USA > Iowa > Polk County > Des Moines > Des Moines, the pioneer of municipal progress and reform of the middle West, together with the history of Polk County, Iowa, the largest, most populous and most prosperous county in the state of Iowa; Volume I > Part 76
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W. G. HALE Editor of "Daily News"
LAFAYETTE YOUNG, SR. Editor of "Daily Capital"
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Richard, the older son, was a power in the business office, personally supervising every detail. Later in life, after the departure of the younger brother for the East, the elder developed marked ability as an editor; but for years he was content with the successful business management of the paper.
James S., or "Rett" as he was familiarly called, soon developed force and originality as an editorial writer, surpassing his father in brilliancy and audacity and a certain down-to-date quality which anticipated twentieth-century journal- ism. In a few years the Register became a literal register of the political and economic thought of a large majority of the republicans of Iowa. It was more than that ; as a purveyor of state and local news it was in advance of its time. As its editor said in 1885, looking back over the years, "in these fifteen years the Register has chronicled a change in nearly every family in Iowa. It has been the messenger of many joys and of many sorrows." At the end of those fifteen years the paper had nearly doubled in size and had more than doubled its expense. Early in the Seventies Father Clarkson transferred his interest to his sons, retaining the agricultural editorship. In this capacity he retained his connection with the paper until his death, which occurred May 7, 1890. James S. was appointed postmaster of Des Moines in 1871 and served in that capacity for nearly eight years. He was a successful molder of public opinion, suggesting and frequently writing his party's platform in State conven- tions. His influence in time extended to national politics. He was a delegate- at-large in several national conventions. In 1880, he became a member of the national republican committee. A warm personal friend and enthusiastic sup- porter of Blaine; in 1884 he took a leading part in the management of the Blaine campaign. From 1890 to '92 he was chairman of the national republican execu- tive committee. Meantime he took the presidency of the then influential national republican league. The severance of his relations with the Register began with his appointment by President Harrison as first assistant postmaster-general. In 1891, he sold to his brother his interest in that journal and removed to New York city, where he has since resided. Though frequently tempted to reëngage in journalism in Chicago and in eastern cities, he confined his activities mainly to the promotion of large corporate enterprises until 1902, when President Roosevelt appointed him surveyor of customs. He held this position until 1910, when he resigned and retired to a farm in Westchester county, New York.
We have now reached the third epoch in the history of Des Moines journal- ism, one in which the newspaper presents a new attitude toward the public,- one of independence within party lines, independence of caucus, convention and State central committee, and emancipation from the allurements of office, ap- pointive and elective. The Leader, under the management of Mr. Witmer, and later, Messrs. Strauss and Dawson, was a forerunner of the new dispensation.
Since 1878, George E. Roberts had been editor and publisher of the Fort Dodge Messenger. From '82 to '88 he held the office of State printer, dividing his time between Des Moines and Fort Dodge. He had long been recognized as a writer of ability on economic themes ; but in 1896 his ability blossomed forth in a convincing reply to "Coin's Financial School," a pamphlet which by its popu- larity threatened to undermine the gold standard of currency. The reply was used as a campaign document by the republican national committee. Other works followed, strengthening his reputation as a student of finance. His writings attracting the attention of Lyman J. Gage, and when Mr. Gage became secretary of the treasury, he appointed the Fort Dodge editor director of the mint, which position he held under two administrations. Almost from his youth, Mr. Roberts' ambition had been to succeed the Clarksons in the ownership and management of the State Register. The departure of one member of the firm and the appoint- ment of the other to the pension agency in Des Moines, a position commanding all his time and attention gave him an opportunity which he could not resist.
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Interesting Harvey Ingham, a young man and influential country editor, of Algona, Iowa, in a scheme to consolidate the two morning dailies of Des Moines, the Register and the Leader, and offering Mr. Ingham the editorship of the pro- posed Register and Leader, he opened negotiations which resulted, July 1, 1902, in the purchase of a controlling interest in both plants and the fusion of the two into one, with George E. Roberts and Daniel Strauss, owners.
