Background
Samuel Bowles was born on October 15, 1851, and was the fourth of the name in direct succession and the third known as a journalist.
(This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)
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Samuel Bowles was born on October 15, 1851, and was the fourth of the name in direct succession and the third known as a journalist.
As the eldest son, Bowles was early trained by his father to take charge of the Springfield Republican. He attended the public schools of Springfield and entered Yale, but being of delicate health remained only two years and took special studies instead of the regular course.
He later received honorary degrees from the Amherst College and Olivet College.
Samuel Bowles traveled in Europe 1869-71, spending most of his time in Germany, and contributing some correspondence to the Republican. In 1873 he was placed upon the staff as editorial assistant under his father's exacting discipline, and after some experience in writing editorials and gathering news, undertook in 1875 the business management.
The growth of the newspaper, the withdrawal of his uncle B. F. Bowles from the counting room, and the failing health of his father threw an increasing responsibility upon him, so that the death of the elder Bowles found him ready to assume full charge. Thereafter he performed for nearly four decades the duties of editor, publisher, and treasurer. With the exception of his marriage on June 12, 1884, all the important events in the life of the third Bowles were connected with the Republican.
While he placed his desk in the business department, he directed all the important editorial utterances, was in close touch with the newsgathering, and daily read and sternly criticized every column. Conservative in taste, he insisted upon a standard of old-fashioned dignity. Not until late in life did he remove from the front page the advertisements which gave the Republican an English look.
His one important innovation was the founding (September 15, 1878) of the Sunday Republican, which as a summary of the news of the week and a repository of special features largely took the place of the weekly Republican. The third Bowles continued his father's policy of aggressive editorial independence.
In 1884 he joined the mugwumps in attacking Blaine and supporting Cleveland, whose reelection he advocated in 1888 and 1892. He opposed Bryan and free silver in 1896, but four years later accepted imperialism as "the paramount issue, " and waged one of the greatest campaigns of the Republican in assailing the annexation of the Philippines. The same issue, raised by the seizure of Panama, helped Bowles decide in 1904 to stand with Parker against Roosevelt; but four years later he advocated the election of Taft. Two of his abiding editorial tenets were tariff reduction and international conciliation, and the Republican denounced all forms of jingoism--particularly what it called Henry Cabot Lodge's "aristocratic demagogism"--unsparingly. Both in the editorial and news departments Bowles was fortunate in the assistants he found and developed.
The staff when he assumed charge included W. L. Warren as chief editorial writer, Charles G. Whiting, and Solomon B. Griffin, who for more than forty years was managing editor. With their aid Bowles made the Republican famous as a school for journalists, and among other pupils trained Talcott Williams, George Harvey, Robert H. Lyman, George Kibbe Turner, and Louis A. Coolidge.
He was also active in the Springfield Board of Trade, and was responsible for the leading position which Springfield took in the national movement for a safe and sane Fourth. He was always prominent at gatherings of journalists, was a member of the advisory board of the Pulitzer School of Journalism, and in 1913 became a director of the Associated Press.
He repeatedly said that "I realize I came after a great man; I have never expected personal fame, " but his death was the occasion for many tributes to the devotion and skill with which he had maintained and enlarged the heritage from his father.
His death was the occasion for many tributes to the devotion and skill with which he had maintained and enlarged the heritage from his father.
(This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)
Bowles opposed Bryan and free silver in 1896, but four years later accepted imperialism as "the paramount issue, " and waged one of the greatest campaigns of the Republican in assailing the annexation of the Philippines.
The same issue, raised by the seizure of Panama, helped Bowles decide in 1904 to stand with Parker against Roosevelt; but four years later he advocated the election of Taft. Two of his abiding editorial tenets were tariff reduction and international conciliation, and the Republican denounced all forms of jingoism particularly what it called Henry Cabot Lodge's "aristocratic demagogism" unsparingly.
The third Bowles, like his father, believed officeholding incompatible with editorial independence, and repeatedly refused opportunities to enter public life. He never became a public figure like his father; he traveled little, mingled little with political leaders, and wrote no books and few signed articles. But he held decisive control of the character of the Republican, and maintained it at the highest level of American journalism.
Quotations: "I realize I came after a great man; I have never expected personal fame. "
Many of his subordinates found Bowles, because of inherited dyspepsia and other ailments, irritable and sharp-tongued, but all admired his fine ability and sensitive conscience.
Despite his ill health, the finer side of social life appealed to him and he adorned it.
Quotes from others about the person
Bowles seldom contributed to the Republican, saying that he could not write but could "tell others how and what they ought to write".
On June 12, 1884 Samuel Bowles was married to Elizabeth Hoar of Concord, Massachusetts, daughter of Rockwood Hoar. He left two sons, of whom Sherman Hoar Bowles remained the controlling force in the Republican office.