Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-29
MR. GOULD AND mR. BENNETT.
The Financier's Caustic Criticism or
the Editor.
TTribuno.l

tlFlDune.I
jaw Gould was mp 10 his ewes in bust
ness from morn till eve yesterday. After
a days rest following his long journey
he was refreshed and as active as n boy.
He was in capital spirits and dispatched
business. so multiform and rapid in his
office. with a celebrity and gusto which
did the souls of his associates good.
After the meeting Of the directors OF
the Missouri Pacific, who without dis
senting voice had voted ~ per cent.
quarterly dividend, payable on April
18th, Mr.. Gould's attention was called by
a Tribune reporter to his statement pub
lished in the Tribune on Sunday, stating
that the powers underlying the criminal
proceedings in the matter of the Gould
Sage Trust were "a newspaper, cable
company, and woman"
"Weil," replied Mr.. Gould, medita-
lively, cone thing at a time and 1t will
last the longer. rather think that to-
day ! might devote little time to the
RSrald and James Gordon Bennett. |
am tOld-for | have no time to devote to
the choice literature in which the Her0id
deIights-that it has been saying some
sarcastic things about me. Well, let us
see. and Mr.. Gould settled himself com
fortably in his chair and proceeded lei
surely: The elder Bennett lett bis son
thousand shares of stock III the American
Telegraph Company and had that son
elected member of the board of direc-
tors. The first service to which che
Younger Bennett devoted himself was
to demand that the Hcr0id, being a
large stakeholder, was entitled to, and
should receive precedence over all other
newspapers in the transmission OF spe-
cial reports. This demand could not
be acceded to. Young Bennett, there
fore, became a disgruntled and dis
agreeable associate in the board.
"In fact he spent all his time as di-
rector in endeavorin9 to secure for the
Hcrdid advantages over other newspa-
pers, but in that he was banked. The
limited facilities OF the telegraph COM
panies in 1866 did not afford that
prompt transmission of news reports
which is now rendered TO all customers
and often simultaneously to great num-
Der of individual papers over numerous
wires but they were transmitted, as
now. on the principle of first come, first
served, and papers that were late IN
getting their reports from Washington,
Albany, and elsewhere had to await their
turn.
MR.. BENNETT LEFT OUT OF TIE NEW
BOARD.
Mr.. Gonld paused q moment and then
added: "Mr. Benefits opportunities
had this effect: When the American
was absorbed by the Western Union
Mr.. Bennett was not one of those who
were taken into the Western Union
Board. SO it is not so surprising as
some people might imagine that for the
last twenty three or four years the Her
aid has always been ready to criticise
and denounce the Western Union on
the most fimsy preteXt Those criti-
cisms in a greater degree date from the
retirement Of James Gordon Bennett,
Jr., from the Board of Directors of one
of the large telegraph companies now
embraced in the Western Union.
1.-The bitterness of the Hcraid," Mr..
Gould went on gently, "has been in
tensifed since the refusal Of the cable
pool to renew the contract Mr.. Bennett
had with the French company for special
rates. about one half the price that other
newspapers were charged. The renewal
OF that contract, which expired III 1883,
was demanded by Mr.. Bennett, accom-
panied by the threat, which he made in
that urbane manner 50 characteristic OF
him, that if his demand were not granted
an opposition cable would be laid. be
saw the elder Garrett, who agreed ut one
time to unite with ur. Bennett in pro-
curing a new cable, but Mr.. Pender,
of London, persuaded Mr.. Garrett that
an opposition cable would not pay. But
few months later he found another
capitalist who yielded to his importuni-
ties. and he got his revenge"
Mr.. Gould smiled benignantly over the
concluding sentence, and then continued
placidly: "Whether lie got the benefit
he had demanded and expected Is a
doubtful question. He has succeeded
III producing general reduction of rates,
but whether that cOmpensates him for
his unremunerative investment in the
cable is a question OF his own
finances. The whole animus Of
the HerQld," said Mr.. Gould,
suddenly becoming emphatic, els
caused by our cornpauy's persistent re-
fusai to give james Gordon Bennett adj
vantages over other newspapers, advan-
tages not only in rates but in priority OF
delivery And he has taken every OPP
portunity to denouce this company and
its management, and to omit from the
columns of his paper anything that re-
fleets favorably upon the company or its
officers. SO much for the newspapers
and the cable company.