USA > Wisconsin > Milwaukee County > Milwaukee > History of Milwaukee, city and county, Volume I > Part 71
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Finally, in 1906, the two remaining German dailies were also consolidated under the name of Germania-Herold. W. W. Coleman had died unexpectedly in 1887, and the paper was carried on by his estate, under the business man- agement of his eldest son, Edgar W. Coleman. A few years later, it was reorganized as a corporation, but the members of the Coleman family remained the principal stockholders.
The old competitor, Der Seeboto, after a while gave up the struggle, and transferred its list of subscribers for the daily to The Herold, but it is still being published as a weekly. When at last the two large dailies were combined, the consolidated paper appeared for a while both as a morning and evening edition. At present, however, the morning edition is sent ouly to out-of-town subscribers, while the city public is supplied with the evening paper.
George Brumder, the real founder of The Germania, died in 1910, at the age of seventy-one years. This remarkable man was born in a small town of Alsatia, as the son of a school teacher in a village with prevailingly Protestant inhabit- ants. When eighteen years old, he came to America, spent a few years in vari- ons employments, but at the earliest opportunity made himself independent and began laying the foundation for the large fortune he possessed when he died.
In addition to the newspapers and printing establishment, he became president of the Concordia Fire Insurance Company, the Germania National Bank (now National Bank of Commerce) and the owner of valuable real prop-
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erty, including the large building which now houses the newspapers. Since his death. his sons have carried on his various enterprises.
Men like Coleman and Brumder were necessary to make newspapers like The Milwaukee Herold a success. but their eminent capacity for business would not have been sufficient, if they had not also possessed the knack of finding the right men for the editorial chairs. A remarkable list of men of real dis- tinetion have filled the leading position on the two papers, out of which the present Herold has grown.
Easily the first of these is George Koeppen, who almost from the beginning to his death, in 1897, was editor-in-chief of The Germania. Ilis real name was Von Haeseler, for he sprang from a well-known Prussian family which has given to its country not a few men of eminence. According to family fradi- tion, he had been a cavalry officer in his youth, but found his frue vocation when Brumder made him the editor of his paper. His ability was generally recognized. and as a result he was selected for a number of offices of trust and honor, notable among them that of regent of the University of Wisconsin, and trustee of the Milwaukee Publie Library.
In the political history of Wisconsin. Koeppen is memorable as one of the principal leaders in the fight against the so-called Bennett school law, which was passed by the Legislature, in 1889. without realization by a majority of the members that it would in effect destroy the system of parochial schools. maintained by the Lutheran and Catholic denominations. It was due to the work of The Germania. to no small extent, that the obnoxious and ill-devised law was speedily repealed, but incidentally, the political domination of the state, for a number of years, was turned from the republicans to the demo- erats, with the help of The Germania, which had always been, and soon he- came again, stanehly republican.
Koeppen's snecessor. after a brief interregnum, was another man of un- usnal ability, Emil von Schleinitz. He served in this capacity with dis- tinguished snecess until. in 1917, illness disabled him. Schleinitz was sie- ceeded by Gustav Haas, who had since the reestablishment of the daily Germania been its managing editor, after having served on the old Herold in nearly every capacity from police reporter to editorial writer. lle now combines both offices, while the business management is in the hands of the three younger sons of George Brumder, the oldest son, W. Il., commonly known as "Col." Brumder, having recently retired from active business.
The men who have had the editorial direction of the original Herold, since Domscheke's time, may not all have been as distinguished as Koeppen. but they were mostly men of high ability. At first, there was Carl Palme, another "Forty-eighter." and an associate of Carl Sehurz during the latter's Water- town days. Palme played an important part in the so-called liberal-repub- liean movement against President Grant. At the Cincinnati convention. which nominated Horace Greeley, he championed Charles Francis Adams.
Another man of mark in the editorial chair of the old Herold was Doctor Wyl, who was already well known as a writer in the Fatherland. before he came to Milwaukee. He served for a number of years during the 'SOs, when the immigration from Germany was at its height. The principal note of his
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incumbency was the promotion of every sort of intellectual and cultural effort among Milwaukeeans of German affiliation, especially the German- speaking stage, and the manyfold musical undertakings. The colony of Ger- man painters, which then made Milwaukee its home. and of which a few are still among our fellow citizens, received much generous support from the paper under his guidance.
