Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-07-18
EATON, OHIO, THURSDAY, B72
Guilty. A truce was patched up between
them which was never broken.

Guilty. A truce was patched up between
them which was never broken.
Tho Herald soon came t.. be regarded
as infallible in all matters connected
with the stage, and managers and actors
always deprecated its censure and strove
by every means in their power to con-
ciliate its good will. When WySof
came to this country as business man
ager of Fanny Ellsler, he took extraor-
dinary pains to propitiate the favor of
Mr.. Bennett. He toadied and fawned
upon him with such fulsome adulation
as TO create a feeling of profound dis
gust, and when the editor departed on
his nuptial tour he advised the person
whom he left in charge of the paper not
to be bothered much by that fellow
Wykoff. Ellsler was at that time in
Philadelphia, and on her return to fill
an engagement at the Park Theater,
Wykoff called at the Office and demand.
ed to have long rigmarole of an article
he had written published in the edito-
rial columns. 1t was represented to
him such thing was inconsistent with
the character of the paper-that the re-
porter would give such an account of
| the dancers performance as might be
| proper. Wykoff left in huff, and
presently returned with a message from
| Mr.. Benefits mother law, directing
that the article should be inserted as
he desired. Wykof was told that Mrs.
Cream might go to the bowwows, and it
was intimated to him that if he did not
make a speedy departure the usual
way, he would make his exit by the
window.
On Mr.. Benefits return, after some
comments upon the manner in which
the paper had been conducted in his
Oh I, hoI
trouble with Wykoff, didn't you? 2"
Nothing worth mentioning" was
the reply.
"You told him Mrs. Cream might go
to the devil?''
eyes, did,
dwell, she may''-and there the con
versation ended.
After the first fifteen or eighteen
months, the receipts of tue Herald be-
gan to exceed its expenses. Everybody
abused it, but the enterprise, industry
and intelligence of its proprietor con-
strained almost everybody to read it.
The paper was Mr.. Benz etts passion
1t absorbed his whole attention and
thought, even in its early days, when it
was doubtful whether its existence could
be prolonged. He appreciated the value
of early and exclusive intelligence, and
paid literally for news items or informa-
ton that was available, not to reward
those who furnished it, but to stimulate
the authors to further exertions by
which the paper might profit.
The great political campaign of 1910
was the turning point in the career of
the Herald Mr.. Bennett had no politi-
cal theories or doctrines of any kind,
nor did he care at all for parties, as
such, or for any of the individuals of
which they were composed. But lie
appreciated the advantages of being on
the winning side, and early in the con-
test between Van Buren, and Harrison
he contracted the opinion that the
Wings were to triumph. And then he
to Van Buren,, and was often abusive in
speaking of that gentleman. Large
offers were made to him, in the hope of
inducing him to surrender his columns
to the control of the Wings during
that campaign, but he rejected them at
once. He understood the value of an
independently position, and that he always
maintained.
On the death of Gen. Harrison, q for
tuitous concurrence of circumstances
brought the Herald into intimate rela-
tions with Mr.. Tyler, and these relations
subsisted during the first three years of
HIS t0fIu. 1IS lnuu0HCC Will thO Ao-
ministration exceeded that of all the
other papers in the country, and any
reasonable request of Mr.. Bennett was
readily acceded to by the President.
The circulation of the paper was largely
augmented during these years. He was
often furnished with exclusive intelli-
gence of the intentions of the Govern
ment in advance of his contemporaries,
and of this he made the most, taunting
them with the superior advantages he
enjoyed. He relished this rivalry
greatly, and enjoyed the jealousy of his
competitors who were IL ft behind in the
race.
Whether the Herald has wrought
more :od than evil, l will not under
take to say. The problem is beyond
my solution. No paper ever published
has been more eagerly sought for or
had a wider currency. Mr.. Bennett
was the best purveyor of news of his
day. 1 should not like to pronounce
upon the personal merits of any man !;
but, as Andrew Fairservice said of Rob
Roy, "There are many things over bad
for blessing, and over guide for ban
ning," besides the Herald.