HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Clinton New Era, 1910-12-15, Page 16A LETTER TO THE NEW ERA
READERS.
By Mr. Robt. Matheson of Chicago
Formerly Editor Forty
Years Ago.
Mr. Robert Matheson, who was.
editor and proprietor of the Clin-
ton New Era from the summer of
1869 to the spring of 1872, was born
in "the Lang town o•Kirkcaldy, in
the Kingdom' o' Fife,".' Scotland,
and came with his parents to Can-
ada in 1842, settling in Simcoe, Nor-
folk County, Ontario, then known
as Canada West. After receiving
a common and grammar school ed-
ucation in Simcoe, he entered the
University of Toronto in 1853,grad-
uating with honors in 1856, carry-
ing off the only gold medal granted
in that year.
Mr. Matheson's career in Ontario
was divided between the head mas-
tership of High Schools at Milton.
Berlin, Chatham and Napanee, and
the conducting of newspapers, The
Milton Champion, Clinton New Era
and The Daily News of St. Catha-
rines. which last named journal he
left Clinton to 'establish.
He has resided in Chicago since
1881, engaging first In educational
work and latterly in literary work.
He was the first editor of thelWes-
tern British American, established
in 1887 in Chicago, and still flour -
MR, ROBERT MATHESON
i<_hing, its plain purpose being to.
keel, aline the affection for their
tatitle home of the people of Great
Britain and her colonies, and to as-
sist in ptomnting a better under-
standing between the British and
the American ,
Mr, Matheson also ,purchasedThe•
Canadian American of Chicago and
conducted it for several years on
the same platform.. ultimately sell-
ing out to the proprietors of The
!Western British ' American. by
whom: it is still successfully and
usefully conducted.
lie is now in his seventy-sixth
year still actively. at work;• and
year, stili actively at work, and
He. s-p.enc a his summers on a farm
he owns near Paw PaW 'Clt"yenith-;
and his winters in Chicago. His
old friends an Clinton and Ontario
generally will doubtless be pleased
to learn .of his serene and pleasant
old, age. still able to d,a)his part for
the uplift of humanity as of old.
At our • request Mr. Matheson
contributed the following for oar.
special Christmas. Number.
the learyer, are stili vivid in any
memory.
In the, very inception of my.
career in Clinton I struck a snag
by permitting the publication of an
anonymous but ably Written corn-
lnunieation on the subjeet of locat-
ing the market place. Many sus-
pected pie of being the author, but
that is a practice to Which I can
honestly deelarr I never resorted,
of 'writing anonymously either is
any own paper or in any other. 40
years 'having elapsed 1 can now
reveal that the letter criticising
the opponents of the present mar-
ket site, was Written by Mr. Bam-
ford, sr., a fine specimen of the
gentlettn'en of the older school. I
see now that as there was personal
criticism: in the communication I
should have requested the writer's
signature to it, but having publish-
ed it, I zealously guarded its an-
onymity, although many attempts.
were•tnade to discover the author- ;,
ship,
The strife over the anarket site
was fierce and bitter for years in
I proportion to the narrowness of
the sphere of action. I found that
the progressive men were in favor
of the sitechoeeu and I took the
eamie 'side, although. I deemed it • a
tempestin a teapot.
In conducting The NeW Era my
ruling motive was to promote
Well-being' of Clinton rand of the
county in general. In pursuance of
this object I used frequently to
consult those best informed as to
what measures. they. could suggest,
At a gathering of • what I called
the "Board .Of Trade" in Mr. Joseph
Whitehead's office. • at the (main
corner 'nenr The New Era offiee .
and Rattenbury's hotel, Mr. Perrin,
a grain buyer,aoutlined tome • a
plan for a railway which afterward
developedinto the London, Huron
and (Bruce, • I had -the honor of fur-
nishing•the first •.editorial on that
subject, calling Upon the people• of
' London and the other municipals -
ties interested to co-operate in the
•work. In a short time the people
of Le.ndori .called •iorn conference
by delegates from along' the -pro-.
posed route, and the met and . or-
ganized. The result was the build-
ing of the road, and it is to this day
a •gratification that. I..bad sonic
part- in the initiation- of the line.
