The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-07-25

! Men of mature years may be generally
divided into yesterday or tomorrow men,
One class, for instance, fond of memo
ries and "reminiscences; and another ad.
dictcd to antioipations. One classic
quote the title of popular novel-look-
ing backward. and the other looking for
ward in preference. Messrs Weed and
Greeley were to large extent yesterday
men; hut Messrs Bennett and Raymond
decidedly we're tomorrow men. Every
editor must, of course, be both tomor-
row man and yesterday man while he
views today. His vocation and his
newspaper so demand. But Mr. Weed
and MIR. Greeley were habitually prone to
refer to the past, while Mr.. Bennett and
Mr.. Raymond seemed to ignore it and
pay great attention to the future.
| In private conversation the two first
named fingered on the what has been,
but the other two OIL the ''what is to be-
To certain extent the two first named
were inclined to pessimism; but the ether
two were optimists Mr.. Bennett was
especially given to GENERALIZATION upon
expected events and to representations
He hailed novel schemes in social pro-
gress, inventions and scientific advance.
So far as his potent pen is concerned he
may have been said to have laid tho At
lantic cable. In it's darkest hours he per-
sistently commended and advocated it
Doubtless, youthful memories Of his sire's
enthusiasm on the matter inspired the
namesnke son to create that European
| cable system with which the name of
| heard Mr.. Bennett predict that great
worldly gains were in progress from the
use Of electricity, and in his minds eye
he foreshadowed the idea Of the tele-
phone. But he did not live to see the
marvellous fulfIlment of his crude pre-
dictions, under the almost magical gen-
ius of Edison.
EDITORIAL POLICIES.
| The quartet varied in their estimation
of the requisites for editorial life.
For instance, while Mr.. Raymond be.
lieved that be who had no convictions
was the best editor, Mr. Greeley awarded
the palm to the editor who held strong
convictions The ideas which Messrs
Weed and Bennett shared on the gu bj eot
were that the best editor was he who
followed the trend Of popular convictions
In the majority upon pending questions
They each put great editorial reliance on
yox populi But If Mr.. Greeley did not
approve of that yox he honestly endeav-
ored to hush it. A favorite expression Of
| Mr.. Bennett was that one province of an
editor was to put scenes of life into the
minds of readers without requiring them
to think much MS they read.
Each of the quartet became popular
with his staff.
Mr.. Greeley for his frankness, quain t.
ness and simplicity; Mr.. Raymond for
unvarying urbanity and consideration
for the feelings of others; Mr.. Weed by
reason Of his personal magnetism and
his recognized good Judgment about men
and events, and Mr.. Bennett for his
grave, courteous dignity ana his valued
sententious and marvellous spread of in
formation He was gifted with Walter
Scott like memory. and was to his staff
what may term peripatetio enoyolo-
pedia. Mr. Weed and Mr.. Greeley shared
dtsraste for details, and lsft these wholly
to subordinates; but the other two edi-
tors. while believing in division of labor
among assistants, readily graspe1 details
in newspaper management, and to large
extent shared in arrangement of these.
With that most necessary adjunct to
successful journal, the business office,
Messrs Weed aud Greeley held no conneo-
tion or supervision. Mr. Raymond en-
joyed the cooperation in the business de-
partment of the Times of his partner the
late George Jones, who was In his day
undenatly The most capable newspaper
publisher that any country ever knew
In the business department Of the Herald
Mr.. Bennett took pains to employ men
who in the slang of the present day are
felioitously styled "hustlers, but his
personally supervised the business de-
tails Of the Herald.
1t was q misfortune in Mr.. Greeley's
life that he never had the slightest apt
ness for business in its commercial
senses. Upon particular occasion at one
the literary Carey sisters weekly held in
their cozy house On Lexington avenue,
where the representative lterati, artists
and music lovers of New York city as
sem bled, the topic arose whether Dickens
really drew the character of Micawbar
from his own father; and Mr.. Greeley
said. My paternal was a veritable
Mioawber himself. His love of indorsng
notes for neighhoring farmers in our
village of Amherst reduced him to tal k
ruptoy and compelled his emigration TO
mother state" Oddly enough, this same
traitscrept into Editor Greeley's career.
He lost large srIns through his New
York residence by indorsing commercial
paper that he was compelled to honor.
He WAS the only impulsive member of
the quartet, and simpulsi1 eness in bust
| ness matters is not desirable trait So.
it came to pass that when Mr.. Greeley
died he owned only six shares of the capt.
| tai stock of the New York Tribune out
of the very large mum her of shares that
| he once possessed