Robert Percival Porter

Background

He was born on June 30, 1852 in Norwich, England, United Kingdom, the son of James Winearls Porter. His ancestors for many generations were Norfolk gentleman farmers.

Education

Because of delicate health Porter was taken in his teens from the King Edward VI School of Norwich and sent to America to join cousins on their farm in California. There his education was continued under private tutors.

Career

His first job, as reporter on the Chicago Daily Inter Ocean, gave him a broad basis of acquaintance with the newspaper business and with American life. Besides reporting local news, he occasionally wrote leading articles, and conducted, for another paper, a question and answer column. He acquired also a valuable familiarity with printing technique and by writing advertisements became familiar with the business problems of newspapers. In 1880-81 he worked under Francis A. Walker in the preparation of the Tenth Census. In compiling reports on wealth, debt, and taxation for the census he acquired valuable training in statistical work.

Having attracted the attention of President Arthur he was appointed to the Tariff Commission in 1882. From 1884 to 1887 he held positions on the editorial staffs of the New York Tribune and the Philadelphia Press. During these years he was sent abroad on special assignments to investigate industrial conditions and housing in Europe. Upon his return he founded, with Frank Hatton, the New York Press with which he was connected until 1894.

In 1889 Porter took over the administration of the Eleventh Census.

During his residence in Washington, Porter had gained the confidence of William McKinley and when the latter became president he selected Porter for several missions. He was sent to Cuba and Porto Rico in 1898 as special fiscal and tariff commissioner and in 1899 undertook for the President the task of inducing General Maximo Gómez to disband the Cuban army, a mission which he accomplished with great tact and success. After the assassination of McKinley in 1901 Porter devoted his entire attention to journalism.

He joined the staff of the London Times as the first editor of its engineering supplement in 1904 and removed his residence to England. Because of his intimate knowledge of American politics he was sent back to Washington in 1906 as principal correspondent of the Times. This position he held until 1909 when he returned to London as editor of the special supplements of the paper. For several years thereafter he traveled widely in North and South America, Japan and Russia, preparing supplements dealing principally with economic features of those countries.

At the time of his death in 1917 he was in charge of the Times "History of the War. " He died from injuries received in an automobile accident.

Achievements

• Robert Percival Porter founded the New York Press, during his administration of the Eleventh Census he greatly widened the scope of the census, made a report to the Senate recommending the establishment of a permanent organization. He also increased the efficiency of its staff by the introduction of tabulating machines. His interest in mechanical tabulation led later to his becoming one of the founders and directors of the British Tabulating Machine Company. Besides, he was the author of such famous works as The West: From the Census of 1880, Breadwinners Abroad, Free Trade Folly and others.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Life of William McKinley, soldier, lawyer, statesman

    (This book was originally published prior to 1923, and rep...)

  • Japan, the rise of a modern power / by Robert P. Porter

    (This book was digitized and reprinted from the collection...)

  • The dangers of municipal trading

Personality

Quotes from others about the person

• According to Times, "Few have had such a genius for friendship as Porter, and the range and variety of his friends and acquaintances in the United States, in Japan, and in this country was extraordinary".

Connections

He had married in 1884 Alice Russell Hobbins, daughter of Dr. Joseph Hobbins of Madison, Wiscosin. She with three sons and a daughter survived him.

Father:

James Winearls Porter

Spouse:

Alice Russell Hobbins

father-in-law:

Joseph Hobbins

coworker:

Francis A. Walker

coworker:

Frank Hatton