaming poster effect to secure reading of that column? There are the names of friends and neighbors. To some of the readers of that paper those names represented their dearest ones. Those who had brothers or fathers, or sons or sweethearts in that regiment read over the battle lists with a fearful anxiety. We were giving weekly chronicle of facts--they have not yet been arranged into the order of definite history. When we wrote editorials it was not pretended that we understood all there was to the struggle. Only when and where we caught the partial views or grasped the immediate meaning of some development we gave our opinions. These may have been prejudiced by our personal sentiments or our political affiliations, but I believe, as a rule, the editorial utterances of those years were from the souls of the writers and had the ring of sincerity. And, with but few exceptions, the newspapers of Iowa were loyal.

They directed or seconded loyal sentiment on all occasions.

Few of the editors of those weeklies gained wealth or distinction, but they deserve to be remembered for a splendid work. They, too, are among 'the forgotten worthies.' It cost money to run even a weekly paper during the war years. When I began as publisher of the _Times_ print paper cost $6 a bundle; before the war was over I was paying $16 for the same quality and amount. And wages ran up and up, as printers were more difficult to secure; until I was paying double what I had first found necessary."

At the close of the war the newspapers of the county began to turn their attention to other evils. A wave of temperance sentiment swept the county, and some of the editors were foremost among the fighters.

The county was aroused by the great amount of crime. Much of it emanated from Cedar Rapids. "Can we expect," asked one writer in Cedar Rapids, "peace and quiet in a place of 3,000 inhabitants which supports not fewer than nineteen liquor establishments and several houses of ill fame and does not support a single reading room nor a public library?"

[Ill.u.s.tration: ALEXANDER LAURANCE Long Prominent in Cedar Rapids]

Then, as now, the newspapers were the best "boosters" of their respective communities. They were the first to point out the advantages in each community and to suggest ways in which natural advantages might lead to commercial growth and civic prosperity. Thus a writer in a Cedar Rapids paper, after enumerating and commending the progress made by the town since its organization, dwelt upon the value of the water power, pointed out how the woolen mills then in operation might be made more effective. There was an abundance of timber around Cedar Rapids at that time and he advocated the establishment of saw mills in the city.

He saw no reason why staves should be brought all the way from Michigan to Cedar Rapids, when they might as well be manufactured here at home.

He advocated that a packing house be established in this city, instead of shipping the hogs from Cedar Rapids to Chicago and then shipping the meat back. "This is only one item that would keep thousands of dollars in our town that now go out," he argued. He wanted a hub and a spoke factory, a fanning mill factory, and as for a "paper mill there is no better point in the state."

History moves in ever repeating cycles and some of the things for which this old editor fought are still needed today in Cedar Rapids and in other towns of Linn county. But each cycle is better than the last.

Proof of this is seen in the dispute which was waged over freight rates less than a decade after the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railway had been built into this city. The grain rates from Cedar Rapids to Chicago were thirty cents a hundred pounds and the noise of protest which was made then was quite similar to the noise which is sometimes

THE NEWSPAPER GRAVEYARD

The newspaper graveyard was established very early in the history of the county and it is still claiming its victims. Among its early victims was the _Cedar Rapids Democrat_. It was issued by W. W. Perkins & Co. Somehow or other, democracy never flourished greatly in the Linn county newspaper field, and the early democratic editors had not learned the art of switching to a "progressive" side. So their papers died. The _Democrat_ lived a year and a half. It deserved a better fate, for it was well edited and printed.

In 1853 a monthly agricultural paper called the _Cedar Valley Farmer_ was commenced by James L. Enos. It lived through the first volume, but a grave was opened for it before it had reached the tender age of two years.

The _Voice of Iowa_ was commenced in January, 1857, under the auspices of the Iowa Teachers and Phonetic a.s.sociations, James L. Enos editor-in-chief, a.s.sisted by a board of corresponding editors. It was continued through two volumes and was then merged with another journal.

In the autumn of 1864 A. G. Lucas & Co. commenced the publication of the _Cedar Rapids Atlas_. In January, 1865, it was changed to a weekly.

Then it was enlarged. Its place in the newspaper graveyard was prepared a few weeks later. The editor and publisher had gone to study the geography of other fields, but he did not take his debts with him. The office was sold to satisfy them. This so weakened the shoulders of the _Atlas_ that it was not strong enough to hold up.

The _Western World_ was born into a cold and unresponsive world, and soon it joined the ranks of the dear departed.

Then came the _Linn County Signal_ which its authors hoped would be a signal success. But its signals became tangled and it failed to kick over the goal of success. It kicked the bucket instead. T. G. Newman, the father of A. H. Newman of the Cedar Rapids Candy Company, purchased the remains. From them he made the office of the _Daily Observer_, with J. L. Enos as editor. From the _Observer_ came the _Cedar Rapids Republican_. This was in 1870. In 1902 there was re-born the _Cedar Rapids Times_. The father _Republican_ and the strong and l.u.s.ty son _Times_ are both in the full vigor of their powers, and this evolution of the two powerful dailies from the amoeba-like weakly _Signal_ is the most conspicuous example of newspaper evolution and the survival of the fittest on record.

