The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-09-04
JAMES GORDON BENNETT
HIS LIFE BEFORE AND AFTER
FOUNDING THE HERALD.

Extraordinary Success Following Many
Failures-The First Man to Publish
veritabIe Newspaper-Complete Devo-
ton to His Calling.
Especial correspondence
NEW YORK, Aug. 21.-James Gordon
Bennett had clearly a genius for jour
nalism. He was the founder of the
modern newspaper in America, which
in time influenced the newspapers Of
Europe, notably those of Great Britain.
The Herald, which he established sixty
five years ago, had from the beginning,
and always has had, any number Of de-
fects; but its unvarying and redeeming
purpose has been to give the news. We
can hardly understand, unless we have
examined old files, how dull and dreary
were the blanket sheets over which
our grandfathers tried to keep awake.
They contained almost everything that
their readers did not want. and nothing
akin to what is now considered news.
Bennett is entitled to the enormous
credit of having been the pioneer in pub
fishing news, and of originating journal
istic ideas far in advance of his time.
He never fully performed his mission
he was constitutionally disqualified for
the task--but he achieved more than
enough to make him remembered.
Although he began his connection
with the publishing business at 90, and
afterward held divers journalistic posi-
tions, some of them important, he did
not reveal his latent power-the power
that insures success-until he was near
40. Many men would have been dis
couraged by his unfortunate experience;
would have lost heart and hope. But
he believed in himself, and in himself
alone. He had been thwarted in his
projects; he had been prevented to
great extent from carrying out his
theories by his associates, and these he
discarded, SO far as equality goes, in his
final and prosperous effort. His was a
mind that must control, that must act
for itself, without embarrassment or
hindrance from others, as the career of
The Herald discloses.
Born in Scotland of Roman Catholic
parentage, he went to village school
at Keith until IA, and then to Catholic
seminary at Aberdeen, with a view to
studying for the priesthood. While
there he gained certain intelligence from
this country which caused him to rolin-
quish all thought of a sacerdotal life
and to make resolution to emigrate at
his earliest opportunity. Arriving in
due time at Halifax with a companion
of his own age-he was then past his
majority-and but q small supply of
money, he sought position as teacher
as means of support, It did not suit
him, and after a few months he jour
neyed to Portland, Me-, and then to
Boston, where he got place as proof
reader in publishing house. A passion
for writing seized him there, and his
compositions in verse frequently adorned
the newspapers, to which he was stead
lily drifting.
Three years later he came here, but
he soon went to South Carolina to form
an editorial connection with The Charles
ton Courier, then an important and
prosperous journal. This did not please
him either, and he returned to New
York so dissatisfied with journalism that
he decided to set upa commercial school.
The public did not respond to his wishes,
and he next delivered course of lect-
ures ON political economy which were
very poorly attended. He seemed to be
much dishearteped at his non-success,
and after several other experiments
which proved ahortive likewise he went
back to his first love. After holding
three or four subordinate places onnews-
papers he bought The New York Courier,
Sunday weekly, and cherished high
hopes of its future. But these having
been blasted he again became salafied
man, changing from one paper to an
other until he was thought to be without
stability. There was good cause for
these changes, however, for he had def
mite ideas, and when they clashed with
those Of the proprietors he betook HIM
self elsewhere. After 30 he evinced
deep and active interest in politics, en-
bracing the Democratic cause and earn
estly opposing the tariff and the United
States bank. He even joined Tammany
while acting as associate editor of The
Enquirer with the once noted M. M.
Noah, and as Washington correspondent
strongly urged the claims of Jackson to
the presidency. He subsequently started
The Globe, which persisted in u month,
and owned an interest in The Philadel-
phia Pennsylvania and edited it without
profit.
Finally, with only 700 cash, he found
ed The Herald (NIay s, 1850, issuing the
first number from the basement of 20
Wall street, corner of Nassau. He had
then had fourteen years experience on
the press, and abundant opportunities to
study men and measures here, at Albany
and Washington. Then fifteen dailies
were published in the city, seven being
large morning slxpenny sisses. Of all
those but thrce-The Sun, Evening Post
and Commercial Advertiser-survive,
and they are radically changed. The
population of New York at that time
was 270,0S9, and only one of the dailies
had 5000 circulation, the Others being