But the director of the mint soon found that the consolidated journal was too big a proposition to be handled from Washington. And again, he learned the lesson which comes to many a man in middle life-that he had outlived the dream of his youth, had outgrown his early ambition. He discovered that official life in Washington gave him opportunities for first-hand study of economic ques- tions from a national standpoint, and for reaching the whole country on public questions.
It soon began to be whispered in the clubs that the Register and Leader was in the market, and that a rich syndicate was negotiating for its purchase.
Mr. Ingham had come to Des Moines, not for a vacation, but with a serious purpose to master the editorial situation at the State Capital. Mr. Roberts hav- ing decided to sell, A. B. Funk, of Spirit Lake, backed by Senators Smith, of Osage, and Maytag, of Newton, made definite arrangements to buy. At this point, Mr. Ingham interested Gardner Cowles, a successful business man, banker and farm-owner of Algona, and an ex-member of the legislature, who, though unacquainted with the details of publishing, is an experienced and far- seeing man of affairs to whom no business situation is too difficult to compre- hend and whom no discouragements can dishearten. Mr. Cowles purchased a controlling interest November 3, 1903. The combination was a fortunate one in every respect. Gathering around them men of talent and ambition in their re- spective fields, they have made the Register and Leader a great metropolitan daily with its news, editorial, financial and amusement departments maintained at an expense undreamt of even in the Nineties. Even in sporting news, unim- portant as it may seem to many whose chief interest is in politics, or business, or general world-affairs, is said to cost its publishers more than the entire news service of the Register or Leader early in the Nineties! The circulation of the Register and Leader combined in 1911 ranked seventeenth among the journals published west of the Mississippi. Its circulation with that of its evening edition has now passed the 50,000 mark. The Register and Leader now receives full double-leased wire service of the Associated Press, the same as that received by St. Louis, St. Paul and Minneapolis. It has thirty-five people on its editorial staff, a corps of twenty reporters, and about three hundred paid correspondents in the field. It has a $38,000 press with capacity to print 72,000 forty-eight-page papers an hour.
The Evening Tribune was founded by Charles D. Hellen as an East side journal with a mission to correct the erroneous judgments of the older journals on the West side, and to "stir up the animals generally." It was enterprising and for a time gave evidences of prosperity. When it became evident that he could not win in this field, the Tribune publisher was relieved to find Mr. Cowles will- ing to take the paper off his hands, and so the Tribune in December, 1908, be- came the property of the Register and Leader management. The Tribune has already made a place for itself in Des Moines, as a newspaper, as an exponent of advanced republican views and as a promoter of civic righteousness and bet- terment. The after-association of J. H. Darling ("Ding"), the brilliant cartoon- ist, with the editorial department of the paper, of William B. Southwell, formerly of the Burlington Hawkeye, in the business management, and of Leon Brown, long at the head of the city department, as managing editor, greatly strengthened Mr. Cowles in his reorganization of the Register and Leader and the Tribune.
JAMES S. CLARKSON
RICHARD P. CLARKSON
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The Daily Capital has so long been the exponent of that forceful and withal genial personality known round the globe as "Lafe" Young, that few, even among the old inhabitants clearly remember that there was a Daily Capital long before Lafayette Young entered upon that most difficult undertaking, the vitalizing of a nearly defunct newspaper. Disposing of his little daily in Atlantic, Iowa, in 1890, he removed to Des Moines to relieve Thomas J. Duffus of his losing news- paper venture. No man could be better equipped for the undertaking. A practi- cal printer, editor and publisher ; in '73, at the early age of twenty-five, a State senator, and twice re-elected to the senate, he possessed an intimate knowledge not only of every phase of journalism, but also of laws and legislative methods. And, too, he enjoyed a State-wide acquaintance with the prominent men of Iowa. For nearly a decade he struggled against obstacles which would have crushed an ordinary man. Then the tide turned in his favor. During all those years fate had taken his measure and found him prepared to turn defeat into a victory. In 1893 he was a prominent candidate for the republican nomination for governor. A year later he was elected State binder. He held the office six years. Legal complications, resulting from disputed questions of interpretation as to binder's charges-which finally were satisfactorily adjusted-caused Mr. Young some annoyance, but did not prevent him, with the efficient aid of his sons-by this time become his business associates-from making the Capital one of the best and most profitable newspapers in the West. Turning over to his son, Lafayette, Jr., the general management of the paper, Mr. Young gave a free hand to editorial work and a free rein to his long-cherished desire for travel. A war correspondent's experience in Cuba in '98, followed by a tour of the world, via the Philippine Islands, with Secretary Taft, and frequent trips to other utter- most parts of the earth, have measurably widened his range of vision. His son Harry assists in the editorial management; Lafayette, Jr., has developed strong managerial ability and a degree of public spirit which has placed him at the head of the Greater Des Moines committee and given him a degree of influence rarely attained by a young man. There is now no evening daily in the entire middle West that surpasses the Capital as a newspaper. During the twenty-one years of the Young management the Capital's circulation has grown from a few hundred to over forty-five thousand, and its advertising patronage has proportionately in- creased. In 1910 its bills for white paper alone amounted to about $50,000, and its postage bills aggregated $25,000. There are one hundred and ten names on its pay-roll. It has one $20,000 press, and another, a "Goss," which cost $38,000, with a capacity of seventy-two thousand forty-eight-page papers an hour-a striking contrast with the old thousand-an-hour press on which the paper was originally printed.