The present _Cedar Rapids Times_ is not to be confounded with the _Cedar Rapids Weekly Times_ which had such a long and prosperous growth under the management of Editor Hollis, and later of the good Doctor McClelland. The _Weekly Times_ lived until the death of Doctor McClelland, and it was a power for good. Then came two gentlemen from Milwaukee who converted it into a daily. They had a great run as long as their cash and their credit held out. And they were good newspaper men, too. But they drew nearer and nearer the gateway to the great and yawning newspaper graveyard. There were many mourners in Cedar Rapids when the _Times_ was buried. It had been purified before its death by its conspicuous work in a great tent revival conducted by an evangelist, M. B. Williams. This revival the other dailies refused even to mention. The _Times_ had a great deal of broadcloth endors.e.m.e.nt. But the eulogies proved to be its premature obituaries. Cash came slowly.

Advertising was coy. With the fall of the leaves came the death of the _Times_. The _Gazette_ bought up the household furnishings, the subscription lists and the good will. But the _Times_ was buried, and the ghost of compet.i.tion which had haunted the _Gazette_ office was laid until the owners of the present _Evening Times_ resurrected the name amid a riot of red ink during the strenuous munic.i.p.al campaign of 1902.

STANDARD HAD A LONG LIFE

The _Cedar Rapids Standard_, like the _Cedar Valley Times_, had a long life. It was first established in Marion in 1868, as the _Linn County Signal_, by F. H. Williams. The following year it was removed to Cedar Rapids, and Thomas G. Newman became the owner. In 1872 the name was changed to the _Linn County Liberal_, and the office was moved back to Marion. In 1873 James T. Simpkins became editor. The following year the plant made a final trip to Cedar Rapids and was changed to the _Standard_. For a long time it flourished, having a number of owners and editors. Among them were Thomas G. Newman, C. E. Heath, A. H.

Newman, D. H. Ogden, H. A. Cook, Frank L. Millar, and in June, 1880, Charles H. Playter, of the Des Moines _Daily Leader_, came to town and bought a half interest of Mr. Millar. The firm name became Millar & Playter. This partnership continued until the fall of 1885, when Mr.

Playter bought out his partner and became the sole owner. In the fall of 1886 Mr. Playter sold the _Standard_ to S. B. Ayers, who conducted it through the triumphal period of Iowa democracy, when Horace Boies sat in the gubernatorial chair. It was a strong democratic paper and had a large patronage in Linn county at that time. Later L. S. Saner became the editor. But the hard times came. Rightly or wrongly they were blamed on the democratic party. Republicanism triumphed; McKinley was elected. The _Standard_ of the democratic party was trailed in the dust. It soon died and took its place in the Cedar Rapids journalistic graveyard.

The _Marion Pilot_ was established in 1871 at Mt. Vernon, as the _Linn County Pilot_, and C. W. Kepler was editor. In 1874 the office was removed to Marion and the paper was owned by Beatty & Whitt.i.ts. It continued under this management for several years and was one of the strong republican papers of the county. In 1884 it was purchased by the Rev. J. W. Chaffee and its name was changed to the _Marion Pilot_. He built up a good paper, putting it in the front rank of the weekly papers of the state. But with his pa.s.sing from the editorial chair and the rapid rise of the daily press in Cedar Rapids and its rival county seat newspapers its power and prestige waned. In 1906 it yielded up the ghost and was a.s.signed to an honored place among those that have pa.s.sed on.

_The Good Ones Which Remain_

THE DAILY REPUBLICAN AND THE EVENING TIMES

As narrated above, the _Daily Republican_ is the outgrowth of the daily _Observer_. In 1872 the _Observer_ was transferred to the Republican Printing Company, and the name, which at first was the _Cedar Rapids Republican_, was changed to the _Daily Republican_, the present name of the paper.

A daily and weekly issue was published and the paper grew rapidly. For a time it was edited by William B. Leach. In 1877 it pa.s.sed into the hands of the Republican Printing Company, who put in a great amount of capital and enlarged the office. There were many editors during this period. In March, 1881, the office was leased to J. R. Sage and D. G.

Goodrich, with an option of sale within a year. During this period the paper was changed from an evening to a morning issue and an a.s.sociated Press franchise was secured, giving the paper full news service.

Before the lease had expired Messrs. Sage and Goodrich had exercised their right to purchase the plant. On March 1, 1882, it was transferred to J. R. Sage, Johnson Brigham, Fred Benzinger, and H. P. Keyes. This quartette reorganized the old Republican Printing Company, with J. R.

Sage as president. Nearly two years later Mr. Sage transferred his interest to Mr. Brigham, and later on Messrs. Keyes and Benzinger transferred their interest to L. S. Merchant. Messrs. Brigham and Merchant conducted the paper, Mr. Merchant as business manager and Mr.

