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 A LETTER 
 
 FROM 
 
 HARRISON GRAY OTIS 
 
GEN. HARRISON GRAY OTIS, 
 
 for more than thirty years president and general manager of The Times- 
 Mirror Company, departed this life July 30, 1917, at the age of 80 years, 5 
 months and 20 days. The end came at the home of his daughter, Mrs. 
 Harry Chandler in Hollywood, where he had been living for several months 
 and was the result of a rupture of the heart, coming just after the General 
 had eaten breakfast in bed. That he recognized it as fatal was indicated by 
 his remark, in a low, unexcited tone, "I am gone." Mr. and Mrs. Chandler 
 hastened to his bedside but death ensued almost instantly. Up to the day 
 of his death Gen. Otis gave such attention to The Times as his health would 
 permit, his physical condition being somewhat impaired during the last 
 three years, He was always loyally supported by a devoted staff which he 
 himself had trained and that still remains on guard. The last few months of 
 his life were busy. He reconstructed The Illustrated Weekly Magazine, 
 directed the development of his ranch, Milflores, in the San Fernando Valley 
 and participated in several notable public functions. 
 
 The funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon, August 1 in the 
 First Congregational Church. There, to the bier of the soldier, journalist- 
 patriot, came a great concourse of people, representing almost every walk in 
 life. Hundreds of people were unable to get inside the building. Eloquent 
 addresses by Dr. Hugh K. Walker and Dr. Charles E. Locke, both of whom 
 had known Gen. Otis well, expressed esteem, admiration and affection. 
 Listening, hundreds of Times employes were thrilled sadly, for he had been 
 their mentor and friend, the master craftsman whose teachings made them 
 better and more efficient workers. 
 
 Gen. Otis was a Union soldier and officer throughout the Civil War, 
 brigadier-general and brevet major-general of United States volunteers in the 
 war against Spain. His grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War 
 and was honorably discharged and pensioned. Prominent members of the 
 family were James Otis, famous as a Revolutionary patriot and orator and 
 the first Harrison Gray Otis, once a United States Senator. In the Civil War 
 he participated in many battles and skirmishes, was twice wounded and 
 rapidly promoted. He was foreman of the Government printing office at 
 Washington, 1869-1870 and chief of a division in the United States Patent 
 office, 1871-1876. He became a fourth owner of the Los Angeles Times in 
 1 882 and in 1 884 joined the organization of The Times-Mirror Company. 
 He was president and general manager of the company from 1 886 to the time 
 of his death. He was president of the Southern California Association of the 
 Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States and of many other 
 military and civic organizations. 
 
 For more than a quarter of a century, Gen. Otis was a towering figure 
 in the city of Los Angeles. During the later years of his life, the influence 
 of his personality outgrew boundaries: he became a national figure. Besides 
 his work of building up a great newspaper he participated in many construct- 
 ive enterprises in Southern California. He loved the truth. He loved 
 Los Angeles and Southern California and helped to make them strong. His 
 motto, "Stand fast, stand firm, stand sure, stand true." 
 
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 Photographic reproduction of original first page of "A Letter from Harrison Gray Otis.' 
 
WHAT THE COURSE OF 
 "THE TIMES" SHALL BE 
 
 LETTER OF GEN. OTIS TO MR. AND 
 MRS. CHANDLER THEIR STATEMENT 
 
 three years ago General Harrison Gray Otis ad- 
 dressed to his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. 
 Harry Chandler, to whom his controlling interest in 
 The Times was transferred, a remarkable letter or declaration. 
 It was in the form of carefully-wrought instructions and sug- 
 gestions as to the lines on which The Times should be conducted 
 after his demise. While expressing confidence in the purposes 
 of Mr. and Mrs. Chandler, it laid down in an affectionate, 
 fatherly and confident way his parting injunctions to his suc- 
 cessors in interest, control and management. 
 
