New-York tribune., 1872-06-03
:. 800 on $500 vps .w,oe burued out, once had

good OF mankind the civilization or my speoes ~
my passion my delight, my thought by DAY, ana my
dream by night conduct The Herald and to show tho
world and posterty that can Dc oge az cy ye
greatest most fascinating most powerful organ oi cvt
izaton that genius yet dreamed or Inc dui Igo
rant miserable barbarian papers arSend me SS,nS ag out
fresh paths for the intellectual career OF az energetic
generatioD.1
Those who knew the man as he has since developed
will recognize the first half Of this as his natural bravado
and bOasng the rest as in his peculiar, cynical ana
sarcastic vein. He believed OF IT, and expected no
other TO believe 1t.
In lsIl the income Of the paper was at least si0ooO
and the circulation about 10000 copies Ihe once was
removed the same year to and Futonsts AT this
time Bennett offered to publish tho official Congress
proceedings without cost to the Government If his re-
porters wero admitted to the privileges extended 10
those Of The Globe Nothing came OF 1t, except that MS
reporters and all others we're admitted to the galleries.
and enlargement Of the space devoted to Congress
proceedings made In The Herald, example which,
since followed by all newspapers, has reduced the Gooe
to q pauper depending on Government support Tor
existence. At this time 1892 the daily ercuaoh OF the
various NewYork papers was as folowsi
INSTRUMENTATION 600 Times mot the present ,oo
Herald 2ooo0 logFnp post ''''-- 100 100
Courier and Enquirer 69oO Evening fosO'''''- s0 s00
Journal OF Commerce. $500 Express I'So0 @
Evening Star. 1900 Gazette 'V'
Commercial Advertiser 200
From that time until the war The Herald gradually IN
creased in circulation and value property During the
Rebellion its circulation than doubled or one issue
during 1854 no less than 1000 copies were sold ls
present circulation probably little more than half that
amount, but its profits annually much larger thah
for any year during the Frequently $500 are re-
ceved for single days advertising. II employed, III
addition TO its regular force 60 correspondents at an
expense for four years Of S52OOG Its annual exrend
lures for correspondence and the collection OF news s
something immense and altogether dsproportoned TO It's
payments for editorial and critical matter.
1t was collector of news that Bennett shohe oohspc
uous. Etoriay he cynical inconsistent reckless
and easily influenced by others opinions, and By his own
preindces But he had an merriDg Judgment OF the
pecunar value Of news He knew howto pick out OF tho
events of the day the subject which engrOssed tho IN
teret OF the greatest number OF people, ana 10 sHe
them about that subject all they could read Tie quail
ity might be bad and generally was; but II susd the
multitude and the quantity at any rate was aounuanl'
He had method of impressng the Importance OF news
upon others in his employ, which inspired many VINO
served him to energetic action Of them In re-
markabe degree but he nculcated no principle OF cor
recness. The fact is he was utterly indinereh5 10 inc
correctness Of details conclusions, provided the plln-
cpal event OF the narrative or argument OF the edO
was made clear and published ahead Of all competitors
He never tolerated defeat lie refused to pay the
expenses including one item OF horse killed. OF cor
respondent who was day behind The World corre-
spondent and added in the half humorous half satirca
manner in which he habitualy nduged that "a horse
which couldn't beat The World was MT worth paying
for" He never questioned examined the account Of
reporters who were advance Of their rivals and fire.
duently paid contributors double rates for welcome
news when in advance Of cotemporares He once gave
reporter SIS for telegram Of three words for
which bin OF 81 had been ren Tered At another time,
he ordered 500 be paid to contributor for an article
OF six columns, which had been already contracted for
at s. a column, adding 10y way of explanation to tue
editor "he may have something else as good In THIS
instance, his Judgment confirmed. and several
valuable contributions elatng to the secret history OF
the Reberlon) followed from the same pen.
He developed the capacities Of journalism IN most
wonderful manner he did 1t by degrading its charac
ter. lie made the newspaper powerful but nc made II
odous Those who recognize this whether claiming IL
as his admirers admitting it contemptuously, know
that his personal characteristics had everything TO do
with forming his paper. He alone made it, it was per
soua journalism in all OF the word He assoc
ated with himself few remarkable men, but they were
remarkable much in consequence OF his training as
from natural aptitude for the profession The most in
mate and ong-serving loved him, but all feared
him. His suspicious nature made it impossible for him
10 epdear men to him. His years Of rough battling
with the world made HIM cold and cynical. He was un
lust and relentless he never forgaye an injury, and
where he had once taken personal prejudice nothing
could correct it, lie never accepted never listened TO-
explanations. His hard early career, BY embittering
his nature Isolated him from friends untitled him
for friendly relations with any one, for he suspected
everybody His conduct OF The Herald in s early exis
tence isolated him from society, and all his subsequent
| great wealth brought no oblivion for what were
| called his msdeeds The Herald, without acquiring
any principle acquired decency as it grew great,
and the dscredt which once attached TO any man seen
reading it gradually passed awsy but it is rather re-
narkable fact that Mr. Bennett personally was
forgiven for the scandals Of his early career But
ciety banshed him. he certainly disregarded society
He had great contemptfor it in his latter years and pre-
ferred the quiet Of his Washington Hghts residence and
the few visitors he saw there to the attractions Of his
Winter residence FIfh-ave. He was incapable OF a
purely unsehsh feeling his object the
of The Herald all aims and efforts tended TO that one
end which he sought regardless OF means or conse-
auences and cared for good opinion save his
Since knew myself" he wrote as late as 1856, when
his success fully confirmed, all the real approba
| ton L sought for was my own. II my conscience was
satisfied on the score Of morals and my ambition the
matter of talent always felt easy On this principle
have acted from my youth up and on this principle !
| mean to die. Nothing can disturb my equanimity. ]
| know myself"
Nothing could be truer than thisi in the passage he
has told whole character His talk OF conscience and
morals not idle. In the he meant it, he
| moral man. He strictly temperate and virtuors
He had neither low habits nor idle hours He never
drank even dinner and nothing stronger than caret
was ever displayed his table. The impression pre-
walls that years ago he withdrew from work on his pa
per- but this is great No exchange editor in the
profession close and constant reader he OF the
! great papers Of the country down to within few
months Of the close Of his life. Files Of the principal
Journals were him daily and all religously
read He often clipped passages for insertion in Tie
Herald but generally for texts for editorials or special
articles and when he visited the Office it to unpack
his mind Of the suggestions stored there by reading the
exchanges. He seldom gave editorial writer more
than the suggestions for article leaving him to I'LL
the details He required his editorial writers to meet
daily for consultation and the distribution Of topics
When another person presided the several editors made
auggestions. when Bennett himself was present the