The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1896-11-05
LEADER OF JOURNALISM.
Upright Character of James Soroon
Bennett in the Newspaper World.


Bennett in the Newspaper World.
The character Of James Gordon Ben
nett as a leader or journalism Is admir-
ably summed up in an interesting ar
ticle by James Creelman. AS an edit
or saws the writer, Mr.. Bennett Is I'M
patient of political control or partner
ship. He scents danger in every APP
proach, and he will deliberately attack
a party to prove that he Is not under
its influence. According TO him, an
editor should be a man in a watch
tower. out Of sound and out OF reach.
Otherwise there would be conspiracy
and compromise. Private promises
are to be broken In the public interest,".
Friendships are to be regarded as traps
for the editorial conscience. SO Mr.
Bennett Is a lonely man in a crowd, a
hermit In the midst Of bustli1g life.
can tell one story that illustrates the
magnificent perversity and shreWsh-
ness that have preserved the Herald as
a historic example Of incorruptible
Journalism. When Gen. Crespo under
took to overthrow the rotten and tyran-
meal government of President Palacio,
he had thirty badly armed Venezue-
lans to follow him. The revolution was
sanctioned by the people, but they were
afraid, at first, to join Crespo's stand
ard. Gradually, however, he gathered
together a small army, and advanced
upon the government forces. Palacio
and his friends had looted the treasury,
money was needed to crush the revolt,
and a sum great enough for the pur-
poses could only be had in Europe.
About this time an old friend OF Mr..
Bennett called upon him In Paris, and
explained that the Venezuelan govern
ment desired to place loan bonds for
many millions Of dollars in the Lon
don market He Informed Mr.. Bennett
that he was to be the agent Of Palacio
In the matter, and would make for
tune out Of 1t. Then he asked for the
cooperation Of the Herald, on the score
Of old-time friendship, and finally he
announced that If the Herald could be-
little the revolutionary cause, and so
stimulate the confidence Of bankers in
the government bonds, the transaction
would be worth two or three hundred
thousands dollars to Mr. Bennett. At
this Mr. Bennett smiled grtmly.
sit is worth a million dollars to the
Herald to know these facts" he said.
II do not quite understand you"
said the friend.
at is worth S1,OOO,00o to support the
other side"
why, Mr.. Bennett, am l too later
Have the other men seen your
mo; not at all. But you have given
me proof that the government Of Vene-
Euela deserves to fall. 1t Is worth
$1,000 to the Herald to be on the
right side / shall back up the revolu-
ton, and let the truth be known to the
world"
In vain the friend pleaded that his
conversation was confidential, and that
anewspaperhadn no right to take advan-
tage Of facts communicated under the
seal Of secrecy. Within an hour cable
message set the wonderful machinery
Of the Herald In motion, and day after
day its columns were crowded with
dispatches from special correspondents
in Venezuela, describing thiev yiwovt
the revolutionary army and the weak
ness of the government. These dis
patches were reproduced in all the
European capitals, and Palacio's bonds
could not find a purchaser. Without
money or credit, the tyrant fell; and
the first act of Crespo, after he enter
ed Caracas at the head Of his victorious
army, was to send long cablegram,
at the public expense, thanking the
Herald, over his own signature, for its
services In the cause of liberty and
constitutional government