The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-12-06
NEWSPAPER MANAGEMENT
The New York Herald-Benneft's Ideas
Upon the Subject. -
The Times and Tribune-What Gree
ley and Raymond Thought
About 1t.
PERSONAL CHANGES.


aid recently advertised the auction
of the Bennett conservatory at
Fort Washington. The contents
of this establishment we're of much
value to florists. For instance,
here is a palm, mentioned as the
finest in the United States; also,
a half dozen orange trees, a score
of finest camelias, bouvardias, jes-
samincs, etc. This is the first sale
out of Bennet's property, and re-
moves one of its prettiest features;
but the grounds are so large that
it becomes hard service even to
superlntend them, and hence this
resort to an auction. 1t is to be
remarked that this is the first time
the Herald has allowed the FoIJ
Washington property to get into
its columns in ten years. Bennett
formerly published the news of
his own family, as well as that of
others, in order to give spice to
the Herald, but of late years his
object was responsibility, hence
he kept all his domestic mat
ters in sacred privacy. Even
when his house took fire and
narrowly escaped destruction the
Herald made no allusiOn to it.
Now, however, the auction appears
in its columns, crowding among
vulgar traffic, and the common
mob of public sale is invited to
the aristocratic precinct Of this
grand establishment.
BENEFITS SYSTEM.
Now that Bennett is dead, the
power and value OF his genius in
systematizing his business is
shown. The Herald is the only
colossal newspaper in the world
which had but one owner, and was
subject to an autocratic power. Its
departments were capitaliy man
ned, and there was @ peculiar ar
rangement of checks which pre-
RENTED fraud or peculation on the
part of the employees. This sys-
tenn was so perfect that during the
last three years of BENEFITS life
the paper iran itself," las they say.
Old Bennett WAS in his dotage and
young Bennett was in Europe, and
even when at home he was absorb
ed by his yachting and fast life.
During this time (as we'll as at
presently this geat journal was in
the hands of hired men, less than
two hundred in number, and rang
ing from the errand boy up to the
manager. The most striking fea
ture found here is, that these men
who wield the destinies of a jour
nal worth O million or two, are
working at rate which, compare
lively speaking, is contemplate.
The Herald is said to clear So, 600
q week, and yet its managing edi-
tor gets less than a thirtieth of
that enormous profit. Small pay
and hard work was the motto I'M
der the Bennett regime, and it is
still continued. How so much
money can be handled with no
leak is q marvel. Hero are thous-
ands taken in and paid out every
day, and each man seems as though
he was beyond temptation. The
same rule applies to the Bennett
building which is now going up on
the former site of the Herald.
Here is q large force of men at
work, and payments on contract
made from time to time; and yet,
while this work was under way,
young Bennett was abroad, while
the old man was dying. The
building is still progressing, and
will cost $250,000; but, like the
Herald, it seems to run itself"
a PECULIAR FEATURE.
Many years ago, Bennett or
dained the council of daily editors,
and this was feature peculiar to
himself. His object was to have
his men discuss matters viva voice,
for any one can write better on u
subject after having conyersed
about it than if he starts dry
theme. The council was held at
from l to ., and every man was
expected to advance opinions on
| public questions. As the policy
of the Herald was to attack, the
editors could suggest points in
which leading men and their meas
ures were vulnerable. When these
points had been decided each man
began his theme, full of the in
spiration of the council chamber.
Elegance was not demanded of any
of these writer's; but they were to
compensate for their lack of this
and other qualifications by their
slashing style, since it was this
caught the public. After the old
man left the post this council Was
carefully maintained, and it still
continue one of the distinctive
features of the paper.
ANOTHER FEATURE.
This was privacy. Bennett was
the only great editor of the city
who kept the public at distance.
Greeley's policy was to admit all
who wanted to see him. The edi-
torial rooms of the Tribune were
open, and Greeley could be seen at
his desk hard at work. II he
heard step behind him he would
exclsim, without stopping his pen,
"What's wanted?'' If the visitor
said, "Pll speak when you have 9
moment to spare" the reply would
be, "Go on, I'll hear it now" II
the man had anything worth at.
|. tention, Greeley would reply, still
! writing, and it would be vert
|. important matter that arrested hls
D pen and caused him to turn round
j Mr.. Raymond also allowed him
lself to be seen in q very public
& manner, thus carrying out the Gus
Q tom of the Tribune, where he Wal
r bred. A gentleman once calleC
. on him. "Are you at leisureT
: mo sir" Was Mr.. Raymond's re
ri ply, "but I am at your service
!. Bennett, on the other hand, KEEP
i his editorial rooms locked. AI