 This document is a classic in the annals of journalism and 
 will be read with world-wide interest. It is the ultimate wisdom 
 of the venerable editor and manager, whose sagacity and able 
 generalship made The Times a wonderful institution. To com- 
 ment on this telling document would be superfluous. Mr. and 
 Mrs. Chandler are now the controlling owners and managers of 
 The Times. The General's letter to them is here reproduced 
 and, following that, their statement as to the future course of 
 this journal: 
 
 DECLARATORY 
 
 LOS ANGELES (CAL.,)Nov. 12, 1914. 
 To Harry Chandler and Marian Otis-Chandler, his wife: 
 
 Dear Harry and Dear Marian: After mature deliberation 
 I write you as follows: 
 
 I. In placing in your joint and trusted hands the high 
 trust and valuable property conveyed or to be conveyed by me, 
 
 [7] 
 
I explain at the outset that my matured purpose in thus acting 
 will be to concentrate the future ownership and control, and 
 also the destiny, of the most precious of all my material posses- 
 sions, the Los Angeles Times, in the hands (before my death) 
 of members of my own family, whom I specially trust in this con- 
 nection and who have had long, practical experience with me 
 in the building up, care, control and training of this stalwart 
 child of our mutual efforts and affections, and of my own almost 
 lifelong professional skill, labor and devotion. In doing this, I 
 lay upon you only these fundamental injunctions as to its future 
 course and conduct in your hands, and (as far as I may properly 
 enjoin you personally) as to your own course as its future re- 
 sponsible conductors, viz.: 
 
 (1.) Using the legal and other legitimate powers and pre- 
 rogatives that will be yours as the sole owners of more than two- 
 thirds of the capital stock of the corporation, take and exercise 
 at all proper times complete control and authority in all depart- 
 ments, including especially the editorial and business, as well as 
 the news-gathering branches, which impart tone, temper, char- 
 acter and stability to a journal, and make it respected and in- 
 fluential. Make sure of your board of directors and of the loy- 
 alty, zeal, competency and faithfulness of your lieutenants and 
 the entire working force at all times. 
 
 (2.) Preserve and protect with steadfastness and deter- 
 mination the record, traditions and achievements of The Times, 
 and continue its fixed and leading policies and methods; uphold 
 its aims, purposes and aspirations in all large and essential par- 
 ticulars, and throughout the varying mutations of present-day 
 journalism, perpetuate unimpaired its independent and unfet- 
 tered course. 
 
 (3.) Constantly, consistently and loyally uphold and de- 
 fend the Constitution and the Flag, the Congress and the courts, 
 the executive power within its prescribed and lawful limitations, 
 and cherish the Army and the Navy, those bulwarks and strong 
 arms of the government. 
 
 [8] 
 
(4.) Stand undeviatingly for Liberty under Law, for in- 
 dustrial and all other forms of republican freedom, and for sound 
 government as the surest safeguard of the nation, the State, the 
 city and the home. Bravely face in their defense, whenever the 
 need comes, the frenzied mob and the prescriptive madness of 
 the hour. 
 
 (5.) Stand for honor, honesty and order in the State, the 
 nation and the home, and for that private and public morality 
 which are essential to the perpetuity of sound, human govern- 
 ment. While courageously supporting these virtuous principles, 
 at the same time oppose with all your might their opposites and 
 whatever tends to the demoralization of human society or jeop- 
 ardizes the safety of the land or the rights and liberties of its 
 citizens. Antagonize unceasingly all allied private or semi-pri- 
 vate industrial combines which would unlawfully wrest from the 
 free-born American citizen his guaranteed constitutional right to 
 industrial, personal or political freedom and make him the slave 
 of an arrogant and monopolistic trades despotism. While striking 
 hard and deserved blows against these and other intolerable 
 evils, keep in mind that better state when there shall be "peace 
 upon earth and good will among men." Scourge as with a whip 
 of scorpions dishonesty, pretense, hypocrisy, scoundrelism, trea- 
 son to Truth and the country and every form of evil that threatens 
 with destruction the home, the community or the country, and 
 at the same time encouraging every sound tendency and condition 
 in human society that makes for its preservation, stability and 
 endurance on high and right lines. 
 
 (6.) Stand for sound, rational and tested business methods 
 and policies in the management of The Times newspaper, as 
 well as in the conduct of commercial and public business, in 
 order that this journal and all honest people may "live long and 
 prosper," grow in grace and be happy. Hold up the hands and 
 cheer the hearts of the lowly and deserving, no matter how humble 
 they may be; quail not before the aggressions of unjust power, 
 and live and die game and true. Fear God and do right. 
 