Brigham as editor, until 1892, when Mr. Brigham sold his interest and went to Des Moines to start the first Iowa literary magazine, the _Midland Monthly_. Mr. Sage had previously gone to Des Moines to become the director of the Iowa weather and crop service.

Mr. Brigham's interest was purchased by Luther A. Brewer, who had been a.s.sistant business manager, W. R. Boyd, who had done some editorial work for the paper while living at home in Cedar county, and by L. S.

Merchant. The paper was at the beginning of what seemed to be an uninterrupted period of ownership and prosperity when death suddenly claimed Mr. Merchant in 1894. Mrs. Merchant retained her husband's interest and the paper went on as before and waged a fight against free silver in the campaign of 1896 which made it nationally prominent. Mr.

Brewer in the meantime had built up a very large job printing and book binding department.

In 1898 the entire plant was sold to H. G. McMillan, of Rock Rapids, at that time United States district attorney, and Cyrenus Cole, who had for many years been a.s.sociate editor of the _Iowa State Register_. Mr.

Boyd became postmaster at Cedar Rapids, but Mr. Brewer remained with the paper as its business manager for some time. An evening edition, the _Evening Times_, was started in 1902, and made a rapid growth. It now has the largest circulation of any daily paper in Cedar Rapids.

In 1907 Mr. Brewer left the business and opened up a big book-making plant of his own known as The Torch Press. In July of the same year however, The Torch Press bought out the interest of Mr. McMillan and the _Daily Republican_ and the _Evening Times_ have since been owned and published by Messrs. Brewer and Cole. The substantial building on Second avenue which had been erected during the regime of Messrs.

Brigham and Merchant proved far too small and the property was sold. A large and modern newspaper and book-making building, four stories high, was erected at the corner of Fourth avenue and Third street, the present home of the _Daily Republican_, the _Evening Times_, The Torch Press Printery and Bindery, and The Torch Press Book-shop, which latter is managed by William Harvey Miner and is the biggest and most largely patronized book shop west of Chicago.

THE EVENING GAZETTE

There is not a great deal of "history" concerning the Cedar Rapids _Evening Gazette_, which has been one of the conspicuous successes among Iowa daily newspapers since it was started in 1883. On June 10 of that year, the daily _Gazette_ was founded by Messrs. Otis and Post. A weekly issue of the paper was started at the same time. In March, 1884, the Gazette Company was organized, and in July of that year the entire stock was purchased by Messrs. Fred W. Faulkes and Clarence L. Miller.

The paper has had the same ownership ever since that time. The late editor Faulkes was a pungent and versatile writer, and under his editorial management the _Gazette_ rapidly rose to a commanding position in the Iowa newspaper field. It began as a republican newspaper. But after the memorable Frank D. Jackson campaign in 1893 Editor Faulkes became estranged from Governor Jackson and some of the other leaders of the republican party. Thereafter he was inclined to espouse the cause of democracy and the _Gazette_ came to be regarded as the democratic newspaper of Linn county. Still later it grew more independent, in matters of politics.

Since the death of Fred Faulkes the _Gazette_ has been published under the supervision of its business manager Clarence L. Miller. Like the other dailies of the city it has abandoned the weekly field.

THE SAt.u.r.dAY RECORD

The _Sat.u.r.day Record_ is the outgrowth of a little amateur paper started away back in 1879 by Ralph Van Vechten, at present vice-president of the Continental and Commercial National Bank of Chicago. He was then a student with a taste for printer's ink and he started a little literary paper, known as the _Stylus_. Soon after that he was joined by Arthur J. Huss, and the two of them ran the _Stylus_.

In the spring of 1882 Mr. Van Vechten went into his uncle's bank. The paper pa.s.sed into the hands of A. J. Mallahan, and after a little time was temporarily discontinued. But Mr. Huss gained new courage and perhaps new capital. September 10, 1882, he started the _Cedar Rapids People_. It continued as a seven column folio until March, 1884, when it was bought by Fred Benzinger and R. Baer and its name changed to the _Sat.u.r.day Evening Chat_. July 1, 1887, Fred Benzinger bought out Mr.

Baer's interest and ran the paper for a number of years until he went to Chicago, where for a time he was one of the prominent figures on the old Chicago _Times-Herald_. Then the paper was acquired by B. R.

Hatmaker, forever famous because of the sobriquet for Cedar Rapids which flashed into his mind one dreamful day--"The Parlor City."

In 1889 Ernest A. Sherman came to this city and was city editor of the morning _Republican_ for a while. In February. 1891, he started _Town Topics_. He ran it until late in the spring of that year and then he consolidated with Hatmaker's _Sat.u.r.day Record_. He became the editor, and Hatmaker was business manager until 1892 when Mr. Sherman bought the whole business. Since that time the _Record_ has been a permanent feature in Cedar Rapids, the largest and neatest of the weeklies, being printed in quarto form on book paper with many ill.u.s.trations and spicy comment on "mentionable matters" of Cedar Rapids, with all the local news well edited.