-'Immediately Seaforth with its
accustomed .Progressiveness Went
went in to capture the ..road, but
obtained only the branch •-from
Bt uc efleld.
The eempaign ,for bonuses from
the townships was a lively one. and
c•arrfed o -u -by delegations front..
London and Clinton.', :In themean=.
time. the advocates - of the narrow
guage railroad 'froth 't•Iateilton•
cam into the '•field.. especially in.
Turnberry -and in • Bruce County, •
and we. often met on tht ;seine
platform. Floods., of eloquence
score tae shed hy each side'. and it
was good practice in oratory.•
I recall one memorable episode.
i in connection with this campaign, "
Lucknow- and Wingham,.'were en -s•
gaged in a fierce .struggle as to
tvhieh should Alive the ra'ilroad.alid
with, my usual impetuousness ••I
i 'butted in" with an editorial in
favor of Wingham
I' had then a list, -of.ever 50 sub-
••cribers in Luclenow °but after the -
issue with that 'fateful /editorial
' arrived; I received.a Wrathful' bun-
vile of the papers returned bv every
Fubscriber,: Yea may .be •sure'I•. did'
-reb fee}. as C-a-esa; diel -set lienor- Iresees:
et rote, • 'Vent, vidi; t ici.".But look
ing back. over the 'vista. of forty
at something in the paper; stopped •
pie of Luckn.ow, although I Estill
think they Werz rather hasty. They
taught ..me a valuable lesson to -
think twice before plunging across -
the Rubicon.
•I still. cherish pleasant' recollec-
tions of • Dr,: McCrinimon, 'James •
-Somerville; Dre Garrett, and other
prominentcitizens .of that .time in
Luca;nosy,. - . -
Th e. NeW • Era st Il surViV es. Which •
reminds me of an .anecdote told of
Horace: Greeley of New York Tri- •
bun» fame.• A. subseriber.offended. -,
at •somehting In the paper, stopped
bje subscription•, and meeting Mr.
Greeley •at the door, t•)ld.himt he .:
had stopped the paper•.' Greeley -
Y,rotes`sed great eoncern,. saying,
surely, not, let's goi•n and see."
The suhsc.r'ber,• sulled:he] at the
• emotion displeyed:lit; Greeley, •ae-
rompani+'d hint through tine estab- •
• lishment. Greels t , !ening the•
presses running and •evfrything i11
• full blast, turned to the subscriber
and said; Surely, ;my dear, sir, you
must be mistaken,. the i.,aper 'is
I trot stopped?' The subscriber then
explained that -he to say
that he had stopped his (•()py of the
paper. `Is that a11," said Greeley,
! '1'ne so Find It's no Wors, :" 021
1 which it is reported that the sub-
seril es-, amused- at the turn things
had taken, re('0t•ered his., gond
humor -and renewed his ..stiliserip-
,'tion.
Another event that stands oat
conspicuously during -my • editor-:
ship of The. New • Era, Was the gen-
eral election for the Ontario Legis-
lature -,in the spring of 1871, which
resulted • in the (dethronement . of
lthe Coalition Government of Sand-
field Macdonald, and the advent of
the Liberal party to power under;
Edward 131ake, and subsequently
under Oliver Mowat. Hardy, and
'Floss, which continued for many
years,
Mr. W. T. Trays, a Go(leriell law-
yer, and a Conservative, then re-
presented North Huron, and. at a
Liberal convention in Blyth; Trios.
Gibsc.n, a miller residing at Wrox-
eter, was chosen, It required great
pressure to induce ]dim to accept
824 Dakin Ste Chicago, I11.
. Nov. 24th, 1910
Editor of The New Era, .
