The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-02-19
In Memory Of William M. Swaiu.
From the PHILADELPHIA Ledger Feb Ill


When man dies w"o has tue intellectual ability
and the practical tusn mind to be OF great use
to his feilow-men, and who has right views VI thS
true rIncipes OF carrying the business affairs
OF life, and has impressed them on enduring mOnuc
meRts that live after hun, 1t 10 not mere observe
ance OF the rule OF speaking well OF the dead 70
say that his feow-citizens have met with great
loss. Such q loss has been suffered by his COM
munity in the decease of William M. Swain, ESQ.,.
one Of the founders OF the Public Ledger. After .
lingering and painful illness of many months ho
passed away rom this world peacefully, at hin
IT sidence IN this city, Oh Sunday morning. at tive
O'clock. The notice Of his lite and business career
and character, VIII oh is due to his memory, ~
would be very difficult to compress in the brief
space at our command, for his full history is iden-
teal with the progress of the art OF newspaper
printing, OF newspaper enterprise, OF Improvement
III printing machinery aud of telegraphrg Tor the
last thirty years ia this country, and with many
municipal reforms in this city and sucn history.
faithful ly written, would fill most interesting
volume. brief sketch is, therefore, the only
tribute We can offer to lis memory in this place.
William N. Swain was born in the town Of
Manlius Ononuaga county, New York, on tho
18th day of May 1909, and left an orphan
when three years old, by the death OF his father
from di-ease contracted while serving in the army
in the war OF 1872. His mother was a woman Of
superior mind aud qualities, and much of Mr..
Swan force OF Character is doubtless due to that
circumstance. Mr.. Swans devotion to his mother
was one OF his prominent characteristics until her
dying day. At the age OF sixteen young Swain
went to learn the printing business with James
Wilson, In Utica, New York, and such was his
progress, Industry and thrill, that he WAS able Vt
the aae OF nine zen o buy out the remainder OF
his term of apprenticeship aud 60 in % the words
on his own account. Subsequently he taught .
class in mathematics in bany; read tho
elementary books Of law in the office Of
the surrogate there, and also worked a
his trade n journeyman in the same
city. About this time he first came to Philadei.
pha and worsed rs pressman in one Of the daily
newspaper Offices Of this city. He then went to
New York city aud engaged with the printing firm
OF Day Wisner, who established the New York
Sun. In their employ ment lie was nominally tho
foreman Of the printing Office, but in fact the nina
and energy and moving power OF The concern for
his activity and capabilities as a printer and =
newspaper man were felt In every part Of tho
establishment, from the work oil writing out news
reports 10 the setting up of the type. the working
of OF the edition aud the distribution Of the pa
pers. Here, too, his industry and thrift aud
ability soon began to tell upon his fortunes, and
in the early part OF the year 1886 he felt himself
sufficiently ahegd in the wor 10 go into business
on his own account. He looked around for part
ners in his enterprise and for city that would
afford favorable opening for newspaper,
according to his idea OF what newspapers
should be.
Mr.. Swain was thorough and skilful pressman,
and he sought in his partners men who were No
thorough compositors, and who at the same time
had euergy and industry akin to his own. These
men were Arunah 8. Abel and Azariah H. Sim
mons, who formed the well known firm of Swain.
Abel Il simmons, and the place they selected for
their enterprise was the city OF Philadelphia
Their paper was the Public Ledger, the history Of
which is well known to the people OF this city.
IL VIII no be doing injustice 10 Mr.. SWANS part
ners to say that be at all tines the leading
man of the firm In this city, and no ever
better fitted Tor the business Of establishing.
organizing aud carrying on public journal.
according to the true principles which should
regulate all newspapers, than Mr.. Swain was.
HIS mind was ennaently OF the mathematical order,
his intellect being Of tue type that recognizes the
value OF guiding rules and principles in the con-
DIN fofi hna trg arffc his iIaa
moreover, that a newspaper is an instrument tha&
may be made one Of great good or OF greet evil 70
a community, and that j. " power that oughS
never TO be abused. Acting upon this view he
would never allow the Pubic Ledger to be used
for private and y rsona ends. Accord ng 10 HE
hOmely way Of illustrating his own idea be used 70
say that newspaper ~ much IKE very powcrW
man going about in the street armed with cas-
club, with which he might knock upon the head
this man OF that man, according TO his resent
ments or his passions, and whose vctms would
have but feeble power to resist. Aud Tor
this reason il was indispensable, II the
newspaper should be conducted tor the good OF
society that no abuses of its powers Tor personat
reasons should ever be allowed, on any prctexs
whatever. Tnls was a iuc that lie never deNiated
from IL was another OF his naSlius hat his news
paper should be conducted entirely Upon the cash
basis for the reasoa as he stated IT, that under the
credit system those who paii honestly and prompt
Iy were made 10 pay more than they srould pay,
TO make up for the losses incurred by the bad debta
OF those who were tardy and dishonest, The cssh
principle Also was therefore one VI us nNcu rules
Still another OF HE maxims was this: Tia any man
who had good article a valushe service Of any
kind TO offer the public and WHO would take the pre-
per means to bring that article or service TO thc
tce OF the pubic was rtain To be successful.
This lay NJ lie foundation of all his wi philoso-
ply on the subject Of advertise 9. . tris subj os
he wa. 4 thorough muster, md undo's 90 { 10
oil iis rsmifcatons from the publicity whiah ~
gwen by sign over the door aud TIN rim ug OF
cards AMI handbs, p TO thai mode Of adveits
Ing which brings the object Of tho a.vsrustr TO
the no; g. OF hundreds OF tn jusauds OF readers ~
! eacA impression; and he always graded lis esti.