The high intellectual standard, which was specially emphasized by Doetor Wyl, has always characterized both the old Herold and The Germania, and the present consolidated newspaper. Being a general newspaper for the publie, it is not, as a matter of course, a "high-brow" publication. But it may safely be said that there are few newspapers in this country, whether published in English or in any foreign language, in which there can be found so little merely trivial stuff, and so much that will satisfy the taste even of the exacting. In fact, that seems to be true of all the important German-language papers in this country. In this way they are all the better enabled to perform the peculiar function the foreign-language press has in the American common- wealth : That of familiarizing. on the one hand, the citizens coming from for- eign countries, with the affairs and customs of their adopted country ; and on the other hand being the channel, by which their constituency, after having become properly Americanized, may render to their adopted country the service of bringing into the common treasury of American civilization what- over there is best and most appropriate for us in the civilization of the'r homeland,
The Kuryer Polski (Polish Courier) .- The Kuryer Polski was founded in 1888 by Michael Kruszka, a young immigrant from German Poland, with a borrowed capital of $125, and in thirty-four years has grown to be the largest and oldest Polish daily and Sunday newspaper in America.
In 1888 the Kuryer Polski had 360 subscribers, mostly in Milwaukee. Now The Kuryer is read by a hundred thousand Poles, scattered throughout Mil- waukee and Wisconsin, and even in remote parts of this country, inhabited by Poles. The Kurver also has a substantial number of subscribers in Can- ada and European countries, especially Poland, where it employs a staff of journalists, located in Warsaw, and other large cities.
The Kuryer Polski made its appearance in Milwaukee when Polish jour- nalism was in its infancy, when the largest and most widely read publication was a weekly newspaper published in Chicago by W. Dyniewicz, veteran Polish publisher, who is still living. Dyniewiez tried to discourage young Michael Kruszka from entering the daily newspaper field. But the ambitious young immigrant, who had had previous experience along this line, having published The Krytyka in 1885 and later The Tygodnik Anonsowy, deter- mined to go through with his plan. Ile was at once confronted with innumer- able difficulties, mostly of a financial nature, but as Poles began settling here in ever increasing numbers, at first from German Poland, and later from Galicia and that part of the partitioned Polish state which was then under Russian domination, the paper experienced a rapid growth.
Mr. Kruszka's early political connections were of great aid to him in estab- Fishing himself firmly in Milwaukee. His influence with the Polish people
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became so great. that he was elected assemblyman in 1890, and two years later was chosen to represent the Eighth Distriet in the State Senate.
The Kuryer Polski grew in popularity and influence, under the wise and resourceful management of Mr. Kruszka, and under the able editorial direc- tion of such brilliant Polish journalists as K. Owoeki, K. Neuman, Capt. Thaddeus Wild. S. Osada, F. 11. Jablonski, J. J. Chrzanowski, S. Lempieki and others. The Kuryer Polski championed the people's cause and at times was forced to wage bitter struggles in their behalf. Several court actions resulted, creating widespread interest, and gaining for The Kuryer a high standing for fearlessness and courage.
During the long struggle of the Poles to regain their freedom as a nation, and during the terrible persecution waged by the German, Austrian and Rus- sian oppressors to exterminate the Poles, The Kurver Polski carried on a strong agitation, which no doubt was of great aid to the cause of a free Poland. When cruel German instructors, under government orders, tortured Polish children in German Poland for praying and speaking in their native tongne, The Kuryer protested vigorously and raised a fund to aid the young victims of ruthless prussification.
The Kuryer Polski at the outbreak of the World war at once aligned itself with the allies as against Germany, and when America entered the struggle The Kuryer placed itself at the command of the Government, and did every- thing possible to "Win the War." Through its agitation a regiment of in- fantry was organized, consisting of Polish boys. It preached the gospel of loyalty to the Goverment, and wholeheartedly supported all Liberty Loan campaigns and varions patriotic drives.
While a Polish newspaper, The Kurver is thoroughly American in its editorial policy and is conducted according to American journalistic stand- ards. It encourages Poles to become citizens of this country and tries to in- still in the minds of the younger generation a real understanding of American- ism, that can reconcile love of Polish culture and tradition, with undivided loyalty and devotion to this country.
