New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-05

content to survey those seismic phenomena from
the brink. or from the edge Of the crater
But when he had convinced himself that the
Jay or mere reaction and mere sulking and
mere dreaming was past he entered probably
Tor the first time in his life upon a missionary
TASK He set about converting his readers. To
have preached at them would have been neither
to his taste nor to theirs. and would have injured
his paper without advancing his cause. But he
gently instiiled into the minds of his public GER
tain ideas Of politics remote from those to
which they had been accustomed nor apparently
hostile. He left these ideas to fertilize. There
was no hurry. no forcing. The process went
for years. Each year the idea became a little
more definite. With infinite tact and address
and patience. and with the most charming air
Of Indifference, of sceDtcism, of expressing
others opinions and not his own. of accepting
only the inevitable and even that not under COM
pusion he brought round his journal to the
point where he had long perceived 1t could alone
find safe footing and keep its hold permanently
on the public Thus 1t was that the Figaro
became Republican and softly drew its public
along the same difficult road to this end. He
rendered an immense service to the Republic,
and he proved himself the most consummate
French diplomatist of his day.
The journal which NJ. de V.Eemessant founded
as a weekly. transformed into a daily. and
handed on to NJ Maynard. would not seem a good
newspaper to the able editors of Chicago or Den
yer; perhaps not even in New-York 1t never had
much of what in America is understood by news.
That is because the Frenchman and the Ameri
can mean different things by the word news.
What the American means know. What the
Frenchman means may be seen by a glance at
the columns of the Figaro" column or two
of "Echos" mostly personal and other local news
of Paris a column of "Nouve,les Diverses' half
n column often less OF kilograms from abroad:
a money article, scraps OF news from the prov
inces. Courier deS Theatres from one to two
columns racing chronicle of nearly the same
length, scraps of other sport, sometimes an an
aysis of other papers, which was a specially
with NJ Maynard. These are pretty much all
the contents that relate to news. Add TO them
the leading article. often on art or book or
sketch of a celebrity, or an interview; other &C.
cas.onal articles sometimes leader on foreign
affairs and always a f,uilleton. and you have
the Figaro" There would be on great occasions,
like the death of the Car. long telegram from
some foreign capital. Chicago or Denver would
not as / said. think much Of this. yet they
might look more respectfully upon it If they
knew that NJ Maynard had the skill to make
the paper which contained it pay 100000 year
IN its shareholders That is l presume. sufii-
Gent testimony to his merits editor the more
50 as he r!gidly kept down the advertising;
making ND by high prices for the narrowness
of the space he would grant ! presume 81 20
line would be considered high even In New-i orK.
Personally NJ. Maynard was aniable, quiet
agreeable cultivated. kindly. popular. He was
great reader. and his reading consisted mosu!
of the classics. Perhaps Chicago and Denver
will reflect a moment on that The most sue
cessful and competent French journalist OF MS
time really thought that a constant perusai OF
the great classics was the best preparation TOT
his work in journalism. From them he Ore" MS
inspiration; they taught him 10 write; they were
his companions by day and by night. lie had
application and a prodigious memory; courage
also. and a kind of quality which made men
loyal TO him. probably because he was loyal 10
them.
Since his death he has been praised Tor many
qualities which he did not possess. II Is khdiy
feeling which leads men into vague panegyr"s
unon the dead but OF little avail The man AZ
he was-that is always attractive Herosm ne
had In the endurance OF great pain. but OF nero
ten, IN the conduct OF his journal. little or none.
Nor a. Journalism as a rule heroic business
Ono NJ his colleagues extols his love OF truth. his
nrob,tv his passion for Justice. his indepen-
dence his loftiness OF character. These must
he taken as personal tributes. NJ. Maynard may
have had all these traits in private life and In
his personal relations. They were not those
which ne found IL useful 10 display most ire
ouantlv in the paper he edited II Is better to say
frankly that he lifted that paper to as high
,evaI az its public would permit; and there re-
NAMED u W. :"