On the morning of November 10, 1886, the Iowa State Register contained this announcement :
There appeared yesterday in the city a new daily, named the News. It is a six-column evening sheet and says it will be independent in politics. It is printed by the News company, but does not give the names of the company, nor those of its editors. It starts out in a lively and cheerful way and seems glad that it has come. There's nothing like a city having daily papers enough and we are tickled at the news that two or three more are to be started yet this fall.
The adventurous founders of the News were Charles S. Painter, George L. McCracken, and C. S. Wilson. They projected the enterprise in a little room on the third floor of the old Hawkeye building. "The founders were without capital and the entire equipment was purchased on faith."3 The little ten by twelve served as editorial room, composing room and press room. The paper was printed on a small Potter press, the speed limit of which was a thousand an hour-a rate of speed which would make impossible even a single four-page sheet of the pres-
3 From the 25th anniversary edition of the News, Nov. 25, 1906.
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ent large edition. The limitations under which the News operated at the outset is illustrated by the editorial apology accompanying the second edition of the first issue. The editor laments the circumstances that two of his compositors had "suddenly disappeared," compelling him to assist in setting type and making up the forms.
Next fall the News removed to roomier quarters on Fourth street, south of the old Aborn house, occupied also by the Newspaper Union, the union doing the press work. A year later the News installed its own machinery.
A few years later the plant was removed to the building north of the one it had originally occupied, and installed a Goss press, with a capacity of 8,000 an hour, also a stereotyping outfit.
Seven years passed and another change became necessary. The News was installed in the building north of the old postoffice. Then came the Mergenthaler typesetting machine -- the first used in the city-opening up still larger possi- bilities.
On May II, 1895, the News became a penny paper-the first in the United States. Its friends viewed the change with alarm; but John J. Hamilton, then its business manager, "saw millions in it," and made thousands by it. In a year and a half the paper's circulation had gone up from a few thousand to over twenty-three thousand-of which seventeen thousand copies were sent outside the city. Eleven years after the adventurous reduction, the proprietors cele- brated the paper's twenty-fifth anniversary with a circulation of more than forty thousand, and with a relative increase in advertising space and prices.
Mr. Hamilton bought Mr. Wilson's interest in the spring of '83. First city editor, then managing editor, in '97 he became general manager, retaining that position until his retirement in 1905. In '86 his brother-in-law, the late Preston B. Durley, acquired Mr. Painter's interest, and became business manager, retain- ing that position until his death in '97, when his widow, Mrs. Ella Hamilton Durley, long a popular contributor to the News, became associate editor.
In 1895 E. A. Nye purchased the McCracken interest and was made manag- ing editor. Later he became editor-in-chief. In 1902 the Clover Leaf League acquired the property, retaining Mr. Hamilton as manager and Mr. Nye as editor. This arrangement continued a year or so, when Mr. Hamilton retired. He was succeeded by W. L. Kellogg, who in turn was followed by Mel Uhl. Mr. Uhl severed his connection with the paper in 1908, when the Clover Leaf League retired from the Des Moines field and the News became a member of the Scripps-McRae League. With this change, E. A. Nye retired as editor and was succeeded by W. G. Hale, who now occupies that position. Mr. E. S. Fentress, manager of a Scripps-McRae paper in Oklahoma City, was chosen as manager.
