The story of the Sun, New York: 1833-1928 / by Frank M. O'Brien ; with an introduction by Edward Page Mitchell ...

CHAPTER XV

THE EDITORIAL PAGE
Edward P. Mitchell and His Half Century of Service.Men of Dana's Time and Afterward.-"Is There a
Santa Claus?" and "Lindbergh Flies Alone."
T HE editorial writers who contributed most to Dana's
success were Edward Page Mitchell, Mayo W.
Hazeltine, W. O. Bartlett, John Swinton, Henry B. Stanton, N. L. Thieblin, James S. Pike, Fitz-Henry Warren,
Thomas Hitchcock, Francis P. Church, and Edward M.
Kingsbury. The greatest of these and, in certain respects,
the finest figure in all the Sun's history, was Mr. Mitchell.
He was born in Bath, Maine, on March 24, 1852, was
graduated from Bowdoin in 1871, and became a member of Dana's staff in 1875. For more than half a century thereafter he was in the service of the Sun and, more
than any other man, his life was entwined with the paper.
He became the greatest editorial writer of his generation.
The Sun said after his death on January 22, 1927:
In substance and style the articles with which Mr.
Mitchell adorned the Sun for half a century were
unequaled by any contemporary. Substance was
assured, for he never wrote anything merely to say
something. He shared Mr. Dana's contempt for the
editor who rushed to give an opinion on every
available subject. The importance of a theme had
due consideration from him, but it was the interest
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