Page's  independence  as  an  editor,  sufficiently  indicated
in  the  days  of  his  vivacious  youth,  became  even  more  em-
phatic in  his  maturer  years.  In  his  eyes,  merely  inking  over
so  many  pages  of  good  white  paper  was  not  journalism ;
conviction,  zeal,  honesty — these  were  the  important
points.  Almost  on  the  very  day  that  his  appointment  as
Ambassador  to  Great  Britain  was  announced  his  maga-
zine published  an  editorial  from  his  pen,  which  contained
not  especially  complimentary  references  to  his  new  chief,
Mr.  Bryan,  the  Secretary  of  State;  naturally  the  news-
papers found  much  amusement  in  these  few  sentences;
but  the  thing  was  typical  of  Page's  whole  career  as  an
editor.  He  held  to  the  creed  that  an  editor  should
divorce  himself  entirely  from  prejudices,  animosities,
and  predilections;  this  seems  an  obvious,  even  a  trite


88         THE    LIFE   AND   LETTERS   OF   WALTER   H.    PAGE

thing  to  say,  yet  there  are  so  few  men  who  can  leave
personal  considerations  aside  in  writing  of  men  and
events  that  it  is  worth  while  pointing  out  that  Page  was
such  a  man.  When  his  firm  was  planning  to  establish
its  magazine,  his  partner,  Mr.  Doubleday,  was  ap-
proached by  a  New  York  politician  of  large  influence  but
shady  reputation  who  wished  to  be  assured  that  it  would
reflect  correct  political  principles.  "You  should  see  Mr.
Page  about  that,"  was  the  response.  "No,  this  is  a  busi-
ness matter,"  the  insinuating  gentleman  went  on,  and
then  he  proceeded  to  show  that  about  twenty-five  thou-
sand subscribers  could  be  obtained  if  the  publication
preached  orthodox  standpat  doctrine.  "I  don't  think
you  had  better  see  Mr.  Page,"  said  Mr.  Doubleday,  dis-
missing his  caller.