 [9] 
 
(7.) Encourage all free, independent and honest labor, no 
 matter how humble, so it be honestly conducted; at the same 
 time not hesitating to support and defend powerful financial, 
 commercial and industrial alliances, provided that they, too, 
 operate honestly and legitimately, when organized to accomplish 
 mighty and worthy tasks too formidable to be undertaken by 
 single individuals; for true it is that it is not the size of the op- 
 eration, but the integrity with which it is conducted, that deter- 
 mines its legitimacy. Always bear in mind the demonstrated 
 truth that it is, after all, the sane, brave, level-headed, self- 
 restrained, right-hearted, honest men and women of the land 
 upon whom rests, and will always rest, the responsibility for 
 holding the family, society, business, government and the country 
 together. 
 
 (8.) Continue the upstanding and long-pursued policy of 
 this journal in working, day in and day out, for the upbuilding on 
 sound lines of the favored and favorite city and section wherein 
 The Times and its makers have their homes; and continue also 
 to aid and abet the unhalting advance of all California, the entire 
 Pacific Coast and the "ultimate West." 
 
 (9.) Ever place patriotism, duty and honor, public and 
 private morality and the true interests of the State and country 
 before mere commercialism or material success in the conduct 
 of The Times. Thus may this journal of ours be caused to 
 grow in strength, usefulness and power, able to plough through 
 the turbulent sea of journalism like a full-rigged man-of-war. 
 
 (10.) Concerning the all-important subject of the matter 
 and scope of the general contents of the paper after it shall have 
 come under your ownership, control and management, it is, 
 of course, neither practicable nor proper for me to speak here, 
 except in a very general way. You know, and will always bear 
 in mind, the paramount fact that this journal is, and must con- 
 tinue to be, first of all a newspaper a vehicle for the dissemi- 
 nation of current news reports and information ; a faithful recorder 
 of contemporaneous history and affairs, of new knowledge and 
 of the tremendous daily happenings of the mighty Present 
 
 HOT 
 
around all the globe, no matter of what nature or complexion 
 the occurrences may be, provided they possess human interest. 
 Moreover, The Times, being a proper medium for thinkers, 
 they will be given, as always in the past, impartial hearings in 
 its broad columns whenever they are able to enlighten the world, 
 or contribute to those transcendent problems of human life, 
 human living and human government which, if they are to be 
 wisely solved, will always require the best thought and effort 
 of the best men and women upon earth. In the columns of 
 The Times will be found, I doubt not, in the future as in the past, 
 graphic accounts of the doings of the far-flung human race; 
 absorbing narratives of adventure and achievement; of research 
 and investigation; of travel and discovery; of progress in the 
 arts, sciences and invention; of toil and triumph; of hardship, 
 endurance and ultimate success; of everything, indeed, that is 
 new to men and of living interest. The press is a colossal sur- 
 veyor of the world-wide news field, scanning the entire civilized 
 globe and faithfully purveying to an ever-waiting public the 
 luminous record of daily and mighty happenings among men and 
 nations. I am convinced that you will continue to make The 
 Times do its full share in the strenuous work of the press in 
 general, making it what it has long aimed to be but even more 
 so a powerful, far-reaching daily news-field-glass, exposing 
 to the public view the world's foremost events and occurrences, 
 and proclaiming them widely to the sons of men at Sol's diurnal 
 revolution; to make this newspaper, in brief, 
 
 "A map of the busy world, 
 
 Its fluctuations and its vast concerns." 
 
 So may we confidently hope for The Times an honorable, 
 a foremost and a permanent place in the large field of American 
 journalism, and that always those men and women who serve 
 it faithfully may feel high and genuine pride in their personal 
 alliances with "Ours." 
 
 Accurate news-gathering, correct reporting, skillful editing, 
 graphic illustrating and good printing all go to make up a finished 
 
 [W 
 
modern newspaper, which should, of course, be written in pure, 
 forceful, unstilted and luminous English. 
 
 II. Finally. Bearing in mind that Truth is the greatest 
 thing in all the world, and Duty the first concern of good men and 
 women, I enjoin the foregoing precepts, principles and practices 
 upon you in the future conduct of the Los Angeles Times, because 
 of my affections for you and for it. I enjoin you both to guard 
 well your precious health, as well as the sacred trust now by me 
 committed to your trusted and trustful hands and hearts. 
 