DEAR S1R.—It is with deep plea-
sure that I comply with your re-
quest to say a few words to my
old friends in Clinton and Huron
County. but the pleasure is some-
what tempered by the reflection
that theynre now few and far be-
tween after a lame of forty years..
I purchased the New Era in the
fall of '1Ssie. from the late Mr. Ed-
tt in I[ohnes and concluded it until
1.' 2, hvle n I left Clinton for - St.
(`:i.th:rines to establish' the Daily
s eve I diseeSed of The .NeW
Era to 11r. ilolnies, to whom I sold
at the seem, time The \Cinl;hain-
'I'imes, trhich Ihad est ahlishedand
. e••ndl"•t•. (1 for ah ,ut Si( weeks. Mr.
1lolmes found that conducting two
papers twenty-six miles apart and
making a weekly journey by stage.
which I had been doing. was too
strenuous for him, and at his re-
quest I came hack front St. Cath-
arines. and we scent together to
Win gham. Meeting a milkman on
his early morning, route. Ile asked
what brought )is to Wingham. I
told him Mr. Holmes desired to sell
the Wingham Tithes. The mink -
man seemed interested and asked
us to go to his house. The result'
was that in a fete hours the pur-
chase was closed for, $1.000, half
the amount being turned over in
ashl. I presume the milkman, be-
ing full of "the milk of human
kindness'' made a success, at all
events, one of my pleasantest re-
collections is eorneeted with my
founding of the first newspaper in
Wingham, and the faces of the
Fisher Tir'nthers, Mr. ,Iacicsor(tt� the
merchant, whose son, as lienrlsios-
e!,h Jaxone, played such a past in
the Riel Rebellion. Johnson Leet.
THE CHILDREN AND CHRISTMAS
.WITHOUT the children how much of the joys
. of Christmas would be lost to usi. • Of all
holidays, this, the last of the year, arouses more
anticipation and brings more real pleasure to
the little folks than any of the half-dozen or so.
which precede it, Children look upon Christmas •
as,TI1EIlt holiday, and Upon the rest of humanity as
mere lookers-on. And it is well, it is so. But we
lookers -ori have this advantage—that in watching .'
the little •ones we can enter into the ,spirit of their.
enjoyment, and in a way arid- for awhile live: the
happiest part of our lives over dgain. ,
the nomination, but at last he eon- in The New.; Era office, than whoa
•ented to run, It I would hecom' 1 have never met one more honor
,any hint and speak at his meet- 'able and high minded in every re -
rigs, I was somewhat surprised at sped. Peace to his memory.
his as, like Brutus, 'I Was no ora- Looking back over the vista of
or, but only spoke right on what forty years the names of the men
I slid know," or Words to that of of Clinton, who were then active in
ect. However, we campaigned business, come up in array before
he whole -constituency and I.learn- me, many of whom have doubtless
ed to admire the modest but solid long ago passed to their reward.
and sincere'Poni Gibson, AtLuck- Rut they are not dead, but have
now we held a joint meeting; with only 1 rarieferred th sir sphere of
Edward Blake. who was running in usefulness.
Bruce, and I shall never forget the There( are no dead, the stars go
trumpet -like appeal made by hint down,
to the '•Men of Kinloss" to rally To rise upon some fairer shore,
to, the, overthrow of corruption. ' And 'bright in heaven's • 'jeweled
When the meeting closed about crown
midnight, all that Blake took for They shine for evermore.
his refreshment, after an impass- • And ever near us, though unseen,
Toned and eloquent oration of sev- The dear immortal spirits tread
eral hours, Was a glass of water For the ,whole boundless universe
and a soda cra„ker, hia health he- Is life. There are no dead !
Ing rather precarious. Prominent among Clintonians 4d
Edward Blake was one bf the years ago Were Thomas •:Jackson
r
greatest orators to rat0 whom' 'it has merchant tailor, whom I am glad
been nay privilege .to listen. That to know stilt walks this footstool, •
and like myself awaits his gradua-
tion to the Grand lodge above.
