Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-06-10
JAMES GORDON BENNETT

The American Magazine contains an
James Gordon Bennett by Henry Wat
terson Mr. Bennett, who will be 20
in May, is the son of the founder of
the New York Herald. He has been
owner and master of the Herald since
his fathers death. Mr.. Wattersons
sketch follows, in part:
Up to his 10th birthday, Bennett,
the elder, had seemed a failure. All
things by turns and nothing long
inclining, however, to the print shop
he at last conceived the idea of the
Herald and developed this with extra
ordinary energy, skill and patience.
Inheriting so great a property already
made, Bennett, the younger. rich from
the cradle, had before he was 40,
much enlarged it, and at the same time
given signal examples of extraordinary
talents and daring; had crossed the
Atlantic in a tiny boat in midwinter,
winning a famous race: had sent
Stanley to Africa TO find the lost Liv-
ingstone; had despatched an expidi-
ton to the north pole; had laid a
cable under the sea; yet had kept
himself in the background. like the
master of marionettes he was, his in
dividuality so palpable in the Office,
unknown to the public, his identity
lost in the vast mechanism of his be-
loved Herald.
"Of such a man dwelling abroad
anything may be written and said AMI
all sorts of preposterous things, fairy
tales and hobgoblin yarns, are told,
the simple truth being that, living like
a king he labors like a king; in pleas
ing his working sense and his humor
yacht his saddle-establishin his
headquarters where most is doing;
taking his horoscopes of affairs mum
dane and current on the spot; both
the European and American issues of
his paper held as firmly under his
hand and rule as though he sat peren-
nially at his desk in New York or in
Paris, being generally thousands of
miles away Thus his most ordinary
habits, his customary exits and en-
frances, lend themselves TO romance.
Not merely stories, but novels have
been written about him; the man him
self as ready a subject for the fiction
makers as the man in the iron mask.
There is no chancellory of Europe
to which Mr. Bennett has not ready
access, nor any court circle 10 which
he is not a welcome visitor. The very
incarnation Of the idea of publicity he
re
ready to be disclosed, every nation
and all statesmen recognizing him as
a man to be trusted as well as an
TO be reckoned with. No
such position is held by any other
living journalist, or ever was held
by any other journalist to the degree
in which this astute and elusive man
holds it,
The secret lies of course somewhat
in circumstances and opportunity. But
these he has made for himself. He
early comprehended, as his father did
before him, the tremendous value O.
the independence of dis
Interested public service; and he has
never let go of this, or put it at the
bidding of party. or any group OF
men The Herald has been and is a
newspaper. first. last and all the time
Great sums OF money are pored out as
free as water for news, early news, re-
liable news, no matter where il hits
Dr. whom ii hurts Amiable. as a rule.
and sensible. neither malicious, nor
heartless, there ar poise and balance
rom years end 10 years END, which
may be found in no other American