The Kuryer Polski has been active in varions civic movements, and has done mneh to promote varions improvements in Polish communities.
The publisher and founder of The Kuryer Polski. Mr. Michael Kruszka. died in December, 1918. He was succeeded in the active management of the paper by his son-in-law, Professor S. J. Zowski, an engineer by profession, in- structor of engineering at Michigan University.
The present editorial department of The Kuryer Polski inchides: Stan- islaw Lempicki, managing editor : John L. Grunwald, city editor: W. Poblocki. editorial writer: Bernard Adamkiewicz, telegraph editor: Mrs. Helen Stas, editor of women's page: Joseph Kwasniewski, editor of farm page. and sev- oral reporters. The Kuryer also publishes a special edition for Chicago, and has its own editorial office there, for handling Chicago news.
In politics, The Kuryer is republican, but maintains an independent atti- tude on national questions, and locally is nonpartisan. In 1916 The Kuryer supported Wilson for President.
Nowiny Polski (Polish News) .- This publication had its inception in the
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thought that the great majority of the residents of Milwaukee of Polish birth and descent professed the Catholic religion, and politically, in the main, adhered to the principles of the democratic party.
"When The Dziennik Milwaneki (Milwaukee Daily), for several years a strong competitor of the older Kurver Polski (Polish Courier), suspended its publication in 1903, the elamor for a Catholie daily, owned and controlled by those of the same political and religious faith. and an exponent of the Polish eolony's convictions and sentiments, became pronounced.
"It prompted the Polish priests of Milwaukee to take the initiative in founding a new paper. Accordingly, at a meeting held on December 17, 1906, the Rt. Rev. Monsignor B. E. Goral (now pastor of St. Hyacinth's Congrega- tion ), then professor of St. Francis Seminary and publisher of the literary monthly Oredownik Jezykowy (Language Messenger), was chosen unani- mously editor and general manager of the new weekly Nowiny (News). The Nowiny Publishing Company, incorporated under the laws of Wisconsin, was organized for the purpose of publishing the new paper. The capital stock was $11,000. Each Polish priest and many prominent laymen in Milwaukee and vieinity became stockholders. The subscription price of The Nowiny was set at $1 annually. A sample number appeared within a week, on Christmas ove of 1906, and thereafter regularly in 1907.
"As was to be expected, taking the divergent views and aims into con- sideration, there arose at once a spirited competition and doctrinal controversy between the new energetic and sprightly weekly and the older well estab- lished daily. Though the popularity and influence of the new Nowiny was growing rapidly, yet the competition was uneven; it could not counteract in one issue weekly what had been done in six issues by its opponent."
For these and numerous other reasons, the Nowiny Publishing Company was reorganized at its first annual meeting of January 13, 1908, for the pur- pose of publishing a daily paper. The capital stock was raised to $50,000, divided into 5,000 shares of $10 each, in order to encourage and enable even the less prosperous to become joint owners of the forthcoming daily. The subscription price was set at $3 per annum, the name was likewise changed to Nowiny Polski (Polish News). The first number of the new daily appeared March 31, 1908. Although its older competitor prophesied that the new ven- ture would not last longer than six weeks, it nevertheless not only exists six- teen years later, but prospers besides, having gained by its prestige and fear- less policy a great following.
This rapid expansion caused the stockholders to raise, at their annual meeting of January 24, 1917, the capital stock to $75,000. The Nowiny Pub- lishing Company owns a well equipped modern plant with a rotary newspaper press, several job printing presses, linotypes, ete. The plant and offices are located at the corner of Mitchell Street and Eighth Avenue.
Competent erities have pronounced The Nowiny Polski one of the fore- most Polish dailies. Its recent Overseas Edition, distributed broadcast in thousands of copies in Poland, has brought a veritable shower of most flatter- ing comments. Though published in a foreign tongue, it is thoroughly Amer- jean in spirit and in fact : ever loyal to the stars and stripes. It teaches and
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inenleates into its readers loyalty and love for the country that has given the Polish emigrants not only bread, protection and boundless opportunities, but above all else-religions and political freedom.
