The sun., 1890-03-30
rHE AUrocRAr or TINE HERALD.
Jsass Gordon Rsunstt.

| the inner lives OF prominent men, and In tn,
case Of James Gordon Bennett this curiosity
has been whetted again and again by stray In
cidents in his career. but has never been salts
fed. Nearly ell our national statesmen anC
| politicians are noted autobographsts. ant
their lives are writ large in the Congressional
Record and In the newspapers OF their respeo
tive distrlcts Other public men are in no whi
behindhand in this respect, and 80 far has thl,
taste for personal gossip been carried OF late
| years that we may be said to have become q
nation OF AutobioRraphers. each man blowing
his own horn to the best OF his ability. Thus
| in these autobioRraphies the crossroads
| school house 10 always TN academy. and the sub.
lUct is generally the scion OF some noble house
abroad II the three or four generations OF his
forefathers here are too iRnobe for his fancy.
Still, though the terms used may be little
highfautin We generally get sufficient facts to
form an idea OF the man. and we are satisfied.
Mr.. James Gordon Bennett has always
avoided the bioHrapher. and so fragmentary
is the public knowledge OF him that his mott yes
and ambitions form something Of mystery
worthy OF an attempt at solving. Broadly
speaking, his history Ia the history OF the
Herald. In the office OF this great newspaper
Mr.. Bennett received an excellent training
during tho lifetime of his father. The latter
had tood and starved AMI suffered lndiGnities
10 establish this great property. IL he had one
great pang iu dying. 1t was to relinquish its
control. Many were the solemn obligations he
exacted from his son in regard TO It. as he was
passing away. and none OF these seem 20 have
been forgotten. Though proud Of his hand
some heritage. the young man felt the weight
OF responsibility 1t brought to him This was
shown In q little incident which occurred
shortly after the death OF the founder OF the
Ir n nf
tho time. and 1t struck n handful OF tho Herald
mon as capital idea to prepare welcome for
their new ruler. 30 they hired a tug and met
him down the bay. Totheir well planned littlo
Rpeeches Mi. Bennett had not word to say;
the expression on his face was ominous. Not
one OF the party Tut subsequently, ielt the
weight OF his dspleasllre.
MIR. Bennett was ut that time ono OF the hand
soonest, most mpised. and wealthiest
% Cd and tlntered t on @ ali sizes. His hieastpuns strung
temperament led him into several eXcesSes ho
became engaged to Miss May; tho engagement
was broken on: he fought duel with her
brother: no loft tho country. ana has since
almost, entirely resided abroad. Being n man
OF such prominence these you,hi episodes
were made much OF, and from that day to this
have unfortunately formed the bases OF public
estimation OF his character. 1t is accepted as
truism that the wild. generously impulsiro
college student makes the brighter and better
man In comparison with his aborious book
Bennett has never been given the benefit Of this
ILLUSTRATION. People will not conrndQ TINT ho
gate and a ibertine Why Because he chooses
to live his life in his own way and shuns noriety
because he gives, no opportunities to the little
gentlemen who shoot their paper bullets OF the
brain against ali well known characters: be-
cause he does not live i'll the United States!
In the last sentence is tho whole solution OF
the misapprehension rs TO Mr.. Bennett's char
acter People have never forgiven him for pre-
Will Therefore ncidenfs Which % tear e5 out This this
idea OF him arc welcomed. while
those in his favor are received with shruR.
Of Newport would daily sigh oh, how We
wish Mr. Bennett would come" because with
came a ceutre OF gay doings, and the rank Of
wealth and fashion frightened up as II this
one man carried with him ycrtabIe spice of
lense his Newpor: house and also the old
homestead on the Hudson. which actions
were duly commented upon by society in tones
Then again how many many people have
remarked: II is a great mistake Tor Mr.. Bon;
Influence and force OF character he could, 10 |
his country. satisfy any ambition" But Mr.;
% sky i GaS Hidden lem" skoas and md
ambitions 10 serve thereby lie has several
lines said that there is no public office for
which no he w9nd would bon. bo candidate. once upon
'or SO many years his trusty doorkeeper. tells |
.he story in this way:
Four or five men came in here. all smoking
big cigars and asked to soc Mr.. Bennett. / |
aid they couldn't see him as he had given me
special orders that no ono was 10 be admitted
-. and dofnG his hat made me little speech.
te said they We're committee representing
Wished to nominate Mr.. Eennett for the posi-
ION Of May9r. Itod him orders was orders
md little thing Ike that made no difference
hey had better GEAR out aud write to Mr..
bennett. We'll. do you know those fellows went
ma rs"rtsu 10 eeE % to 'at 1hey nsd been
hey passed resolution that no more stuck-up
eporters should to nominated Tor any office in
MD word 10 me about H."
Mr.. Bennetts sole ambition is his news
'aper. Wherever he goes he carries this with
During his periodical visits here he goes care
ully through every department. noticing me-
e made there. studying tho tone OF his paper
nd occasionally writing a ,iorcelul, oditoria!
n which he desires It TO be run In his e,tteSOl
n the Champs Elys.es il is much the same.
10 rises early. takes his dourhr. and with a fine
tllop in the, Bois de Boulogne. followed by
ouple =, OF ID, dogs During his breakfast he
tartel the Paris and i;;oHion HergEis u u gem en-
for ~eS nus years. Sssn w on called Ri g
.pon his return he said: My talk to MIR.
ennett was the greatest surprise OF my life.
nch" Mr.; Bennett receives BY every mali
Jpirs VI INC ~" ioIh' Lohqoh, anu ihTls
ame Of the writer In blue pencil and the name
the editor In red. and Il careful study OF these
apers keeps him en rapport with the person.
Of Of his large force 1t Is tho same wherever
. goes. lie never relaXes his close scrutiny
each mans work, and he actually and in
ais Just as much as Mr.. Charles A. Dana con-
uets the affairs OF The sun.
That Mr.. Bennett s himself n keen observer
puolic affairs and trenchant writer here
q is only known 10 those associated with him: !
lat he has the true journalistic instinct and q
'rre OF character to carry out large IDEAS, tho
any great enterprises the Hrydmi has sue
'ssiully undertaken. nnd the high position
lis newspaper occupies throughout the world.
sufficient proof. So far from being the dilet-
mt man OF pleasure that most people suppose
m to bs, he Is on the contrary au earnest in
AMI able worker. The general
inception OF him would not permit OF his
'eaking a pleasure trip in order to cable an
dnary piece Of news to his paper which il
nerwse might miss. and yet he often does
M In fauth lie ,rb 1 | n