;lames and Thomas Racey, Richard
Twin : an o n o gens,
Fisher (afterward Fisher. Brothers)
Fisher (afterward Fisher & Bar-
ton), 'Harland & Son, Thomas , and
Robert Coates.. Searle•& Davis, and
Charles •Archibald. 'were leading
mercl'ante. Jas. Fair, the miller,
With his worthy father-in-law, Mr,.
Murray'corwe. to my mind, and Mr.
Fair's brother Thomas, who was
politmaster, James Smith, tailor,
Combe and Chidley druggists.
James; Turnbull, principal of the
High school and Mr, Mallach, then
of the pui.lic school, afterwards
inspector of schools, . It (was' at
the suggestion of Mr. Malloch that
we commenced a movement that
resulted in the resuscitation of the
Masonic, lodge. Among other
friends Irecalt Dr, Worthington.
whomC.0 Met first in Wroxeter, but
who afterwards gravitated to Clin-
ton. But to enumerate all my old`
friends and acquaintances ii1 Clin-
ton and Huron County would neves
sitate quite an enlargement of this
edition ot'the New Bra. I cannot
retain however frcm adding the
name of. Humphrey. Snell, of Lon-
clesbero,.'tvho 'stood four square to
every ;wind that Blows" and who
stands in slay memory as eVery inch'
a
And
Anel new• a' word as.to the New
Bra, which Ibelie se has long been
an inclispensible factor fn the up -
building of Clinton and vicinity.
Long may it continue yin :lis•, highs-
mis9ion Ind - hat•,, mon at flit, Heins.,
' who will look for their reward in
the approbation incl support
of e•a satisfi ec[ . community,
and . ''• who will • have the
I public good, at heart in all they:
write, thus aiding in inaugurating
a New ,Era indeed, in which dwell -
i eth righteousness,
When Ipurchased the paper.I
had lie almost tinlimitedfield north
and south and on tite east and west
i, had only the Seaforth Expositor
and the Goderich Signal and Star.
llut now the st+fiere is more limited
but moi a 'densely ,p(ipulated and
;'efficient to form an adequate dis-
trier to exploit,
, I desire to tlbank-'thepresehtwop-
thy proprietors Of the Nett: Era for
affording this opportunity of say
} ui'g 'hail anal farewell" to what is
left o f • the old guard that held up
my..hands two score years ago
my hands two score. years ago.
he has devoted so many years to
the cause of his ancestral country,
Ireland, is certainly creditable. to
his heart, but I believe he 'could I I d Joh Hod A S
have done a greater work, had he
THE SANTA CLAUS FICTION ' , devoted his great talents to his
•native land Canada. Ilia iespousal
WHEN N the' c11ild ceases tel have faith ui theof a then unpopular cause' tended
W existence of 'Santa Claus -a real llcrson-to keep 'him in the background in
age with jolly countenance, 'flowing beard, sli:d,Parliaauent and thus minimized his
reindeers and the rest of it --=he, ceases to n j(1 •usefuliness: His proper. place.
}should hay a hem. in the arena of
Christmas as best it is.enjoyed, and we older onesCanadian public :affairs in Which he
to that extent lose our interest in Christmas. .lswould have proved an important
we watch the 'child and observe the first evidt neefactor for progress-: not that he has,
of skepticism we feel sorryfor him, But he t,reasuresas not done good Work for Irew
his earlier belief as long land, but that he might have done
l t , is he can, and finally, t;•henUetter Work even for Ireland as a
he makes bold to declare,: 11(4(>: is. no Sant,apotent factor in Britain's great-.
Claus," we feel sorry for him,' for• we know that forest colony, imperial Canada.
him Christmas has lost some of its joys. • The election resulted in a sweep-
ing victory fol Gibson by about 800
majority,. The electors wisely pre-
ferredr a staid' business man to a
Goderich lawyer, and years 0..f hon-
cst service in the legislature of
their choice :proved their good judg
ment.
