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The Essential Paul Simon
Timeless Lessons for Today's Politics
Southern Illinois University Press
Copyright © 2012 Paul Simon Public Policy Institute
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8093-3192-5
Chapter One
The Early Days
Editor's Note
Chapter 1 includes several selections from Paul Simon's early career. These selections start with columns from the Troy Tribune, which was the first newspaper Paul bought and edited at the tender age of nineteen. The newspaper was essentially defunct when Paul purchased it, and he had to start from scratch to rebuild the paper's physical facilities as well as its subscription and advertising base. The job required him to be owner, editor, publisher, reporter, and advertising salesman all at the same time. It was a difficult and trying time for the neophyte newspaperman, but it also offered an invaluable education in journalism and the newspaper business. Those were lessons that followed Paul Simon the rest of his life, and from the beginning he always identified himself as a journalist first and foremost, no matter how far his political career carried him. One of the reasons he consistently seemed to get good coverage from the media and to enjoy a good image with newspeople was that he was so clearly one of them with deeply engrained values honoring freedom of the press and the right of the public to know what was going on with their government.
Another insight we gain from these first columns is a palpable sense of life in the small town of Troy, Illinois, in the late 1940s and early 1950s. This is midwestern America in the Truman and Eisenhower eras, and Paul's columns reflect the pace and the atmosphere of that day. The motto below the masthead of the Troy Tribune boasted that it was "A Progressive Newspaper in a Progressive Town." Troy was a place of small-town values and sensibilities where a local citizen was not too busy to jump into his car and show Paul to his destination. It was also a place where the people wanted more "personal items"—that is, small-town news and gossip—to appear in their newspaper. The second column in the series also shows that Paul was already taking an interest in local politics and the ways in which national politics had a direct impact on the life and interests of the local newspaper subscribers. He writes about Congressman Melvin Price, who became a powerhouse in Congress and was legendary for his long service to that congressional district and for his ability to bring home federal largesse to the local constituency. Simon in that era also commented in a neutral way about the Democratic and Republican candidates for president in 1948, and his studied bipartisanship became one of the hallmarks of his later political career.
The next two columns in this section show the early salvos in Simon's fights with organized crime in Madison County. When he arrived in Troy, he was surprised to observe that both illegal gambling and prostitution were openly available in the county, and he quickly decided to take them on and try to clean up the county. These articles show his methods of publicly declaring that the law was obviously being broken and challenging the state's attorney and the sheriff to do something about it. These articles and others like them led to the crusading newspaper editor image that Paul Simon acquired early in his first years in Troy, and that image stayed with him for the remainder of his career.
An article published in Harper's Magazine in 1964 shows the beginning of Paul's career as a crusading reformer. By then, he had been elected to the Illinois House and then the Illinois Senate, and he had not been favorably impressed with what he found there. It was a legislative process where all too many legislators seemed to have their hands out, and the pursuit of personal enrichment took precedence over any thought for the common good. The article, coauthored with Alfred Balk, was the first time Simon came to national attention, as the article garnered a lot of headlines. It was a journalistic bombshell that put the Illinois General Assembly in the spotlight in a very unflattering way. Some of Simon's colleagues were not amused, and they called him a traitor and worse in their response to his criticisms. From that day on, his relationships with some of his colleagues were strained or broken, and he was certainly never accepted into the tight-knit club of insiders who ran the legislature for their own benefit and for the enrichment of the narrow interests they represented. This did not deter Paul Simon, who had come to the legislature as a reformer and corruption fighter, and he remained a reformer throughout his long career in both the state and national legislative bodies he served in for four decades.
INTRODUCTORY COLUMNS IN THE TROY TRIBUNE
"Trojan Thoughts," July 1, 1948, volume 1, no. 2
One thing that is very apparent to a newcomer to Troy is the very friendly spirit which can be seen in almost everything done around Troy.
When I first came here for any period of time was during my Easter vacation. I worked around the shop here a little and looked the situation over somewhat. Although the Lions Club had given me a royal welcome the time I had been here for their meeting, the place was still a little strange. I felt a little uneasy. I was quite sure everything would turn out alright, but there were those thousand and one other possibilities that kept creeping into my mind. Would they resent having some young fellow take over the paper? Are the people here friendly? etc.
With these and many other questions on my mind, I walked out of the shop to the car and I thought I would drive out to Fred Wakeland's to ask him some questions about different things around Troy. I asked a fellow standing in front of the Post Office how one could get to Fred Wakeland's place. "You take the road out here," he said, pointing toward the bank, "and then you go out ... Oh, just a minute, I'll show you where he lives."
He jumped in his yellow Studebaker and led the way to the Wakeland home. He stopped in front of the home, told me that was the place, then turned around and headed back.
He was a total stranger. I didn't know then who he was and I don't know now. But he made me feel good about the whole situation. I didn't need to ask myself any longer whether Troy people were friendly. It was just a little but it meant a lot.
Whoever you are, sir, thank you.
People coming into the Tribune office have really been murdering the word "Tribune" and I'm guilty of some of the same. Some call it the "Tri-I-bune," some the "Tri-BUNE," and some the "TRI-bune." I finally became confused myself and consulted Webster on the matter. He tells me that the emphasis should be on the first syllable, with the "i" pronounced as in kick.
By the way, comment on the first issue of The Troy Tribune was very good on the whole. One criticism we heard was that there were not enough personal items. We realized this very well when the first issue came out, and the same is true of this issue. Until we become better acquainted around town, it will be that way. You can help us a great deal, however, by phoning us or dropping in with your little news items.
Thanks.
"Trojan Thoughts," July 15, 1948, volume 1, no. 4
Wm. Schmitt, owner of the Schmitt Chevrolet garage, pretty well hit the nail on the head, when he said Troy was fortunate in having Congressman Melvin Price here for a short talk the other evening.
After the address by the East St. Louis Democrat there was quite a bit of political talk among the Lions Club members present, and there has been more talk of political affairs since. From this angle alone it was beneficial.
Possibly the majority of people over the United States say, "There are two things which I never discuss: politics and religion."
Usually they have in mind heated arguments when they say this, and if that's the case it's quite possible they are right. A heated argument on either subject usually means nothing is gained.
However, if a good, calm discussion can be carried on, there is a great deal of benefit for everyone. The more people are aware of the political situation, the nearer we will come to the ideal of good government.
Our hats should be off to Carl and Harry Taake, or whoever was responsible for bringing Representative Price to Troy.
Price, by the way, makes a very good impression. He is not one of those "hot air" congressmen. In his informal address here he didn't take the negative attitude which so many on both sides do every election year.
In the few minutes I talked to him after the meeting, he called the Dewey-Warren ticket "a good, strong ticket." Many a Democratic congressman would have started shouting "reactionary" at the mention of the ticket and many a Republican congressman would not have dealt as considerately with the Truman candidacy as he did with the Republican ticket.
Price also mentioned he didn't think too much of the Eisenhower boom. Truman's program is the one which has never been given a fair trial, he indicated. Truman should have a chance to work it out. Price evidently meant with a Democratic congress.
In any event, he thought the Democratic ticket would also be a strong ticket. "Two strong tickets, that's what we want," Price said.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Essential Paul Simon Copyright © 2012 by Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. Excerpted by permission of Southern Illinois University Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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