DAVID SYME.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2128, 29 February 1908, Page 1 (Supplement)

DAVID SYME.

ONE OF"AUSTRALIA’S GREAT AIEN

(Froi the Sydney “Bulletin.”) A woman journalist, who knew him well, talks of one of Australia’s departed great men: — David Syme was known personally to few; lie effaced himself socially. Therefore few knew the magnetic charm of' the man’s personality—the wonderful gentleness that was beneath the lion. He was a man of iron ; of implacable force that crashed through every obstacle. He was a man who rarely"failed. To people who knew Syme only through his big works—to the great majority, that is—lie was a bogey creature of their own imagination, an implacable Power, a ruthless tyrant. Fortunates who knew him personally knew the innate kindness and courtesy of a great man. By everyone in his office Syme was looked iiiioii as "just”—just in punishment and reward. Mitchell,' the 2>ub]isher, who has been in the "Age” office for fifty years, speaks of him ms "ail eminently just man.” Mitchell went into the office as a boy of ten. “There’e line room for a duffer—a loafer—in this office,” |ie says. Syme was essentially a worker himself—a conscientious, out-and-out worker—and lii.s keenness whipped the people into a lury of work. The lazy ones, the Iraucls were weeded out relentlessly .Those who stood the test worked for him with zeal and admiration.

Syme had a rejnitation for 'keenness in a bargain. • Every pound paid by him for work was earned to the last stroke—and there was never a penny squandered. No one ever got the better of a bargain with David Symo. lie would fight for a week over a farming. But the same man kept a secret, private check-book —apart from the firm’s. Money drawn from that book was never recorded. ALmy people saw that check-book, and the sums were not doled out in a niggardly fashion, but given in a big, generous way. And it is a fact that Syme—the dour bargain-maker—was never more happy, more beaming, than when giving money away. Syme was a great fighter, and Lis battles stand out historically. None of them with more clearness than his attack on extravagance and mismanagement of railway matters in the wealth ol the Boom time, and the resultant great trial, the Speight v Syme libel action. It was nob just Speight whom Syme was fighting. He was lighting a concentrated influence and wealth j;f, p. (irmly-moulded Tory party. The. men in ibis pa|'fy backed Speight with solid finance. But as the awful trial went on, spireadiiig itself crusliiugly over month after month; and Byrne's strength showed no sign of yclding, the subscriptions began to fall off. Then when the case was hopeless, and Speight had to pay costs, there was no more backing. Speighf. (formally a wealthy man) was

utterly ruined. He had Inst his position in the Government. There seemed no future for him; he was crushed to the ground by this misfortune, and added to ,it there was the mental

sense of defeat. He was a smart jaunty, black-haired man, full of vim ami -youthl'ulnes.s at the beginning ol the case; lie was an apparently old, stooping, greyliaired mail with a face haggard and lined at tho finish of tho awful light. At this juncture he was offered a Government position in AA'e.strnlia. If is daughter ami her husband were there; it was far from tho scene of his misery; it seemed a

desirable tiling. Rut' there loomed tho costs which lie could not pay. lo It its _ imagination Seine- rose as a great implacable enemy holding him in a relentless grasp. Symo would hear of the proffered appointment—would press for costs. Ho would bo forced into bankruptcy, and therefore debarred from Government service. Speight spent a month of anxiety. Thou Zox (Speight’s greatest friend) took the matter in hand. "Put your fortune to the test, man!” was his advice. Announce, the offer of tho appoint mont it lit 1 bring things to a lica I.” Friends suggested giving Sp; glit a seml-off and cash subscrip-t-ioi Zox headed the committee.

Zox knew Symo—-'knew his big heart. Pas-ing down Collins street ho thought- "Why not give Symo a show I”’ He turned impetuously into tho "Age,” office—into Syme’s den, and explained tho object of the subseriptio ■. Symo pulled out his private eittque-book and wroto a slip for £IOO. It was curious to think of the effect- on the committee—the conservatives who hated tho mail—when Zox slapped that Symo cheque on tho table as heading the list. Speight wont into tho "Ago” office (a placo ho had not been near for years) to thank Symo. Ho told him how

differently ho thought of his attitude. "I’m sorry you felt like that Air Speight,” said Symo in his slow kindly video. “AVo are two pushing men, and we’ve had a great light, but that

is over; and for your future no one wishes you mare luck than I.” And bo ,hook hands warmly. Speight stmn-

iled down the stairs with tears rolling

down bis cheeks. Peace —Symes private messenger, a man who would liavo been guardian of the den’s outer door for about thirty years — was an amazed witness of the whole incident

