HISTORY OF KANSAS NEWSPAPERS
(1916)

PREFACE By William E. Connelley

It is believed that this is the first effort to record the complete history of every newspaper and periodical published in a state. Kansas is the only state of which such a work could be written. From the first Kansas regarded the press as her supreme asset. In no other state was the press, as a whole, ever equal to that of Kansas in either ability or enterprise. This high standard was set up in the stirring territorial period when Kansas was battling for freedom for herself and liberty for America. The fierce conflict which raged here attracted the brilliant minds of the times, and it can be truthfully said that it was the pen as much as the sword that made Kansas free. Here are some of the names of the newspaper men of those heroic days: D. W. Wilder, author of the "Annals of Kansas"; Josiah Miller and R. G. Elliott, founders of the Kansas Free-State; William A. Phillips, author of "The Conquest of Kansas"; Richard J. Hinton, correspondent for a number of eastern papers, and later a soldier and author; Richard Realf, the free-state poet, and soldier under John Brown; John J. Ingalls, later United States senator, and author of "Opportunity," "Blue Grass," and other immortal productions; Preston B. Plumb, later United States senator, first to promulgate, the idea of the conservation of natural resources in America, and one of the great business men of his time; John Speer, founder of the Kansas Tribune, and author of the "Life of General James H. Lane"; James Redpath, correspondent and author; George W. Martin, pioneer newspaper man, and long secretary of the State Historical Society; Edmund G. Ross, later United States senator, whose vote saved President Johnson; Martin F. Conway, later member of Congress; D. R. Anthony, colonel of the Fifteenth Kansas, and a man willing to fight, to get peace; John M. Walden, later bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church;- John A. Martin, colonel of the Eighth Kansas, and later governor of Kansas; and M. M. Murdock, founder of the Wichita Eagle.

The roll might be extended indefinitely, and for talent, tact and achievement it stands alone. These splendid young Kansans were ably seconded by such men as Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune; Albert D. Richardson, author of "Beyond the Mississippi"; Edward Everett Hale, Thomas H. Gladstone, John H. Kagi, Joseph Medill, Charles A. Dana, Henry Ward Beecher, William Cullen Bryant, Ralph Waldo Emerson, F. B. Sanborn, and many others of national and international fame. No wonder Kansas got on the newspaper map, forever to remain there.

The editors of that time were succeeded by the men of the second era, reaching down to our generation—Prentis, Ware, Rice, Baker, King, Hudson, and a host of others. And many of the pioneer editors continued work into that period, just as scores of the second generation are now still in the harness as editors of Kansas newspapers. There is a perfect succession by which the methods and ideals of the pioneer editors have been perpetuated to this day. From that fountain flows the eminence and efficiency of the present Kansas press. Methods may be modified by time and changing conditions, but the ideals of the founders of the Kansas territorial press can never change. They are the principles underlying correct and successful journalism, and are immutable.

Kansas is the spot-light of America. Conditions made her so; she must ever remain so. Her pioneer editors kindled a beacon which flames across the sky to this hour. The present and future Kansas press will see that its splendor is not diminished. However they may differ on other questions, Kansas editors are one in their agreement with Ingalls, that "Other states could be spared without irreparable bereavement, but Kansas is indispensable to the joy, the inspiration and the improvement of the world."

It is a great privilege to be a citizen of Kansas, and it is a great responsibility to be charged with the oversight and perpetuity of the ideals of the state. But the Kansas newspaper man is equal to the task. His first concern is that everything vital to Kansas shall be given early and constant attention. The job of the Kansas newspaper man is a big one, and if by chance one fails to measure up to the Kansas ideals he usually seeks fields less strenuous.

One of the great things done by the Kansas newspapermen was the founding of the Kansas State Historical Society. And the Society has always recognized its obligations to the Kansas press. The closest relations between these two great Kansas institutions have always existed. Secretaries Adams and Martin were pioneer newspapermen in Kansas. They knew the news and how to write it. They knew Kansas— knew her ideals and traditions and how to serve them and preserve them. Newspapermen and women have been on the board of directors of the Society, and always dominant in its councils and management. That is why it is the largest state historical society in America, with but one exception, and the most efficient of all. In one feature of the Society's activities this superiority is specially manifest; that is the newspaper collection. A copy of every issue of every paper published in Kansas is furnished the Historical Society for its files. These files are carefully preserved and bound. This collection reaches back to the founding of the Society, 1875. It is now believed to be the largest newspaper collection in the world, comprising more than fifty thousand bound volumes, including some foreign papers—that is, papers published in the leading cities of the country, which the Society subscribes for to add to its collection. Kansas is the pioneer in this idea of preserving the state's newspapers.

The Kansas newspaper collection has a value, which cannot be computed in money. To properly care for it and keep it accessible to the public is a tremendous task; but the Society is doing it, although with insufficient facilities. The weeklies are all on shelves and properly classified. But the dailies are stacked on benches. It is difficult to consult some of them. There is ample room in the book stacking of the Society's quarters, but steel shelving has not been supplied. It is hoped that the legislature at its coming session will remedy this condition by an appropriation to complete the shelving.

That this work shall be found entirely free from errors is too much to expect. It covers a period of almost eighty years, and proposes to give a complete history of practically every paper published in Kansas during that time. It is hoped that few errors will be found.

The presentation of the portraits of the Kansas newspapermen and women was one of the difficulties of this volume. It was impossible to include all. A list was selected as representative of the interest and location of the Kansas press. Those shown are not put in because of superior talent. Those not appearing here are equal in all respects. The list shown is intended to be representative only.

The secretary takes this occasion to express grateful acknowledgment to the Kansas press for help in putting up this work. He never made an appeal in vain. And he wishes his acknowledgment to go farther. He has had at all times the most cordial support of the Kansas newspapers in conducting the affairs of the Kansas State Historical Society. He believes that the best he can do in every instance is due the newspapers of Kansas. The preparation and publication of this work is, he hopes, some effort in the direction of discharging a small portion of his obligations to the Kansas press.