DAVID SYME DEAD.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 5

DAVID SYME DEAD.

A FORCEFUL PERSONALITY. ; MAKER OF MEN AND MEASURES. BY TELEGRAPH—FREES ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT, (Rcc. Fob. 15, 0.28 a.m.) Melbourne, February 14. Obituary: David Syme, aged eighty years, proprietor of tho" Melbourne Age." NEWSPAPER OWNER AND AUTHOR. , HIS POLITICAL MISSION. (( David Syme, the proprietor of the Melbourne Age," was tho youiigt:st soil of George Syme, a Scotch State school tcachcr, aiid was born at North Berwick in 1827. lie. was intended for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, but, having: imbibed Liberal views whilst studying at a. Gorman university, abandoned the idea of pursuing ati ecclesiastical career. Joining the press ris a reporter; he did minor journalistic work < until ISSO, when, his health moaking down, lie emigrated to California, wlienee, after an experience of some eighteen months on tho goldflelds, he proceeded to victoria. He had been there about a year when his brother, Ebenczer Syme, and he purchased the "Age" newspaper, which had been rounded in 1854. -"The prospects of the paper o*.vs Mr. Mcnnell in his "Australasian Biofpaphy ) at this time were not encouraging; in tact, it was believed to be moribund, and was 1 not oven the 1 accredited representative of Liberal opinions, for though the. '* Argus," alarmed b.V the liallnrat riots of December, 1854, was by this timo yccjring round to Conservatism, it still enjoyed ■a reputation for Liberalism, which it had earned in tho early days of the colony, when it , was in fierce opposition 1 to every Government," ,On the death of his brother in 1850 the sole. management of the paper .devolved; on- Mh David Syme. Under • Syme s' manqgemont the " Age" became the_ pioneer of Liberalism in Australia,';for, , curiously enough, that paper was more the organiser than tho organ of Liberalism, and ■ therefore; led rather thaii followed public opinion in this : direction. It advocated the financial, supremacy of the Lower Houso of Parliament, the opening of the public lainds roi agricultural, settlement, the encouragement .of native industries by .means of (iiscriiniuatiflff • import duties, free, socular, and compulsory education, and other measures which have .now become embodied in tho statutes, not onlv of Victoria, but of Australia. Protectionist Success.

The " Age" lias been undoubtedly the foremost advocate onprotection in Australia, and it; hashad the satisfaction ,of seeing tho protectionist ; .policy adopted by - the Federal Government. At tho same time, sinco tho establishment of. federation, it-has lost something of its former influence, in that it is not ablo to dictate. to tho Federal Parliament in the . SJUI n?, a «' lfc di( * to "tho State Parliament, , ilioj" Age." is, however, still one of the most influential, papers in' Australia. Mr. Stone was a singularly effective writer of Eng-lish-'prose,; and .'on; a varied range .of sub- . jects. Outside ; the columns of his own paper , no from timo. to ; time contributed articles to the leading Lhglish reviews on social and economic . subjects. Mr.. Spue's first indepeii- . • dent work, of . any-.magnitude was " Outlines of an .Industrial- Science," published in 1876. It has been '-said' that this book,' roughly described, is of protection; "more closely examined, it will bo seen to be rather in the direction of State Socialism." Mr. Syme's second -book on "Representative Government in. England is mainly an .attack on govern-' ment by party, and develops the doctrine that members should be ; more immediately responSl k{° than <thoy ; are 'to. their constituencies, and Ministers, to; Parliament. His book "On ip. Modification ot. Organisms " is mainlv a criticism of the Darwinian theory. Mr. Svme is defined as being an ovolutionist without o "! B Tho. latest book, "The 'hoiU~At Study ami an Argunient," lias been ;descnbed as origum l , and containing a "good (l .? al -tnat'.-to. students, of metaphysics is unconventional, fresh and interesting." Made' and Unmade * Ministerios. ' : Mr.': Symo edited liis own paper till the advent oflws first editor, Mr. .Windsor. In a character ■sketch, published..in. tho "tone Uand ;r -Inst June; it is saidWindsor, Charles : Pearson, and' Alfred Dealun; iwere Svme's. - swords, ..and under, his command tliev 'clove ' a way along which, tho paper came triumphant;: not, however, followed with equal success bv Eft- 11 I Symc) has the .buiden. years [natus 1827), but ' : vV-5i el^l, ,lavn described, manfully, stolidly, .uncomplainingly. . His .'hand . still firmly .grins thehelm: of the ship ' which brought all his, fortunes' home, and .will retain its hold till oyes grow dim .and grin relaxes'' under compulsion of the inexorable and inevit-' nolo. His record is, and will ''remain, that . •9* ?, who for full., half; a-century was the most important: factor in: his State; who knit together, instructed, mid used, • a .scattered : democracy; )v.ho, taking counsel with few' if ' any, save . himself, .nominated, and ' elected majorities in Parliament; mad 6' and unmade Ministries, ahd unheld ■ a fiscal P p t l i Cyi i-1" . thrpUß! ! -tout himself abreast of the literature and science of the time, found time to do a good deal'of original writing, and/ opportunity, to amass a '.liugo ..fortune! buielj it is a man, strong, ■strenuous, notably exceptional;.ono who in any land and'in an 7 company would .have como to: the front, and kept/there, even as he has : done in Australia."