The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-08-14
THE NEW YORK TIMES.

The death of George Jones leaves Charles
a. Dana the sole survivor of the brilliant
band of men who created journalism in New
York. James Gordon Bennett passed away
long ago; his son and successor is a man of
so. Horace Greeley was killed by his nomi-
nation for President. James Watson Webb
and Moses \. Beach passed out of sight
years since. Henry J. Raymond was found
in his hallway one morning saudbagged and
dead. Until Wednesday George Jones. who
was rs, and Charles A. Dana, who is -,
were The sole survivors of the group. Now
Dana alone still lives.
Jones is said In his biographies to have
been a Vermonter. This is probably mis-
take. Those who knew him best always be-
lieved that he had been born in England or
Wales, and that he came to this country as
a child. OF the first thirty-fYe or thirty
eight years OF his life nothing is known, ex-
cept that he was very peor, and was engaged
in some sort OF publishing business. In
1850, on one dark winter night, three gentle
men we're crossing the ice which closed the
Hudson at Albany. They talked Of news
papers and agreed that there was a field to
b. occupied between the Herald and the
Tribune. One OF the three, L. B. Yves ley,
who was a wealthy man, observed that if he
could see his way clear he would furnish
the capital for a new paper. Raymond OBJ
served that he would throw mp his other en-
gagementS and edit it. jones added that he
would undertake the business department.
The result was the New York Times, which
appeared i'll 1851.
A biographical notice Of Jones ayers that
the paper paid from the start. tpaid inter
est on Wesley's advances and modest saia-
ries to Raymond and Jones almost from the
first. But ii made 10 money for a long time,
and was really in pecuniary straits six years
after its foundation. Ii might have sue
cumbed but for the assistance which it got
from the Harpers. who bought into the pa
per and retained an interest in it till Jones
bought their shares after a time. Wesley
parted with his stock 10 Governor Morgan
and his cousin, and from that time the con-
troll of tie paper has remained exclusively
in the hands of Jones. OF late years the ed
iterShip has deyoIved upon Mr.. Charles
Miller, and the conduct of the business de-
partment on a son of Mr.. Jones. He has
seldom interfered with either, and indeed
there was no necessity for interference.
The Times has been and is one of the best
journals published in this country or in any
other country. Its views are broad and en-
lightened. 1t is always abreast of modern
| thought. 1t is courteous in debate, but
never hesitates TO speak cut when the oc-
casian needs plain speaking. 1t has q horror
of sensationalism and never publishes news
which turns out to be fake. 1t SCOTS al
| danger when it believes wrong should be
| exposed. With the same intrepid audacity
| that it assailed Tweed when he was at the
| height Of his power it is now attacking the
| yvlr "a
haps the weathiest corporation in New
| York. 1t started as Republican paper, in
harmony with Seward and Weed. During
| the war it was an ardent champion OF
| Lincoin's policy and an opponent of Gree
ley's extreme on-to-Rich mond views. Dur
| ing the reconstruction period Raymond went
to Congress and got lost in the Philadelphia
| Convention. The paper suffered in inf1u.
ence and circulation. Neither was regained
by the efforts of Louis Jennings. who
though vigorous writer, never became
completely American, and when the Times
wheeled back into the Republican ranks Its
reception was cool. 1t drifted, as a matter
of seeming necessity, into the MugmumI
| column in 1854
| 1t has been stated that the Times is not as
profitable paper as the Herald or World
| Perhaps it aims its guns above the head OF
! lis public. It's income certainly ought to
make 1t valuable property. The public idea
of the rewards of journalism in New York
| is not very accurate. The Tribune realizes
moderate sum for its stockholders. Tie
| Sun has picked up lately. but it is far from
being as profitable rs il was six or eight
years ago. As for the small fry of morning
| dailies their dividends are generally fanci-
full. A curious story is current that recent
seHi-aiticial return of the net income of the
| New York Herald shows that it is very little
more than that paper earned, net, in the last
| years OF James Gordon Bennett the elder.