St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-02-16
CID NEWSPAPERS.
Hy GEORGE A. ROBERTSON.

SlD N w ~ al ALAseOs
BY GEORGE A. ROBERTSON.
There has been such a complete rev.
olutiou in the manner of conducting
newspape pers and in the character of
their contents within the past lew dec
ades that it is now almost impossible
to understand the power that was ex-
erted bv Horace Greeley and other
great editors in the days just preced-
ing the great civil war and during that
struggle
The discovery of an ingenious Ger
man chemist that fairly good print
paper can be made from wood pulp,
the introduction of type-setting
machines, and the improvements Of
the wonderful web presses OF the pres
ens time. have completely transformed
the mechanical departments OF all the
leading newspapers, and made it
possible to issue papers OF maximum
size at minimum of cost.
Ben Perley Poore. the long time
famous Washington correspondent,
told me a short time before his death
that when he first went TO Washing
ton in 1855 be was absolutely limited
to ten words per day by telegraph.
The remainder Of his report was sent
by mail; the publishers of that news
paper and its readers being perfectly
content to wait day or two for their
news. The price of telegraphing at
that time between Washington and
Boston was ten cents per word.
To-day the leading dailies receive,
during the sessions of congress, ten
and twelve thousand words q day.
They are members of one or the other
of the great newsgathering associa-
tions that cover the entire globe, and
send over their special wires from fifty
to eighty thousand words per day.
The telegraph outstrips the sun, and
often the people are reading in their
afternoon papers of things that hap
pened in Europe at an hour earlier
than that at which the paper went to
press.
All these conditions of the present
are SO different from those that pre-
vailed in 1888, when Horace Greeley
and Francis Story started the penny
Morning Post in Philadelphia. that
there is almost nothing in common
between the two. In the first and
most important particular the newspa-
per was net then necessity of every
day life it was simply called a news
paper out OF courtesy. 1t contained
very little OF wha. is now understood
as news. 1t was more the reflection of
the editors opinions. and people then.
as now, could live without opinions.
write interestingly the paper usually
succeeded. If lie was dull and stupid
the paper was short-lived. The at
tempt Of Story and Greeley to publish
the Morning Post at one cent per
day was dismal failure.
1t now seems almost unaccountable
that the publication of that insignifl-
cent weekly sheet, the Log Cabin.
in 1910, by Mr.. Greeley, in New York.
should have brought him into national
prominence. But the brilliancy of the
editorials and the unique way in which
national matters were presented made
in that day and generation profound
impression, and Mr.. Greeley was al
most Immediately brought into nation
al renown. His counsel was sought,
and he was in several important mat
ters able to adjust differences between
the great whig leaders
Capt c. E. Henry. who figured promi-
nently in politics for many years. and
who was at the time of President Gar
fields death marshal of the District of
Columbia. knew Mr.. Greeley well, and
is an admirer of his genius. In re-
cent conversation with the captain he
related numerous incidents and char
acteristics of the great editor that are
entirely new or forgotten by those of
the present day who read newspapers
These points give good and satisfac-
tory key to the character and power
of the great editor.
Greeley had a way Of meeting an
opponent that was practically un-
answerable." said the captain. Il re-
member that a certain editor in New
York for whom he had great contempt
was continually pitching,into him and
trying to draw him into discussion.
Greeley stood il until he thought it
was about time to reply and finally
printed the following editorial para
graph: If the editor who wears
mourning under his finger nails for his
departed veracity. viii surprise his
system with bath, we Will attempt a
clean discussion with him
This of course ended the slurs and
insinuatioas that had up till that time
been very frequent in the opposition
sheet
One of the most remarkable in
stances of Greeley's repartee was in a
contest with James Watson Webb, the
editor of the New York Courier and
Enquirer. a rival whig paper. Webb
had been in the army and was quite
fiery in disposition. He had fought a
duel with Thomas L. Marshall. of Ken
tucly, in June, 1872. in which he was
severely wounded. When Indicted for
dueling be pleaded guilty, having had
an understanding that the ot1ense
would be considered q technical one,
and that Gov Seward would pardon
Qklu. he E1Ss GS$SAAAA8Ass AouA~A
guilty aud pardoned.
Some wears after. when in discus.
sion with Greeley. Webb. who was .
fine dresser, had occasion to refer to
Mr.. Gree!ey's slovenly appearance anu
remarked that he attracted O great
deal of attention when walking on
Broadway. Mr.. Greely's reply was as
follows:
s.Thc Courier and Enquirer says
that the dress of the editor of this pa
per attracts a great deal of attention
when he walks along broadway. Ia
rcply re wish to say that had it moi
been for the executive clemency o,
aSov. Seward. the clothes worn by
3anes Watson Webb woold attract Q