Clate Tinan Biography This file contains the biography of Clate Tinan from "Who's Who in South Dakota" by O. W. Coursey (1913) Scanning by John Rigdon , final editing by Joy Fisher from a book in the possession of Joy Fisher. This file may be freely copied for non-profit purposes; all other rights, including the right to publish this file in any format is reserved. JUST A DEMOCRAT Two types of men are fast disappearing-if indeed they ever existed. One is the "Rube" of the comic supplement-the sim- ple farmer whose whiskers reach to the bottom of his vest, who tries to turn in a fire alarm at the mail box, who never saw a train of cars, and who gawks at the billboard pictures of actresses on his first visit to the city while Aunt Samanthy indignantly tries to persuade him to move along. The American farmer is not of this type-never was of this type in fact. He belongs to that yeomanry which this year produced nearly nine billion dol- lars of new wealth. He goes to town in his auto, he farms with the latest of machinery, his children go to college, he wears "store clothes" and attends the theatre, enjoys frequent trips, subscribes for the daily newspapers and magazines, studies the markets, talks politics, and if you don't think he is the best posted man to be found in a day's journey, just tackle him on almost any old subject, and you will change your mind. The other type which has gone - if indeed he was ever with us - is the ragged and discouraged country editor of the stage and of the funny paragraph, who takes cabbage and turnips in ex- change for his paper, who prowls through the alley to get a bit to eat, or clambers up to a cheerless garret for a few hours of restful sleep - the tacky, brow-beaten, and poverty-stricken coun- try editor - who lives without a dollar, or a square meal or an extra suit of clothes - he is not to be found anywhere today -not at least in South Dakota-and to be honest about it he never lived here. Newspaper men are much to blame for the current impression of their poverty, because it is a stock joke among the editors, and they seem to rather like it, but the public often gets a wrong impression of the newspaper craft, and sometimes fails to appreciate either its dignity, its influence, or the financial returns which usually come from honest effort. Take for instance Clate Tinan, editor of the Kimball Graphic, "the only strictly moral newspaper in South Dakota." In 1883, Mr. Tinan came out to South Dakota, with two hunting dogs, guns, a bit of ready change, a good education, and a fine business instinct. He bought a bunch of printer's junk in a little 8 by 10 shop, and has ever since been engaged in the business. He lives today in one of the finest houses in the state, skids over the country in a highpower auto, wears nearly as good clothes as Senator Gamble, takes frequent trips to the cities to see the sights, and he probably never took a bushel of potatoes or a piece of sidemeat in settlement of an account in his life. If you are looking for the newspaper rube, don't go to Kimball. Mr. Tinan is one of the most popular of the newspaper boys. He has been a member of the State Press association from the early days. He has served as the association's president, and is always called upon on state occasions to do the talking. He is a winsome speaker, and the editors know that when Clate Tinan gets on his feet to respond to an address of welcome or give a toast at a banquet, or argue a point of mutual interest, the work will be well done. He has at his command a vocabulary of bulls- eye English, and he never fails to hit the mark. A meeting of the association without "Clate" would be set down as a failure. Of late years, a weak auditory nerve resulting from a nervous trouble, aggravated by over work, has decreased the pleasure he formerly secured from these gatherings, but his comrades of the press compete with each other in the splendid rivalry of "putting Clate wise," and his keen appreciation of all the points is double compensation. He is one of the best writers in the state, and his influence towards the democratic cause in Brule county has for years kept it in the democratic column. We know of no reason why Brule county should always be democratic-except that Clate Tinan lives there-and that Harry Wentzy used to-and that both are steadfast adherents of the democratic faith and good fellows Clate Tinan was designed for a business career. He was born on the Western Reserve in Ohio, in the little settlement of Rome in Ashtsbula county, made famous by Joshua R. Giddings. When he was three years old, his father moved to Rainesville, thirty miles from Cleveland, and engaged in the commercial pur- suits for which Clate was designed. After his high school edu- cation was completed, it was planned that Clate should go into a commercial line. This he fully intended; but one day-how often little things change the current of life-he went hunting with a friend. That day's sport changed the whale tenor of his life. From that time on, the young man's thought turned away from dusty ledgers, and long columns of figures, and wandered to the woods, the streams and the fragrant fields. He began to study the question of field sports. He read everything he could find pertaining to the subject. Soon he began to write upon it him- self. Gradually he became one of the principal contributors to "Forest and Stream" of New York, and the "Chicago Field," the principal field journals of that time. His reputation spread from the Atlantic to the Pacific; the Chicago Sunday newspapers began to call for his articles and the late N. Rowe, founder of the "Chicago Field"-now the "American Field"-tendered him a staff position. It was about that time that he came to what is now South Dakota, and the bright sun- shine, and breezy western life caught his fancy, and he has remained here ever since, winning friends, making a competence, growing intellectually, and doing his man's work. If he is not the father of the present game law in South Dakota, he is the biggest accessory, before the fact in God's green earth, for he has written more, and more effectively, in support of game and fish protection than any other dozen men [photo - CLATE TINAN] in the state. No one has done so much to create the sentiment which has made the present law possible or which makes it possible to enforce it with some de- gree of perfection. In May, 1903, Mr. Tinan was enlisted, in be- half of Mitchell, to handle the publicity end of Mitchell's capital campaign. He stayed by the job for eighteen months, working like a beaver. He prepared original copy for more than 100 newspapers, which was not duplicated in any two papers. The campaign was conducted from first to last without personalities and when the fight was over, the business men of Mitchell sent him a personal letter of commendation for the work he had done. Mr. Tinan's popularity was attested by the fact that though the fight was a long and bitter one, not a newspaper in the opposition had an unkind word to say about Clate Tinan. "The world has been mighty good to me in all and South Dakota in particular," said Mr. Tinan not long ago to the writer. Mr. Tinan is an optimist. He has faith in things. Despite his infirmity - his gradual loss of hearing - he is a great news- gatherer, and there is no newspaper in the state which has a higher standard of accuracy, or perfection in its local field. This infirmity cuts him out of a few associations which he is just built to enjoy - the lodges and clubs and societies, for he is a natural born "Mixer" - but his magazines and books and the weekly let- ters from the "boys" through his list of exchanges bring him the fine content of a great soul, and with his family of wife and two little boys, and a grown up boy, now an all 'round newspaper man in Manila, Philippines, he lives his useful and helpful life, a credit to his state, the pride of the newspaper craft, a daily help in his community, beloved by his multitude of friends, and a delightful believer in the serene philosophy of life and its adjustment. --By C. M. Day