 With good aims and generous purposes toward all concerned 
 in this pregnant transaction, with unfeigned regards and my 
 living blessing, to be followed, let us hope, by a blissful reunion 
 in the mysterious Beyond, coupled with undying associations 
 and imperishable recollections of our mutual campaigns upon 
 earth, 
 
 I subscribe myself your steadfast and affectionate father, 
 [Signed] 
 
 HARRISON GRAY OTIS 
 "The Bivouac," Westlake. 
 
 [12] 
 
STATEMENT 
 
 BY 
 
 MR. AND MRS. CHANDLER 
 
 In assuming the sacred trust and grave responsibilities 
 conveyed to us, the faithful carrying out of which is dearer than 
 life itself, it is fitting for the undersigned to say: 
 
 (1.) That in so far as human power and limitations will 
 permit, The Times will be conducted in harmony with the in- 
 domitable spirit, high ideals and well-considered injunctions of 
 its great architect and builder, Harrison Gray Otis. The Times 
 will continue to be THE TIMES The Times of Gen. Otis, 
 The Times that he made. 
 
 (2.) That every man and woman concerned in the issuing 
 of The Times from day to day is so thoroughly imbued with the 
 convictions, aims and policies for which it has so long stood, and 
 so heartily in sympathy with the causes for which it has so long 
 battled, that it would be impossible for them to disregard the 
 last instructions of the great chief or to produce a newspaper 
 out of tune with the principles he has laid down. 
 
 (3.) That not only duty and affection and devotion, but 
 inherent conviction, will co-operate in the hearts and hands of 
 the makers of The Times in carrying on the work so efficiently 
 directed by Gen. Otis for more than a third of a century, and 
 this shall and must be the sound, brave newspaper that he would 
 have it be. Men may die, but influences do not; and the spirit 
 of its great achieving editor shall still dominate The Times. 
 
 (4.) There could be no loyalty finer than that of the co- 
 owners and fellow-workers who have helped Gen. Otis raise up 
 this great newspaper and to whom it owes so much; and shoulder 
 to shoulder they will keep up the warfare for truth, for freedom, 
 for the protection of honest labor, for the decent treatment of 
 honestly-acquired wealth, for the encouragement of noble en- 
 terprise and for the development of the Southland and the State. 
 
 [13] 
 
(5.) It was often said by Gen. Otis, and may be now re- 
 iterated, that The Times could not have won its victories and 
 registered its achievements for truth and right, but for the loyal 
 and steadfast support of the great body of men and women, 
 made up of Southern California's best citizenship, who have 
 been its friends and patrons in every stress and circumstance. 
 In its third of a century and more of toil and struggle and success, 
 The Times has been heartened and nourished by the wonderful 
 faith and support of the truest, most devoted and most sym- 
 pathetic clientele that it was ever the good fortune of any news- 
 paper to be blessed with. It shall be the highest endeavor of 
 The Times to merit and secure a continuance of this friendship 
 and co-operation. 
 
 (6.) The years have vindicated the rightfulness of Gen. 
 Otis' s stand in the long and arduous campaigns against tyranny 
 and injustice and for liberty and fairness which he waged. 
 
 With an inspiration and a loyal force like ours, there can be 
 no faltering, no wavering, no shadow of turning. The Los 
 Angeles Times will go on, and on, and on, never surrendering 
 one inch of its ground, never yielding one hair's breadth of the 
 vantage it has gained for liberty and right. 
 
 [Signed] 
 
 HARRY CHANDLER, 
 MARIAN OTIS-CHANDLER. 
 
 '[14] 
 

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 Photographic reproduction of original last page of "A Letter from Harrison Gray Otis. 
 
GENERAL LIBRARY 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY 
 
 RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED 
 
 This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the 
 
 date to which renewed. 
 Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. 
 
 
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 11APR'61BT 
 REC'D LD 
 
 MAR 2 9 1961 
 
 AUTODBCC 
 
 WAY 1 5 2004 
 JUN 1 2004 
 
 LD 21-100m-l,'54(1887sl6)476 
 
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