Evening star., 1896-07-18

was Mr.. Weed who selected the former and
fairly forced him on the nominating con-
vention, and in case of Johnson set aside
the incumbent. Hannibal Hamln, against
much sympathy and political strength
Oddly enough by the deaths of Harrison
and Taylor and Lincoln, AIr. Weed vastly
lost political prestige, because Taylor his
own nominee, iilmore and Johnson were no
sooner in White House power than they
parted political company with Mr.. Weed.
Oddly enough, also, two of his candidates.
Gen Scott in 1852 and Gen Fremont in
1876. Were unsuccessful, and again lost him
political prestige. His cherished aims in
ls1' TO give the presidency to William H.
SeWard-whom he had made governor of
New York state in 1910 and placed on the
road to great statesmanship-were also un-
successful, and ever thereafter his political
prestige as party manager slowly faded.
James Gordon Bennett, while an editor of
great party organ, the New York Courier
and Enquirer-afterward absorbed into the
New York Worid-did much toward the
election in 1895 of Martin Van Buren,. and
again in ls-S greatly aided the fortunes Of
President Pierce by his sarcastic sallies
against the Weed candidate Gen. Scott to
whom he gave the soubriquet of "Old Fuss
and Feathers, that disadvantageousy
clung to HIM throughout his disastrous
campaign. But in 1856. when Pierce de-
sired denomination, Mr.. Bennett turned
against him and practically unmade him.
while strongly favoring Buchanan in his
then powerful newspaper, the New York
herald
Horace Greeley shared with Mr. Weed the
making of Harrison in 1910. of Taylor in
1SiS. and of Lincoln in 1860. but sadly failed
In 1872 in his endeavors to unmake Presi-
dent Grant in a second term.
Henry J. Raymond had his full share in
the making of Generals Scott and Fremont
candidates, and in the making of Lincoln
after n" received. against Raymond's infiu-
ence. the nomination-and also of General
Grant in his first term. When Mr.. Weed
and large section of the party of Andrew
johnson deserted him. Mr. Raymond's pen
was that Presidents support in what might
be termed his remaking. But Mr.. Ray
mond. unlike the other three of the quartet
never had share of unmaking any Presi-
dent.
Founding of Four Great DniIies.
Although all of this famous editorial quar-
tet are dead, each lives to a marked extent
In the journals that each founded-the AL
bany Evening Journal, the New York
Herald. the New York Tribune and the New
York Times 1t was my good fortune to
know personally all of them, to have been
on intimate terms with three of them.
Mr.. Bennett was native SCOT: Mr.. Greeley
took birth among the granite hills of New
Hampshire; Mr.. Weed under the shadows
of the Catskill mountains about the time
Rip Van Wrinkle was still sleeping there,
and Mr. RaymondS infant eyes first opened
on the Green mountains of Vermont.
Circumstances strangely threw together
their journalistic careers. In 1910 Messrs
Weed and Greeley were editorally CO.
operating for the cause of 'Tippecanoe and
Tyler. too" Mr.. Bennett had been serving
for the same cause as subeditor to the,
Courier and Enquirer. When Mr.. Bennett
Quilted that employment to found-like
Greeley-one or two minor and compara-
lively unsuccessful journals, and next, in
1885. to originate the New York Herald, Mr.
Raymond succeeded him in the Courier some
years later, and next, leaving that post
took employment under Mr.. Greeley on the
Tribune Thus Mr.. Raymond, when starting
the Times. had acquired reminiscent knowl-
edge of both Bennett and Greeley's Journal
istic trends. as had the editor of the Tribune
of the newspaper methods Of Mr.. Weed.
Nevertheless. II Is notable that each in
early as well as in later newspaper conduct,
Struck out original methods, imbued with
personal idiosyncracies. At the time Mr
Raymond, in 1857. in connection with the
late George Jones business partner
founded the New York Times, Mr.. Weed