Despite the many changes from the time the Clover Leaf League acquired the Hamilton-Durley-Nye interests, until it was taken over by the Scripps-McRae League, the News enjoyed a steady growth both in circulation and advertising receipts. It is to-day one of the leading State papers, both in circulation and in- fluence. The News has a very large clientele among the workingmen of Des Moines, and has proven itself an influential factor in municipal affairs. It is influ- ential in municipal politics and is a vigorous supporter of labor interests. It is well housed in the News Arcade, corner of Seventh and Mulberry, and is amply equipped with fast presses and a small army of well-trained men and women.
It is evident that the journalism of Des Moines has passed far beyond the "day of small things" and is in all respects metropolitan, having kept pace with the evolution of the city.
Des Moines has become a world-recognized center in agricultural newspaper- dom. With its four agricultural periodicals having an enormous aggregate circulation-running well up toward a million -- reaching into every portion of the United States and Canada, Des Moines has a standing in this field unsur- passed by that of any city in America.
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The pioneer of modern agricultural journalism is the Iowa Homestead. It was founded by Mark Miller,4 who removed his plant by wagon from Racine, Wis., first to Dubuque and then to Des Moines. Mention has already been made of the Homestead in other years. In succession, H. W. Pettit, Frank Palmer, Gen. Duane Wilson, Dr. Sprague and J. M. Snyder became interested in the paper. In 1872 ex-Lieutenant Governor Gue bought the plant. Appointed pension agent that same year, he sold it back to Sprague and Wilson; but the next year the two were glad to sell it back to him at a sacrifice. Its circulation had dropped to, less than four hundred. A stock company was organized and during his ab- sence a controlling interest, and with it the editorship, passed out of the hands of the Gues, father and son. In 1884, J. H. Duffus sold the property to James M. Pierce. Mr. Pierce organized a company and entered upon his successful life-work. But the success was purchased at a fearful price in labor and anxiety and at a big price on the market-as preceding references have shown. The property originally bought by Mr. Pierce for $20,000 was sold under the ham- mer for $162,000-a tribute to Mr. Pierce's management. With a circulation reaching far up among the thousands, and with a group of other farm and home papers also published by the company, the Homestead is one of the best paying properties in Des Moines.
The real beginning of Wallaces' Farmer was February 15, 1895. It had been published prior to that time under the name of Farm and Dairy. The February, 1895, number carried the announcement that Henry Wallace had become its editor, and the name was changed to Wallaces' Farm and Dairy, the stock being owned by Henry Wallace, H. C. Wallace, and John P. Wallace. Gradually the name was changed-first to Wallaces' Farmer and Dairyman, then the words "and Dairyman" were made less conspicuous in the title and finally dropped altogether, and the name became simply Wallaces' Farmer. It was originally started at Ames, but was moved to Des Moines in January, 1896. In 1903 was built a commodious fire-proof building, the third of the kind in the city, at the corner of Eleventh and Walnut. Under the Wallaces, father and sons, the pub- lication has been very prosperous, and its influence has won general recognition.
Successful Farming was organized in May, 1902. From small beginnings it has grown until its monthly issues are measured by tons of paper. Its publisher, E. T. Meredith, has made his large success the measure of his public spirit and has come to be recognized as one of the leaders of the young business men who do things. Associated with him as advertising manager is T. W. LeQuatte, promi- nent among the "ad. men" of the country. Mr. Meredith is erecting a home for his periodical, three floors above and two below ground, constructed of steel and concrete, at a cost of about $150,000 and to be newly equipped throughout.
The Iowa State Register and Farmer, long the weekly issue of the State Register, and made famous by the ability and individuality of the senior Clark- son, was purchased several years ago by Charles H. Clarke and has since been pushed on its own merits as a farm-and-home paper, and, in a field apparently full, has been remarkably successful.
Besides the great dailies and the agricultural periodicals published in Des Moines are several other publications which exercise large influence in their re- spective fields, chief of which are the following :
The Iowa Posten, an independent republican weekly, published by the Scandia Printing company, with C. L. Oleson, editor and manager. The Posten has a large circulation among the Scandinavians of the Northwest.