Its Americanization policy-in its unadulterated and noblest meaning- comprises everything that is purest and best in our institutions of learning, our economie and social facilities. AAlbeit the Nowiny Polski has a strong democratie leaning in the political realm. still it does not slavishly adhere to that party and approve blindly everything done by it. Though Catholic in spirit, it is nevertheless tolerant and forbearing in judging men and their acts. Moral worth, regardless of external religious or political affiliations. constitutes the eriterion of its publie policy.
The founder of The Nowiny Polski, the Rt. Rev. Monsignor B. E. Goral. continues at the head of the publication, being its general manager and secre- tary; however, the business management has been entrusted to Anthony J. Lukaszewski. Dr. Joseph Mietus is president-treasurer of the Nowiny Pub- lishing Company: Rev. R. Kielpinski vice president ; Rev. L. Inrasinski and Dr. R. Paradowski directors.
The Living Church .- Milwaukee has for many years been a center of pub- lications on behalf of the Episcopal Church. In the sixties there was estab- lished a magazine of national reputation, The Church Register, which, how- ever. did not extend beyond a few years. More permanent was The Young Churchman, established in 1870 by Linden HI. Morehouse as a Sunday School paper for the children of the Episcopal Church. So successful was that venture that The Young Churchman continues to the present time and cir- eulates very widely among such Sunday schools and among detached chil- dren in families of the Episcopal Church. A need for a similar paper of a more kindergarten character being felt. Mr. Morehouse also established The Shepherd's Arms in 1877, and that publication also has obtained national cirenlation on a large scale and still continues to be published.
By 1884 these publications had become such a tax upon the time of their editor and publisher. Mr. Morehouse, that he abandoned other work and estab- lished The Young Churchman Company for the purpose of continuing the two periodicals and of entering into general church book publishing and selling. This company began in a small way on Milwaukee Street and has expanded to the large house now known as Morehouse Publishing Company, situated at 1801-1811 Fond du Lac Avenue, which is now the principal church pub- lishing house of the Episcopal Church in the United States.
The most important of the church periodicals is The Living Church. Founded in Chicago in 1878, it was purchased by The Young Churchman Company in 1900 and has since been issued from Milwaukee. The editor from that time has been Frederic C. Morehouse, who also succeeded his father, Linden HI. Morehouse, in the presidency of the corporation. The Living Church Annual is the church almanac of the Episcopal Church and has been issued in Milwaukee since 1885, having previously, like the parent periodical, been made in Chicago. The Evening Prayer Leaflet is another of the regular pub- lications of this house and is eireulated on a national seale.
The Catholic Citizen had its origin in a publication named The Star of
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Bethlehem, issued by the Saint Louis Brothers which subsequently passed into the hands of E. A. Bray and R. B. Johnson. A weekly. The Catholic Vindi- cator, was founded November 3. 1870, by Rev. JJohn Casey at Monroe, Wis. These two publications were consolidated October 19, 1871, at Milwaukee. Later (November, 1878), Rev. George L. Willard and E. A. Bray became proprietors and changed the name to The Catholic Citizen. Four years later Reverend Willard disposed of his interests to Mr. Bray who remained proprietor until 1890 when the Catholic Citizen Company, with Humphrey J. Desmond as its president, was formed. Mr. Desmond, who is a scholarly writer and an eloquent publie speaker, is still editor of the publication.
The Seebote and The Columbia. The first Catholic paper published in the State of Wisconsin was The Seebote (Messenger of the Lake) founded in the year 1852 in Milwaukee by Rev. Joseph Salzmann, D. D., a renowned pioneer-priest, and issued by a stock company in the German language. At first it was published as a weekly. but religions tolerance being rampant in Milwaukee at the time, and the two German dailies, then issned in Milwau- kee, being affiliated with the opposition, it was changed to a daily in order to combat these elements more effectively. This, however, was too big an undertaking for the comparatively few German Catholics, and financial dif- ficulties soon compelled the publishers to transfer the paper to Doctor Salz- mann and Andrew Grenlieb, who later sold it to Hon. P. V. Deuster under whose able management it gained great influence. In 1898 Mr. Deuster transferred the daily edition to The Milwaukee Herold, continuing the semi- weekly until his death, Deeember 31, 1900, when it was sold to the Columbia Publishing Company, by whom it is still continued.
