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.IIWelshmen Known in London.—V.…

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.I Welshmen Known in London.—V. Mr. Harry Jones. OF all the spheres of life, that of a journalist is, perhaps, the least attractive to a man who does not wish to keep himself in the background. No matter how brilliant his talents, how beneficial his services to his fellows, and how great his influence in shaping the fortunes of men and nations, he himself is rarely known outside his immediate circle of co-labourers and private friends. An author, unless he publishes his books anonymously, gets the credit for his work, but the journalist must be prepared to look upon all the credit due to his genius and painstaking labour absorbed by the paper with which he is connected. The Times, the Daily Chronicle, the Daily Mail, &c., are spoken of continually, their articles are quoted and criti- cised, and not one in a thousand of those who swear by one or the other of those papers has the remotest idea of the personal factor out of whose brains the information and opinion they so highly value emanate. A great journalist is a Man with a Mark, and the greater he is the more he hides himself. But he has one advantage over others—he can enjoy his success and triumphs in peace and quietness, and need not admit others to share the rewards of his toil. We often wonder how many of the Welsh people ho, read the Daily Chronicle are aware that there is a fellow-countryman on the editorial staff of that paper. But such is the case, and we feel sure our readers will be glad to know the fact and to have a brief sketch of his career. The Deputy Editor of the "Daily Chronicle', is Mr. Harry Jones, a Welshman from Llanelly, in Carmartbenshire, a county that has sent out to the world so many men who have done credit to the mother country. He is the son of an engineer, and his father is still alive, being now in his 8oth year. On his mother's side Harry Jones comes from a very ancient stock of Car- marthenshire freeholders. He was born at Llanelly in 1866, and as a boy showed that he possessed great quickness of mind, and gave promise of a scholastic career of considerable distinction. But secondary and higher educa- tional facilities were very meagre in the Wales of those days, and what facilities there were being quite beyond the reach of people of modest means. Consequently the lad had to leave school and begin the battle of life at a much earlier age than is generally the case with talented boys now. He decided to be a journalist, and was articled to that profession under Mr. John Allen Williams, the then editor of the Llanelly Guardian. On that vigorous weekly journal he received good training, and made use of every opportunity to qualify himself for a higher posi- tion. In 1887, when twenty-one years of age, he joined the sub-editorial staff of the South Wales Daily News. After three years he was appointed chief sub-editor, being subsequently promoted to the position of assistant-editor. But higher things than to be an assistant-editor of a provin- cial organ were in store for this energetic Welsh- man. That prince of journalists, Mr. T. P. O'Connor, discovered him, and in 1893 invited him to take charge of The "Weekly Sun." He accepted the invitation, and was closely associated with" T. P." for over three years. MR. HARRY JONES. The chief features of the Weekly Sun were litera- ture, literary criticism, music, and the drama, and during his period of service as acting-editor Mr. Jones had the satisfaction of seeing the paper make rapid strides in popularity and influence. He himself contributed largely to it on social and political topics, and made for himself a con- siderable reputation as literary critic. Many will remember that the feature of the Weekly Sun then, the same as now, was the Book of the Week," contributed, as a rule, by "T. P." himself. But whenever his chief was absent on vacation or from other causes, the duty of writing that particular article devolved upon Mr. Jones. He had also occasionally to act as deputy in doing a descriptive sketch of Parliament, He did all his work so effectively that at T. P.'s request he became acting-editor of the evening Sun. But before long that paper changed hands, and the new proprietors being Conservatives they, of course, decided to run it in the Con- servative interest. They offered to Mr. Jones the continuation of his post at a much larger salary, but, being a Radical by conviction, he made up his mind at once to refuse the offer, thus proving that some journalists, at least, possess a political conscience. At that juncture Providence opened a door for him to a wide sphere of influence in the provinces. The directors of the Western News- paper Company approached him with an offer to go to Plymouth as managing editor of the "Western Daily Mercury," which was accepted. From 1897 until July, 1904, he was in charge of that newspaper, and brought it from a mean position to that of great power and tremendous authority in the West of England. Before he left London to take up his duties in the West, he was entertained at a complimentary dinner at the National Liberal Club, when Messrs. (the late) Tom Ellis, Lloyd- George, Brynmor Jones, and other Members of Parliament took part. During his seven years' stay at Plymouth Mr. Jones endeared himself to all who were brought into contact with him, and although differing in politics from many of those whom he was accustomed to meet in the various public bodies and committees of the town on which he served, he made no enemies. As an editor he never faltered in his convictions, and never sacrificed his principles for self or power. When he left for London to take up the position of much greater responsibility and extended influence which he now holds, Plymouth honoured him by a banquet, at which all shades of political and religious thought in the town and neighbourhood was represented. Many testified to his sterling worth, and valuable tokens of affection were presented to him. And, in addition, all the Liberal members for the Western counties joined in complimentary address expressing their high appreciation of his services to Liberalism in the West County. To-day Mr. Harry Jones stands in the Front Rank of his profession. The subjects in which he is most interested are politics, literature, and economics. He has contributed (anonymously) to many leading periodicals, and certain of his articles on the "Fiscal Problem," of absorbing interest just now, have won warm praise from the Spectator. In addition to being a journalist he is also a member of the Middle Temple, and hopes shortly to be called to the Bar.