The Iowa Staats Anzeiger is an independently democratic weekly printed in German. At its head is that veteran editor and publisher, Joseph Eiboeck, whose part in shaping public opinion dates back to 1874, when he became a resident of
4 Father of George A. Miller, the pioneer printer and publisher, of Des Moines.
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Des Moines. Colonel Eiboeck has made a large contribution to Iowa by his "His- tory of the Germans in Iowa," published in 1900.
The Iowa Unionist weekly was established in 1899, D. H. Caldwell, editor and manager. The Unionist is a representative of labor union views and opinions and takes much interest in municipal problems.
The Northwestern Banker, a high-grade monthly devoted to the interests of banks and bankers, is now well entered upon its seventeenth year. Its able editor and publisher is Emerson DePuy, whom the bankers of Iowa are glad to honor in their State gatherings.
Plain Talk is an old established East side weekly, published by Bishard brothers, and paying much attention to municipal affairs, treating them independ- ently and fearlessly.
The People's Popular Monthly is a low-priced magazine published by A. M. Piper, and is successfully reaching out after a large circulation among "the plain people."
Spirit of the West, with Phil S. Kell, the veteran authority on matters per- taining to the turf, at its head, and issued by the Iowa Turf Publishing company, has a constituency all its own.
The Underwriters' Review long since passed the danger-point in its career, and is now a flourishing semi-monthly, with A. H. Huling, editor, and F. L. Miner, manager.
The Iowa Bystander is a republican weekly edited by J. L. Thompson, late of the archives department of Iowa. It is a mouth-piece for the negro republi- cans of the city and State.
There are several church and mutual insurance association papers and trade journals published in the city which evidently fulfil their mission.
Des Moines has a beautifully and profusely illustrated monthly magazine, The Midwestern, devoted to literature and the development of the social and art side of city life. It first saw the light in September, 1906. From the first it has been edited by Mrs. George W. Ogilvie, and published by the Greater Des Moines Publishing company, G. W. Ogilvie, president.
BOOK III. DES MOINES.
- PART XI. PROMINENT CLUBS, ETC.
Vol 1-36
CHAPTER I.
THE GRANT CLUB-A CLUB WITH A HISTORY.
The largest men's club in Iowa, and the best known and most influen- tial political club between Chicago and Denver, refers its origin back to a meet- ing of members of the Capital City republican club held in the Armory room 1 on the 14th day of December, 1885. The meeting was called for the purpose of forming a permanent organization, in a broad sense republican in principle, and at the same time social in character. The late W. D. Lucas acted as chair- man. A committee on permanent organization reported the following officers who were unanimously chosen: President, Hoyt Sherman; vice-presidents, H. L. Chaffee, W. L. Alexander, M. B. Christy, F. S. Whiting and George McNutt; secretary, W. A. Jones; corresponding secretary, J. H. Dietrick; treasurer, W. D. Lucas ; sergeant-at-arms, Amos Rowley. The name selected for the organi- zation was the Grant club, in honor of General and President Grant.2
On the 28th day of June, 1886, the club was incorporated, with the follow- ing named incorporators: H. L. Chaffee, Hoyt Sherman, William Connor, W. D. Lucas, J. S. Clarkson, C. F. Meek, John A. McCall, George F. Henry, J. G. Berryhill, George G. Wright and W. A. Jones.
The object of the club as stated in the articles of incorporation was "the establishment and maintenance of a library of historical and political literature and a political lyceum, and to provide and furnish suitable rooms therefor." This peculiar language was thought to be "necessitated by the existing laws for the organization of corporations other than those for pecuniary profit." 3 The capital stock of the club was $5,000, and this was paid in full. The third story of a building on the south side of Walnut street between Sixth and Seventh was rented and furnished, the club members pledging their individual credit for the furnishings.
. In 1888 John C. Macy was elected president and E. R. Hutchins secretary. In the following spring, under the vigorous leadership of Col. C. H. Gatch, the club took an active part in municipal politics to the extent of pushing a move- ment for redistricting the city with a view to secure cleaner politics and more satisfactory results generally.
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