When the Seebote passed into the hands of Mr. Deuster. it entered the politieal field and although it did not change its policy, its energies through this change actually were divided.
The radicals and atheists, continuing their attacks against the Catholic Church and religion, there was a growing sentiment in favor of establishing again a paper exclusively Catholic in tendency and policy. In 1871, there- fore, A. Wibbert, with the approval of Bishop lenni and with the cooperation of Rev. Martin Kundig, then Vicar-general of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Revs. L. Conrad, W. Bonenkamp, P. A. Schleyer, J. St. Muenich, M. Wenker, F. Welter and prominent members of the Catholic laity, Nicholas Hoffmann, Val. Zimmermann, J. B. Kupfer, Val. Conrad and others. undertook the task of supplying this want. A. Wibbert succeeded in organizing a stock company. which on January 1, 1871, began publishing The Columbia as a distinctively Catholic weekly. Rev. John Gemeiner, professor at St. Francis Theologieal Seminary, was its first editor in chief and A. Wibbert city editor. The paper met with such great success that its management in 1874 decided to issue a daily. Dr. E. Knotser and Prof. J. B. Mueller being in charge of the editorial management. This venture, however, proved a costly mistake, and after only one year's trial the daily was abandoned and the weekly alone continued, gaining steadily in popularity and influence among the Catholies of the land.
The Columbia has attained a high rank among the Catholic papers of this country as a valiant and able defender of the Catholic Church and its teach-
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ings. Joseph 6. Hoffman is editor and manager of The Columbia since 1897 and also of The Seebote, issued semi-weekly from the same office and under the same management, since 1901. Both have rendered signal service to their church and the community at large.
The Excelsior .- One of the leading Catholic journals in the German langu- age. in the United States, is The Excelsior. published since September 8. 1583, at Milwaukee, Wis., and widely circulated in Wisconsin and in adjoining states. It was founded by JJoseph Britz, who was its publisher until 1586, when it was taken over by the Excelsior Publishing Company, incorporated in that year, which publishes it to the present day. Mr. Britz also edited the paper from 1883 to 1889. From 1889 to 1897 Alfred Steckel, a well-known journalist and a very active member of German Catholic societies, was the editor. J. M. A. Schultheis succeeded Mr. Steckel as editor carly in 1897, and directed its editorial policies in a fearless and an able manner for four- teen years. As business manager Mr. Joseph Springob has successfully de- voted his time and energy since 1889 to the administration of the financial affairs of The Excelsior.
Milwaukee has the distinction of being the home of the only Catholic agricultural paper in the United States. Der Landmann, published by the Excelsior Publishing Company, was launched in September, 1902, to fill a long felt want among German speaking and reading American Farmers. The paper is edited by J. M. Sevenich, who was born in Michigan and raised on a Wisconsin farm. As a farmer and newspaperman he has witnessed the growth and development of agriculture in all its phases. The paper is read in nearly every state of the Union, and finds its way to the Provinces of Canada and to European countries. Cooperating with the Department of Agriculture in Washington, the various state experiment stations. and agri- cultural colleges, Der Landmann treats agriculture from a Christian stand- point, in opposition to materialistie views often expressed in the agricultural press. Der Landmann has always favored and fearlessly defended organized farming and controlled marketing. consistently with Christian principles. The readers of the paper are well informed regarding the existing farm- ers' organizations and their purposes and objeets, but, in all political cam- paigns, Der Landmann remains aloof from partisanship.
Dairy Publications .- Milwaukee is the home of the largest dairy trade journal publishing house in the country. The Olsen Publishing Company was established in January, 1910, and is maintained for printing and publishing three national magazines, The Butter. Cheese & Egg Journal, The Ice Cream Review, and The Milk Dealer.
The Butter, Cheese & Egg Journal is now in its thirteenth year, and is the official organ of the Wisconsin Butter Makers' Association, The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, The Wisconsin Dairy Protective Association, and The Wisconsin Poultry, Butter and Egg Dealers Association. The Ice Cream Review, devoted exclusively to the ice cream industry, is the official organ of twenty-two different associations of ice cream manufacturers and ice cream supply salesmen. It enjoys a nation-wide circulation. The Milk Dealer is also a monthly publication and is the official organ of the International Milk
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