The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-18

proprietors of the Sun, and another to Horace
Greeley, to join him in penny paper enter
prise, Bennett succeeded in inducing a couple
Of printers to unite with him in the publica.
tion of the Herald. The first number was
issued May 6, 1885. 1t was edited and
sold by Bennett alone, in a cellar in
Wall street, where his furniture consisted
of single chair, and a plank upon two
barrels for table. In five weeks
he began to publish a money article, which
was then new feature in journalism. Par
ticular attention was also paid TO ship news
and, as means increased, every sort of intel
lgence was eagerly sought and. reported.
Correspondents in every part of America and
Europe were subsequently employed as
means of securing the earliest and fullest in
formation of all interesting events. AS rail-
roads and telegraphs spread, the HerdiPS
agents were instructed to use them with regard
only to the necessity of being first and fullest
in their reports. Such have been the means
by which the Herald has been made the excel
lent paper that it is. Could its protector have
foreseen the future, and comprehended the ele-
ments which were at work in its behalf, it is not
probable that he would have founded his
structure upon so much perilous rottenness.
But his mind was full of contempt and re-
venge. He seemed to think that the world
was desirous only of vulgarity, and that the
only way to prosper, therefore, was to serve
lIS people Win WudJ III appeJlZeu.
Benefits state of mind at this time may be
gathered from an article in the Herald of July
Is, 1886
"a successful rufian is hero; defeated
ruflian. only a villain. Murders, Hcentious-
ness, crimes of every magnitude, have dis
graced this city during the last few years
beyond former ages, or almost every other
country. In such state of society, virtue is
a, disgrace; innocence is called folly; purity of
character deemed poorness of spirit honesty
put down with a 'ha p and man of in
tegrity called a id fool" And then
he goes on irreverently to proclaim himself
''the voice of one crying in the wilderness"
Again, January 81, 1888, he writes:
"a grasplng avarice, rapacious selfshness
the most hardened inhumRnity, appear only
to reach and enjoy respectability.
Whereupon he comes to this horrible deci-
sion-
81 shall be selfish, nggard, avaricioug.
Keen, and only solicitous for my own advan-
tage."
Many hard-pressed battlers in the conflict
OF life have doubtless had the same dreadful
VAC" u . ...e necessary put upon man to be
regardless of all save selfish gain. But no
one, not even Bennett, who became so reck-
less as to publish this diabolical resolution,
has ever been able fully to carry it into prae-
tice. He never forgot how to do generous
things, and in dealings purely personal, or in
matters of business, few can say that he has
been unfair or unjust,
From tne beginning of the Herdtd'S life,
hCwever, there were signs that it was con-
Quoted by man reckless of the means by
which notoriety should be secured. Notoriety
would bring circulation, circulation would
secure advertising, and thus the prosperity of
the journal would be assured. Besides, 1T
was begun as penny paper, and must please
the crowd. The wealthier classes, who dis
dained to buy it, were victimized in its columns
to crafty the prejuudices of the poor and the
| from the first, tabooed and neglected, even by
his old political friends. Revengng himself
| on these, and sparing no one who crossed his
path he soon brought down on himself and
his journal unmeasured denunciation
disease, and for years the columns of the
Herald reeked with the most outrageous vul-
garity, obscenity, profanity, and even bias
| phemy. No subject was too sacred to be
brought into this horrid muck; no reputation
| SO pure as to save it from assault. Indeed,
| to show that those believed to be virtuous
were vile, to instance cases where the minis
ters of religion were debauchees, was the very
acme of the Her0ld'S ambition. 1t would now
| Danish from its own columns as indecent what
it published then day after day and gloried
| in. Bennett then defended his course as that
of moral reformer, and said; believing,
| therefore, that the success of the Herald has
grown out of its character and peculiar adapta-
ton to the public interests and public tastes,
shall continue in the same fearless, impair
tial line of conduct"
The morals of New York city at that time
were doubtless corrupt, as they still are. Tht
most charitable thing that can be said of the
HGald'S treatment of the disease is, that i
was nauseating dose which was ever after
wards associated with the giver. But th'
motive of the revelation was obviously not Il
make things better, but to reap profit out o
the vileness unveiled. The Herald was al
shameless in its inconsistency as in its vul
garity. That it took bribes can hardly admi
of doubt. 1t was for and against Robinson
in the Helen Jewett case; for and agains
Restell the same with Harrison, Elssler, an,
scores Of others. Wikof, who ought to know
calls Bennett 'this craving shark of the press.
1t would appear, indeed, that during thi
reckless period all character was lost so hope
lessly that even Bennett himself has neve
hoped to regain it. In 1888, William II
this diabolical programme of the Herald. From
that time for several years he must share will
Bennett the odium of the vileness which file,
| its columns.
The crazy Gcentiousness of the Herald durin
It's early history cannot be sufficiently ex
planned on the ground of deliberate design. /
was the blind striking back of a man troddei
under foot. In such situation human natur
becomes fendish, and emits venomous hisse
whenit can no longer resist those who trampl
It, Here was man forty years of age, still
poor and friendless by reason of the ingrati
Il tudp of tbOga bp had EIa ,oJ