CHAPTER VII
THE PRESS OF WALLA WALLA COUNTY
The newspapers of any region must always be given prominence in any history of it as being one of the great constructive forces as well as constituting the indispensable record of events. Besides these fundamental functions, there is usually found in connection with the press of a new region a group of men alive to the needs and opportunities and hence concerned in those varied interests which always take shape in new places. Add to this the fact that generally there are found among newspaper men odd, unique, and entertaining characters, and we evidently have all the material for one of the most interesting sections of any history. Walla Walla has had, even more than most places, several unique and marked personalities among her "knights of the quill." In dealing with them, as with other parts of this work, we feel regretfully the pressure of the inexorable limits of space and are compelled thereby to omit the portrayal of some of those amusing, odd, and racy characters and events which might enliven the sober pages of history.
We have had occasion to refer many times to the Statesman as authority for early events and have also said something of its first appearance and early management. Appearing under the names of Washington Statesman and Walla Walla Statesman, it continued for many years to fulfill its mission in the Walla Walla country and more than any other may be considered as the historic paper of this section. The Statesman had a kind of a double origin. For in September, 1861, two brothers, W. N. and R. B. Smith, set on foot an enterprise through the acquisition of an old press from the Oregon Statesman and sent it to Walla Walla. Rather curiously, apparently without knowledge of the other design, N. Northrop and R. R. Rees started a similar enterprise only two days later. They had obtained a press of the Oregonian, and it was doubtless the first press in the Inland Empire, after that used by Rev. H. M. Spalding at Lapwai. Discovering each other's plans the two parties speedily coalesced and began the publication of the Washington Statesman. The first issue appeared on November 29, 1861. The editors and proprietors are announced as N. Northrop, R. B. Smith and R. R. Rees. We have given in an earlier chapter copious extracts from the first number. Several numbers in April, 1862, were on brown and yellow paper, for which profuse apologies are offered. On May 10, the editor has the following quaint "kick": "Our patrons, in sending us gold dust on subscriptions, or otherwise, will confer an especial favor by making a proper allowance for the weight of the sand. We can't make those who buy the dust of us believe that the sand is as valuable as the gold; nor do we believe it, either. Besides, in disposing of the dust, we are compelled to see it 'blowed' and 'magnetized' until it is properly cleaned, and the result is that that which we receive for $5 sometimes dwindles down to $2.50."
By the retirement of Mr. Smith in January, 1862, and by the death of Mr. Northrop in February, 1863, the Statesman became the property of R. R. Rees, but in association with his brother, S. G. Rees, whose name appeared for the first time in the issue of October 11, 1862. In the number of May 9, 1863, the firm name appears as R. R. and S. G. Rees. In the number of September 2, 1864, the name Walla Walla Statesman was substituted for Washington Statesman, but without comment.
The firm name of R. R. and S. G. Rees was continued till November 10, 1865, when a notable change occurred. Wm. H. Newell became proprietor. In the paper of that date he makes his debut in an editorial which indicates his strong personality and his fine command of good English. It is a just tribute to Major Rees to say that his management of the Statesman, like that of the many other enterprises which made him one of the conspicuous figures in early Walla Walla, was broad, intelligent, and patriotic.
Mr. Newell was a character, bold, energetic, caustic, and as a writer, incisive and forceful. It is related that once having a joint debate with Judge Caton, he began by saying: "Fellow citizens, it is a disagreeable task to skin a skunk, but sometimes it has to be done. I am going to skin N. J. Caton." Judge Caton reached for his hip-pocket and the meeting broke up in a general row, though it does not appear that any one was seriously hurt. The Statesman under Mr. Newell was democratic in politics and during the embroglio between President Johnson and Congress it was an active supporter of the former. It is said by some that its attainment of the place of United States official paper in the territory was due to that support. In 1878, the Statesman became a daily, the first in the Inland Empire. But on November 13th, the active, scheming mind of the editor was stilled by death. After a month's interval, Frank J. Parker, a son-in-law of Newell, and himself as unique a character as the former editor, began his long career as a journalist. The daily was somewhat in advance of the times and was discontinued within a short period but in February, 1880, was again undertaken, not to be discontinued so long as the Statesman was a separate paper. Colonel Parker owned the Statesman till June, 1900, in which year it went into the hands of the Statesman Publishing Co., Dr. E. E. Fall being the leading member of the company.
During a large part of that portion of the career of the Statesman Walter Lingenfelder was editor in chief. He was a man of much journalistic ability, and later entered upon a brilliant literary career in New York.