There were in my timemany
strong men in peblic.life in'Buron,
and to this end the great extent of
Iiuron County, .about 60 miles long
and from 20 1030 wide,' together
withits intelligent • class of settl-
ers and• its fertility of soil; large-
ly contributed, The .County Court-
ed was composed of about 60 mem-.
tiers. I presume now there will 'be
be almost a hundred owing to in-.
crease .p1 population. This body
e, as a tine :training. school. for as-
pirants to• federal :(0 provincial lion.
ors. Here' was' Where Robot Gib -
1 ()its : 'Ti •upas Greenway, after-
tyards Premierof Manitoba. Archie.
Bishop, of Usborne,• and a,numberr •
of others obtained their • mehinin-
ary training.. . •.
• Our represcntative in the Domin-
loll parliament in niy time Was Jos-
eph 1Vhitehe.ad,, a self-made man, a
railway eontractor, and latterly a
arain buyer in Clinton, Mr. White-
head was a progressive roan of great
native • , •: sthility End of sterling
character. •
I learn that in late -years'Clin.ton •
•
had, a rept esentative :'in the person.
Of Mr.Ilolmes, who continued on
the staff of the New Era, after the
transfer . of the 'paper from ]lis.,
lather to myself • . Robert's rise in..
life teathe natural result of his
sterling integrity. industry and am-
ia bility of. ispisition.
Foremost.• among, My friends'in•
Clinton-• I, with to pay' • a. tribute to
the Iate:Edward Grigg .ply foreman
p.
l.=
THE NEW
NOTHING could;bc. moro:eloquent than the.con-•
eluding sentences -'of •Dickens'• charming story,
The Chimes":' '".So may the new tcar.be a happy
one to .you,; happy to many•marc whose happiness
depends on .yeti. ! So May each Sear be happier
than -tile last, And not the meanest .of. out brethren •
or sisterhood d•e.barred• their• rightful share in what
our great Creator finned them to. enjoy."
YEAR'S .WISHES
THE Of WORLD
T'S a world full of hearts and it is a world on whicha the sun never rises butit looks upon'a thousand
bloodless battles that are some set-off against. the
miseries and wickedness of .battle -fields, and we
need to:bc: careful .how we. libel --Heaven forgive us! •
'•--for it . is. a World , of sacred mysteries; and its
•Creator only knows what lies beneath the surface
of His lightest image,-7,The 1,3attic of Taft:
ROBERT MATHESON,
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JEWISH RABBI ON CHRISTMAS . •
F A 'JEW may offer a word of, Christmas counsel:
in thisseason 'of commemoration of the Jew who:
has given His. naive to the 'age, I would urae tliiit •
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Peace on earth, good-wilj to men" be not only a •
word of the' Christmastide, but the work of'Cluist-:
eriddm throughout the year. •,Even as the chin -ch i5 w
not to preach at .the toiler one Sunday in the year, w
Labor. Sunday,. so-called, but to •preach for. the toiled •
every Sunday in the y car, so the church. is to fulfil s•
the message of the -Christmas season by translating •
it into fuller life. ." Pciacc on earth" means :-an end i
to international war, an end to racial prejudices, an
end to ' irreligious• bickerings, an end to. industrial •
strife. • "'Good will to .men means ----justice. to all,
freedom to alt, love to all, fellowship of all! have
we such peace and good -will? Do we really wish •
to have such peace: and good will? Until we do, is e
there .glory to God in the highest? , r'
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OF CANADA
I\Co$I?JR4TEU 'MEMO.
apitai >>... $6,200,000
Reserve '$6,90(1,600
A;ssels $95,o,000
READi'ICE, .. )IO.NT11E.AL
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BRANCHES.175
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Correepolidentsillrcnlgl)(tit the w nrld,.
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i interest allowed an 'Savings accounts -.
• at highest current rates:.
•Courteous treatment accorded. to all
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