The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-19

mate Of the value Of such publicity according to
Che number OF eyes that the advertisement would
BIZ brought before, either 0y sign OF y card or q
newspaper oil large circulation. ! his view lie
succeeded In impressng upon the minds of nu-
merous business men IN this city, and there
can be no doubt that the advice thus given was
the foundation OF many large fortunes. Still
another OF his business rules is found ia the
idea SO often expressed by him that man could
best succeed by making himself master OF some
one useful business, and by attending exclusively
TO that business. This is the converse of the
homely maxim to avoid having too many IRONS in
tile nre, but we put it as Mr.. Swain himself was
accustomed TO mention il in his lifetime. 10 This
rule he adhered most rigidly in his own case, Tor
he engaged IN but one business, and was thor-
0ugkly master Of that. He was sLrongiy aVerse
10 neddlng in the affairs OF other people, ana
quite as resclutely resisted the interference u
other people in his affairs. As one OF MS AIDS IN
carrying out this idea il was his custom 10 carry
In his pocket little coin or token. the legend on
which was the words, .MinA your business"
In directing the affairs OF Inc Iuosec Leoye, 81
the foregoing guiding rules aud principles were 80
many lamps to his feet, lig ting HIM on TO the
proper way. There were Others, however. The
whole business, so far as the outside public was
concerned, was carried on upon fixed rules, i1-
tended TO establish uniform dealings with adver-
tisers and subscribers 10 the paper, and to make
sure that a those who had business to transact vt
his counter should be dealt with alike. The prices
were uniform, and what the advertiser or the sub
sorber was to get for his money was jusl as
clearly known and ipvariable as the price of
uailway ticket from Philadelphia to New York or
che amount OF change man could get for
o five dollar note vt q bank. The whole system
# business was based upon the idea Of
fair dealing with the public, with rules 80
plain aud uniform and just that no one
need ever have any occasion TO fear that he was
paying more for any service rendered by the
Pwbtic Ledger than was paid by his ne:ghbor or
his competitor in business. The influence of such
principles was not long in beng felt IN the
OF the newspaper OF which he was the leading di.
rector He aud his partners labored most INDUS
triousy, early and late doing the work themselves
writing, reporting. setting the types, working the
press, and Mr.. swain even carried around the
paper him elf in the canvass for subscribers IN
the early days of his enterprise. Subsequently,
when the establishment: became prosperous and
strong, Nix. SWANS energy aud great ability in
his business found vent in other directions. Find
ing the mails too slow in the days before tele-
graphing, he WAS active in organizing q system of
expresses, and this he carried on in conjunction
with the New York Sam aud the Baltimore Sun
(Which latter he and his partners founded in $3.50,
shus enabling the public To have the benefit OF i'm
p0rtant news, long in advance OF the time when it
would have come through the Post Office. This
was great step OF progress but his next essay
was still more important oae, for his fine me-
sbanlcal mind was among the first of those to dis
cover aud appreciate the great capabilities oil the
Hoe rotary printing machine, known at that time
rs "Hoe's Last Fast" Like all other great loyen.
lions destined to revolutonize existing modes Of
performing work or dong business, this
one met with tardy acknowledgment until
" came to the notice Of Mr. Swain.
Having satisfied himself that it was the
great essential needed by newspaper aspiring TO
= large crculiton, ne encouraged and promoted
fhe development OF the machine, giving all the
valuable light Of his experience until the first of
them was brought rto successful operation in the
printing OF his own newspaper After This one
was demonstrated success, SUCH was has interest
IN the invention that he made visit to Eu, ope, in
company with Colonel Hoe, TO introduce it there;
and now this machine, which was SO muc4l indie bted
70 MS early encouragement AM TO the success
which it achieved in tue Office of the Public Ledqe,
under his direction, is the machine that IS used in
the printing Office Of every great newspaper in
both the Old and the New World.
In similar way he was among the earliest of
those who furesaw the value and the great advau-
tages OF Morse's invent OF the electric tele-
graph, and he became the promoter OF that enter
PRISE AS he was the encourager o. Hoes printing
machine. This laid the foundation Of an enduring
friendship and intimacy between Mr. Swan AID
Amos Kendall, and Mr.. Barnum of Bal timore,
who were also warm supporters Of Professor
Morse. In 1916 he became director of the
original Magnetic Telegraph Company, and in
1850 was made the President Of The company. lie
rema ned President for eight years. Here, also,
Che influence Of his organizing mind and system-
attic mode OF conducting business was felt as it
had been in his own printing office. In every de-
PRODUCED order and system and despatch.
Here, as in the newspaper business, his
primary ideas were far dealing with the
public and efficient discharge OF their business.
He tried To impress upon all the essential neccs-
aity of confidential secrecy as to the dispatches
OF uniformity in the charges and OF rigid impair
tiality with all customers. II would take too
much space 20 go into the details of mis- improve
ments in the Geographic system, but he mas
tered the whole OF it and understood II a. thor
oughy as if the stations and poles and wires were
organs, muscles and nerves vi his own body.
When the problem OF finding new ma terial for
was active in that also, an aided and enc outraged
In every way the development Of the maauiac.
fure from straw until il became an establisbed
success.
In the foregoing we have endeavored to give
some idea OF Mr.. SWANS promlnen. character H.
tics as q business man. and OF the texture of his
intellect. But far more would require to lie SAID
in order to do the subject fuli justice. He had
strong liking tor substantial things for establish
ing all matters upon permanent and enduring
foundation. He was in his element when cxana-
lining any improvement in machinery likely TO be Of
public use, aud especially those in the line of nis
own business. He was man Of large and varied
information, and OF much more scholarly learning
than was known TO any but his most intimate
friends. TIL re were but few better political
economists in his day than Mr. Swain was. TO all
these advantages and peculiar characteristics
were added an inhe xible will, an indomitable en-.
ergy, an impcrturbabe temper and g seepless
vigilance when engaged in business. The fifth
conclusion to this brief sketch Of the dccease OF
OF such force of character is, that hs death is
. great public loss.