controlled by public taste and can influence public taste dnly in small degree. "It is not wholly a missionary enterprise nor a pursuit of martyrdom. The editor cannot afford to make up a paper solely for his own reading or to be read in heaven, and he is subject to the influence of the commo'n observation that the mass of readers have not the habit of thought or of mental application to read of those things that tax the powers of the mind, or that bring any real benefit." (January 14, 1881.)
Newspaper work is, therefore, a business of complications and adjustments. The editor or publisher who abides by his ideals as closely as possible, and yet conducts a strong newspaper is very rare. The success of Mr. Scott was a measure of his greatness of mind and purpose. It was his fortune to have the co-operation of two able partners, Henry W. Corbett,[1] who during many years was a large shareholder in the business, and Henry L. Pittock, who later acquired Mr. Corbett's share and became controlling owner. Without this support Mr. Scott knew his long success as editor of The Oregonian would have been impossible; and he valued above all other energies in the upbuilding of The Oregonian those of Mr. Pittock as publisher and manager of the business, without whom, as he often said, The Oregonian would have been insignificant or would have succumbed.
XIX CONCLUSION
This brings to the conclusion of this article, but by no means to the end of the subject. For the topics that could be discussed here, of the newspaper work of Mr. Scott, would expand to any length. He gave his writing all the energies of his life and the output was extremely varied in its subject matter, large in its aggregate. Much of importance has been omitted from mention here, yet the foregoing outline follows the main currents of his editorial activity. It was Mr. Scott's lifelong desire and the wish was one of pioneer sentiment to serve the people of the Pacific Northwest always with the best thought that was his to give and to have a place, after he was gone, in the appreciation of his readers.
- ↑ Henry Winslow Corbett, born Westboro, Mass., Feb. 18, 1827; died Portland March 31, 1903. United States Senator 1867-73. President Lewis and Clark Exposition 1902-3.
