editor of The Washington Plaindealer, published by Dr. King. In this position he was considered a valuable acquisition. He resigned, however, not being satisfied with the policy of the paper.
His next journalistic move was his acceptance of the editorship of The Argus, at Washington, to succeed Mr. Charles N. Otey. About Mr. Chase's course in this new field, a writer says: "He changed the name of the paper to The Free Lance. This change of name excited great feeling among the people, as they knew of the vindictiveness and determination of Mr. Chase to expose a fraud, and get even with those whom he considered enemies."
Nor did he disappoint them. His first attack was made on Senator John Sherman, then Secretary of the Treasury. The schools and the police force received attention from his pen, as did also the National Republican committee for taking so little notice of colored men in the presidential campaign. So great was the feeling of the Republicans against him, that the board of directors, who were all office-holders, not daring to remove him, sold out the paper to L. H. Douglass, H. Johnson, M. M. Holland and others, who were likewise office-holders, and regarded by Mr. Chase as his enemies.
He next assumed the publication of The Washington Bee, of which he is the present editor and proprietor. Many of Mr. Chase's friends have regarded him as occasionally being very indiscreet; but as Burns says, "for a' that" he has never failed to expose, in the most condemnatory manner, any fraud, unjust attack or evil, that caught his vigilant eye.
Men are not all alike, and whether we approve or disapprove of Mr. Chase's idea of the mission of the Afro-American editor, we commend and admire him for his boldness of thought and fearlessness of speech.
The Bee is read by all, and can be found in nearly every house in Washington, from the Executive Mansion to the
