The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-04-22
spetial corropeatolee Of n. Intrfnn,tt.

Spttial Correspondence otth. MtdliNrtr.
NEw ioRK, April 20.-I find that un-
der tho new dispcnsation not Il few Of
tho Now York newspapers are managed
by tho commercial man down stairs,
who has usurpod the functions Of tho
editor up stairs. Tho pen may still be
mightier than tho sword, but the man
who handles 1t is subordinated 10 the
genius who swears TO the circulation
and makes n littlo go very iar.
Horace Greeley, sitting upon the cdi.
torial tripod, wrote to Uncle Benny
Owen, u, he called his old foreman, who
died at Weston, West Virginia: "The
Tribune ia for principles always and
success cvcr, but I'll be hung and drawn
and quartercd il l surrender IL spock OF
what believe to he right for oil tho
gold in or out Of California" "llorace,"
enid Uncle Benny, when no read me
that letter, "~ltorace. bless him. worked
it, like the mighty man he was, for sue.
cess and money, too. but for money rs
the result Of advocating right and put.
ting down wrong."
..lludine TO the Tribune, | remember
OF tho time that it had on its staff q
stronger body Of men than my newspu-
per in tho world ut that %day--lSGl.
Greeley was editor.in.chicf. Charles 4,
Dana, now Of tho SIN, was managing cd.
itor, with whom was associated, as book
reviewer, the sch olarly DR.. Ripley,
who. jointly with Dana, edited the
American Cyclopedia; John W. Eng
land, daily editor; Ottcrson, the stats.
teal man; Frye, tire musical critic aud
composer; Bayard Taylor, the graceful
poet, subsequently minister to Ger.
many; Sidney Howard Gay, who sue
coedcd Dana rs managing editor; John
Russell Young, who took Gays place;
llildrcth, the historian; Samuel Wilkc-
son; John Cleveland, Greeley's brother
in-law; Charles d. Brigham, whose
South Carolina letters startled, astound-
ed and maddened tho scccssionists who
were looking for their author while he
was among them every day, Amos
Cummings, now Of tho Sun and IL rep
rescntative In Congress, was then 4
proof reader in the Tribune office, and
tho present chief editor, Whitelaw
Reid, recently returned from France al
ter an honorable and marked service rs
minister, was the Washington CORE
spondent Of the Cincinnati GI-fNe, writ
ing letters over the nom de plume OF Gag
ate" ., %
Reid is a man Of great cultivation, dis
Greet, %tactful, gentle.mannered, rather
~soft-voicod, proud Of his post as the sue
cessor Of the 1riJune's great founder,
whose name is kept oil the editorial
page through respect for his memory,
and for the glory it sheds around
about it. ~
JOHN /. DAVENPORT.
In 1866 tho paper had as Washington
correspondent John ]. Davenport, the
present chief supervisor OF elections for
the southern district OF New York, who
succeeded Carl Schurz at q salary OF
$500 a year, a much higher compensa-
ton than was generally paid Mt that
time 10 Washington correspondents.
Davenport had previously rendered
good service in the home Office. ITe
had been in tho war on the staff OF Gen.
cral Benjamin F. Butler, with the rank
OF captain, though not twenty years OF
age. lilo had q keen nose for news, wa
an expert stenoyrapher, had the mem
DRY Of an elephant, worked untiringly,
and was in the confidence OF Rcpubli-
can leaders like Conkling, Henry Viii
son and lack Chandler. Davenport is
now about fo%rty-nine years OF age, look.
ing to be less than thirty. lie is small
ish, compactly built, has n pale face,
keen, sparkling, black eyes and dark
moustache.
Tho Tribune has suffered somewhat
by tho editors absence in France, and
he comes back TO take tho helm and
steer It straight. Unlike most OF its
contemporaries, the paper has not
given its pages up to wood cuts, pic
ture, and the like. Mr.. Reid has en-.
deavored to keep to tho lines laid down
by his predecessor. Tho Washington
end Of the paper is a little weak, and lis
London correspondent. Smalley, once
on tho New York World, is u good deal
OF a flunkey, having discarded his
Americanism and disdainin. 10 speak
English as he got it from his mother.
DEspoTIc BESHErr.
The Herald, with all tho whims and
humors Of its peripatetic proprietor, is
conducted with system. 1t has never
lost its independence, and hence its i'll.
tluencc has not gone out by the back
door. Dennett'a sway is n sort OF abso-
lutte dcspotism. He watches his great
possession very closely and now and
then no sends & cable from CONSTANT.
nople asking the name OF the man who
wrote this article or that, and soon there
comes an order from whcresoever he
may be-: PAY Jones 10 date, md put
OShaushncssy in his place" The
Herald people arc constantly on tho
lookout for explosions, knowing Ben.
nett's mood, and humors. His heart IS
kindly, however, and mo rewards faith.
tul work generously and ungrudsingly.
Hcis quick to discover bright mon and
uses them to the Mcrahl's advantage.
1le took j.. II. MacGahan, the great wa:
correspondent, from tho London Daily
Noes, saying: "Go to Russia, and do
tho Turko-Russiau war;" "a he said to
Henry NJ. Stanley, "Go and find DR..
Livingstone" There is no fixed tenure
on the Herald. The city editor to-day is
apt to ind himself q reporter to.mor.
row. Tho man with talent enough to
impress his personality upon the paper
crosses the danger line. rs. the proprie-
tor is jealous OF his prcrogatives.
This was tho fato that overlook
Thomas Opnnerry for sn Iono IN ad;tor