Paul Simon: The Political Journey of an Illinois Original

Conclusions

228 8dcXajh^dch Many of the superlatives spoken about Paul Simon at the end of his life ring true, especially after weighing his triumphs and achievements against failures , controversies, and contradictions. The judgment is influenced by the character and moral convictions that drove his personal and professional life for more than a half century in the public eye. Much can be learned about Simon’s success from his newspaper career, brief as it was. There are few businesses more demanding and subject to public viewing than running a weekly newspaper in a small town. From 1948 to 1955, including nearly two years of Army service, Simon took the responsibilities of a newspaper editor seriously, and with them the occasional sting of criticism. He discovered the courage it took to face readers and defend the paper’s decisions up and down the town’s main street, in places of business, and at the newspaper office after every issue of the Troy Tribune. In a small community, there is no escape route. He also felt the rush that accompanies acceptance from subscribers and esteem among peers. He thrilled at seeing his name and photograph in major newspapers and national news magazines. Simon seemed perfect for a political stage from the earliest days in Troy. Moreover, he found that acclaim made the hard work worthwhile. During the crusade against crime and corruption in Madison County, Simon built the ground floor of an image that lodged firmly in the minds of the public for more than fifty years. Simon continued newspaper editing and ownership into the mid-1960s, but he found a special voice in those first few years at the Tribune. This was the gift that kept giving, the public awareness that paid far more in political dividends than in cold cash or profits. Born and reared in a time when the printed word was the essential carrier of news and opinion, he never stopped writing: newspaper stories, columns, editorials, speeches, newsletters , magazine articles, and books. He amazed people with his productivity but even more with his range of interests and ideas. “Journalist” is the title he cherished most, and there is no question that he deserved it. He easily met the standards of journalist for his era. He was self-taught in the image of thousands of newspaper people in the 1940s and Conclusions 229 1950s. His reputation as a crusader resonated with fellow journalists and gave him credibility in the media for which other politicians would willingly have paid a fortune. That might have been enough for many who yearned to own and operate a successful weekly newspaper. Simon could have made it his life work. But he wanted more. He discovered that the lessons learned on newspapers could be transferred to politics. That is when the shift in ambition occurred from newspapers to politics. There is a level of self-confidence that comes with repeated cheers from audiences. It leads people to assume they can climb any mountain under any circumstance. Many do not survive the public glare and slip into arrogance . Through all the praise, and considering the inevitable contradictions, Simon remained self-effacing and genuine. Among colleagues, friends, and associates his word was golden, a trait uncommon in politics. And climb he did. Combined with a streak of rectitude developed from his family roots, the appeal of public approval and the mission of doing good drove Simon to politics as a career. The streak of independence that characterized Simon’s political career was born at the Troy Tribune. However, it reached full expression in public office. From the first campaign for state legislator, Simon declared his political independence as an outspoken advocate of morality, ethics, openness, and honesty in government. It was a conversation he insisted on having with the public. Although there were many facets to his public policy interests, including helping the needy and caution with public finances, his political purity stuck in spite of the practicalities of winning elections. Ironically, the voice he developed that so many voters admired and respected led down a path of no return. Few doubted his ability to lead others in a legislative setting. He had the intelligence, touch of common sense, public appeal, energy, and the ability to communicate. Simon demonstrated a knack for proposing legislation that became law, in some cases years after he left office. But the reality of politics in Illinois in the 1950s and 1960s was that independence of thought and open criticism of policies...