, 1884-06-19
GOTHAM JOURNALISTS.
A Veteran Recalls the Early Days Of
the New York Press.
h Wonderful Development of Half
IA Century---secuiar and Religious
Pupers---Editors Who Died and
Editors Who Cot Gained.


city in the world, not excepting even Paris
or London. Notwithstanding the newness of
our civilization, we have learned SO quickly,
borrowed SO APPLY and initiated so readily
that it may be truthfully said that about the
only things we lack to make US thoroughly
European are a few ruined castles. Even
these We may yet have with patience, if any
thing is to be predicted of the tremendously
impressive style of architecture now affected
by our American millionaires.
American journalism. marvellous as it Il
to-day in many respects, is yet the growth of
scarcely n century. Any one who compares
the blanket sheets Of New York with those OF
European capitals will find much to praise in
our own by contrast, even II he discovers
much to condemn; for American journalistic
enterprise undoubtedly takes the lead. One
would imagine that with their vast tele
graphic facilities and close connection the
journals Of Europe would spend more money
on news gathering and make a better show
ing than our own; but the reverse is the case.
In New York, Chicago, Cincinnati or Boston
the daily newspapers spend more money per
annun on telegraphic dispatches than do the
London or Paris press.
Possibly the most noticeable point of differ
ence is that our journals devote more space
to news and less to essays and criticism.
Tho result is shown in our larger cities by
public appreciation, for IL we except ons
noticeable instance in Paris and another in
London-The Daily Telegruph-quite ex-
ceptional in their way, our own journals
have by far the largest circulation.
One of the veterans OF tho metropolitan
press, full in years and ripe in experience,
discussed the Interesting topic of the growth
Of the newspaper press in our own city with
the writer yesterday.
"1ilne," said he, "has worked mighty
changes since the tall, lank lad from Bauf-
shire came here in 1879 and began to write
short local sketches for The Courier. [ have
read many OF Benefits earlier articles and
hnve been surprised at their raciness, their
tecnndity and their incisiye style. 1t was
just tue sort of writing needed to bring n
paper into public notice. Bennett may well
be called the father of New York, IL not, in
deed, Of American journalism, in the modern
sense, Of course. By-and-by, about 1925,
he bought Tie Courier. which was then a
Sunday paper; but 1t afforded too narrow n
held for a man OF his versatility and ambi.
ton. and he gavo it up after a years trial.
Then he ran The National Advocate for a
little while, and later he went on the staff OF
Noah's Enquirer, which was quite popular In
these tim s and regarded as considerable OF
an authority. You may not know that Ben
netts first political affiliations in this country
were with Tnmmany hair
"Was he a member of the organizariouin
"Well, he attended one meeting during the
L~ocofoco excitement. and was thrown out
ON the street. But he was accustomed to
being whipped. Tom HambIin, the actor,
cowhided him in his office; Graham, the
lawyer, thrashed him in Il shoe store, and
Webb gave him a dose in Wall street. Well,
he left The Courier and Enquirer about 1873
and started the greatest venture of his life,
Tie Herald, being at the outset-as Greeley
was when lie first issued The Tribume-his
own editor, reporter, correspondent and
proof-rehder Pioneer in every sense, he was
the father Of the modern school OF newspaper
writer's. l have among my most valued
treasurers n copy OF the first issue Of The
Herald, now faded with age, but any one
perusing its pages will DO constrained to
udmit that it shows talent and versatility
Seldom encountered save In our very best
newspapers nowadays"
+You have been acquainted, during your
experience, with most OF the old-time Journal
lists here IN New York;
Eyes; 1 knew most of them personally and
intimately. Greeley, when in his prime, and
dealing his strongest blows, in the war epoch,
was, l think, the most vigorous writer ever
known on the American press. His peculiar
iorte was exposition and denunciation; in
that field he was unequaled. Few dare to
measure intellectual weapons with him, and
a slight defect OF temper but served to make
him the more obstinate and uncompromisinR,
even when his position was weak. The Tri-
bune was never successful financially save
under his administration. lie made journal.
ism n tremendous ~sledge-hammer machine. a
social AMI political force, and he woke the
echoes all over the country. How different
1t was with some OF bis contemporariesl Ben.
nett made his profession Il business enter
prise; Raymond treated it as he would n
mathematical problem; Dana has employedit
all bus life as a keen, logical, retributive, re-
yengeful cutlass; Hurlbert, as a safe
to relieve a mind suffering from an overdose
OF information and early piety; Marble, as a
diletthnte amusement; Hudson, us a genuine
profession; Brooks, as u means of making
money and securing political preferment.
But the press has been utilized by different
men of talent in a variety OF other ways.
Thurlow Weed employed it as a mere acces.
sorry to his ambitions; Fernando Word
viewed It in the Same light and thought il
possessed no dignity whatever, but was a
mere matter Of business; George Jones, ac-
cording to his own recent admission, saw
nothing in It beyond maney-makiug, for he
says he has never been anything beyond 4
n publisher. Beecher adapted it to varioui
purposes. His connection with The Indie
pendent enabled hun to make n series OF
anonymous attacks on President Lincoln
which reused the Indignation of the whole
country at the time. With Talmage the
press has been used as n cheap ~claptrap ad-
accommodating else"
"What living journalists have contributed
most, in your opinion, to the progress OF the
professionf'
We'll, there are so many excellent men of
marked ability that it is difficult to discrim.
inate. l think, however, that, excluding the
great political questions Of the times and
looking only to the newspaper, such men as
Swinson, Townsend, Cummings, Goodwin,
Chambers, FoOrd, Croffut, Croly, Winter,
Nordhof, Howard, Hosmer-humbl and in.
dustr Gus workers, but men OF the brightest
abilitics-they are the writers who give color.
life and individuality to the daily press, who
make the columns TEEN with interest and at
t~rRctive features
From a pecuniary view, who have been
the most successfully"
Recent rewards, you meant The plums of
fortune havo falleu to the lap of compara-
lively few. Dana is rich-worth nothing
short of n million. Bennett Is the wealthiest
newspaper proprietor on the globe. Jones
can count his million or two. Stone, l fancy,
Is worth not less than half a million. Often
dorfer, from a second-rate ~bookkeeper, has
bscome the owner OF the greatest OF all Ger
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