A telling example of Syme’s consideration and kindliness came when lie decided to set up the linotype. This displaced nearly 100 compositors. The new machinery was not installed until till these men were provided lor. 'This took two years arranging. It was done nr.si systematically and thoroughly, in the first- place, all the men who had been in the office for 25 years, (some had been there 30) were pensioned right off. Alembers of the second batch were individually looked after, and sot up in some sort of

business—mostly a store for stationery and an agency for paper. Most ol those men arc solidly established now. In one ease a compositor set up in a printing office of his own—with excellent references and condit-

ions for a good start. Thirdly, there were men who wished to go on tho land. Symo helped thorn to get land. He bad an expert travelling for three months, at his expense, choosing desirable places. He lent the men money lor a start, and systematically set them on a sure footing. Symo was a man of few words. Above all, he rarely gave words of praise. It was a recognised thing in the office that a high point of excellence was reached when there was no censure, no cutting remarks. Ju his opinion praise was an unnecessary factor. Once only lie broke through that rule. This is the story of The Praised Reporter. A young’follow on the staff had been doing excellent work. The chief of staff knew that Syme appreciated it, and at last suggested to him that "a word or two now and again would be of wonderfid help and encouragement. "Think" so?” drawled Syme, and cogitated over the idea. Then he called the reporter in and told him that lie appreciated the way lii.s work was being done. "Whereupon the reporter was so elated that lie went off on a Solid “bust” for a fortnight. Syme viewed this result grimly and "never repeated the experiment. The “Age” did not belong to David Syme from its foundation. The first proprietors (Thomas and Homy Cook, merchants in AJ.elbottme iii 1853) instituted the newspaper, with Ebonezer Symo and Thomas L. Bright. David Blaii" was in general control and wrote the leading articles. James Smith was theatrical critic (lie is writing for the JjAgc” to this day.) It was 1856 "before David Syme took any part in the paper. Ebonezer concerned himself with literary matters. David took in hand large railway contracts, and was personally concerned in most of the early railway cuttings. Men who knew him in those days speak of his enormous strength. He was known to pick nil a beam that two ordinary men could not lift, and sling it into placo. He was occupied with this work until 1856, when the "Age”

got into financial difficulties,, and the two brothers, David and Ebonezer, bought the old proprietory out. George Syme, another brother, was made editor of tho "Leader,” the wealthy |)aper run in conjunction with the "Age.” In later years, on the death of George Gyme, the editorship of the "Leader” was taken over by Alfred Deakin (now Prime Alinister), and after him by Henry Short, who holds the position to-day. From earliest times the “Age” blazed a trick for radical reforms. Its first decided step was-taking the part of - the miners at the time of the Eureka Stockade trouble. It was mainly owing to vigorous writing in tli.) "Age” that a i>ublic meeting was held in Alelbouriie to protest against tho forceful action of the Government, and tli it Governor .Botham was driven to revoke the martial law proclamation. The “Age’s” advocacy oi Protection drew the enmity of the squatlocracy, the big merchants, and other men of wealth, .and ended in the boycot ting of "Age” advertisements. This was staggering to the paper.

Tli ere came a week when David Syme called a meeting of all his employees, lie told them that, from week to week, he had scarcely known how they were to be paid. Now it had collie to a point, where he must give ui). He could not pay his way for another week. He in’oiiounded a eooperativo scheme, wherein each man would take his share in the tottering pnqirietory, and take no more than a more living wage. Every man stood by the arrangement. . Later Syme bought up the members of tho co-oper ition, and he and lus brother were in sole possession again. In later years, Joe Syme (son of Ebenczor) was practical reiireseutative of the Ebonezer partnership in the office. Ho was in full cont.ru., "below” (in the commercial part), and David Syme "upstairs” (in the literary section of the paper). About 1889, D.ivid bought out his brother’s share for £BO,OOO and lnd been sole proprietor since. Alany peotilo wonder how the "Age” will be carried on alter the death of David Syme. The probable fact is that there will be little or 1.0 alteration. David Symo was a man of method and system. For years lie trained his two eldest sons to be exactly what he wished them to be in the office. Herbert, the elder, It as jiad control of the commercial section. and of llie “Leader,” while Geoffrey has been -in the Chief’s own room, absorbing his methods, and gradually and surely taking one and another ' burden from Ids 1A tiler’s shoulders. Both these men began work in tho office at its lowest rung. There was no favoritism shown to the sons. David Syme never left his work. For years lie suffered with wretched health. But even on days when he was not tit to lie about he drove into his office and controlled things, and had his interviews lying on a couch in his room. Though lii.s hedv was worn out. his wonderful spirit was strong to the end, his brain clear and keen and watchful for every detail. Even when lying ill at his home.

“Illytlieswood," the proofs were sent out to him for revision. If was indescribably pathetic Lo his righthand men the day tho bundle of proofs was returned unopened. David Syrno had a wife, two daughters, and five sons. Tint two eldest are in the office. One, Francis, is on the firm at Lilydale. A son, a doctor, is at Lilydale (Dr iSyme, of Col-lins-streel, is a son of Ebonezer Syme); and Oswald, his youngest son, is also at work in the office.