Press: McClatchys' Spread

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For decades the McClatchy family's Sacramento Bee has dominated that part of California north of San Francisco Bay which is generally known as the Sacramento Valley and which the Bee calls ''Superior California." The San Joaquin Valley, stretching to the south, was until a few years ago swayed by Editor Chester Harvey Rowell's morning Fresno Republican, long famed throughout the State as a fearless journal. In 1920 Publicist Rowell sold out to the Brothers Chase Salmon and George Augustus Osborn, sons of former Governor Chase Salmon Osborn of Michigan. Quick to seize the opening, the McClatchys invaded Fresno, established the afternoon Fresno Bee in 1922. Slowly, steadily the Bee has nibbled away at the Republican's circulation and advertising. Last week the McClatchys acquired the Republican, merged it into a Bee-Republican. Also they created a new morning paper called the Tribune.

The influence of the McClatchys beyond their rural constituencies does not approach that which Editor Rowell wielded in his prime. Lecturer on political science, regent of the University of California, member of the National Crime Commission, Institute of Pacific Relations and many another body, he is still regarded by oldsters as the sage of the Pacific Coast. Long active in politics, he was most conspicuous as chairman of the Republican State Central Committee in the Hughes campaign for President. Hughes's loss of California to Wilson was popularly ascribed to his failure to handshake California's Governor Hiram Warren Johnson, then Republican candidate for U. S. Senator. Chairman Rowell said he was unable to effect the meeting, charged interference by Nicholas Murray Butler.

Publicist Rowell, 64, is less active than he used to be, but still writes a daily editorial syndicated among western papers. Early this year he visited Manchuria, has since been lecturing and writing on Oriental politics.