davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

structure:
"My favOrite relaxation is see
ing how high can build a
cylinder of pennies without let
ting It falI-but maybe you'd
better put me down for horse
back riding"
His Failure Forecast
He used to chuckle over the
time he went to re-organize a
newspaper for w. R. Hearst in
the near West and substituted
his own column for that of
local sage. At dinner the first
day, in a restaurant, he saw two
old men discussing the new man.
agement and overheard one say.
querulously:
"Who's this young man Ar
thur Brisbane that's got a col
umn in the paper tonight?
Don't know him, eh?. Well
neither do / but I guess he won't
last long. No sir, he'll find he's
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
Group Made Newspaper History

Around Mr.. Brisbane and not
subordinate to him stood other
tremendous powers of press.
Morrill, Goddard edited the Sun
day edition, a vivid, graphic
mass of super features gathered
from all over the world. Brad
ford Merrill was the Worlds
managing editor. S. S. Carvalho
was the Worlds publisher and
business manager. Rudolph Block
was ranking reporter. Nellie BLY,
was the greatest girl reporter.
They formed a constellation
around Joseph Pulitzer and they
made the World whirl.
When William Randolph
Hearst came from California to
New York and bought the Morn
ing Journal, he drew them all to
him, among them Brisbane.
Merrill, now dead, became a
great editor; Goddard developed
the feature section of the Sun
day paper into the national pub
lication, the American Weekly,
running into 100000 circula-
tion in the Hearst newspapers
now; Rudolph Block became art
editor, developing avocational
fame as an author under the
name Bruno Lessing; while S. S.
Carvalho rose to Craftsmanship
of the Hearst newspapers. All
these men we're developed from
reporters, all were nodded or
modified by w. R. Hearst'S phi
losophy and policy.
Arthur Brisbane's editorials in
the World had struck to the
heart of readers by their SIM
plicity, direct n IS, common
sense. On the Morning Journal.
to emphasize appearance in the
new field, Brisbane wanted them
to strike the eyes first. w. r.
Hearst at that time opposed big
type, but Brisbane wanted what
he said to shout from the printed
page.
Worked on Commission
He had made a financial ar
rangement with W. r. Hearst by
which instead Of increased salary
he would be paid a commission
on circulation improvement. He
had obtained wide authority
for the play of his own power.
So, despite organization op-
position, he blasted forth his
messages in the biggest type
available, then had seven-inch
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

NeWspaperrnen work hard and
play gaily, sleep deeply. Arthur
Brisbane just worked hard. He
was not interested in play of
any kind, and sleep seemed a
necessity he regretted. He knew
better than almost any other
man the tremendous value of
time, for he realized the literal
ness of the fact that without it
life cannot be. Every day saw
subconSciouS struggle to get
more work done than on the
previous day.
In every hour, he tried to beat
the previous hours production.
He installed dictaphone in his
automobile, had another in his
office, caused another to be car
ried on trains-he gloated over
Thomas A. Edison when the in
ventor of the phonograph could
not install a device to prevent
train vibration Earring the
needle on the wax cylinder Of
the phonograph. Brisbane did
it by setting the whole machine
on an air cushion!
Once when he observed blind
soldiers typeWriting in a. De-
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
M0DESTY AND SINCERITY
ADDED TO GREATNESS

Americas most valuable and
least developed resources.
With people, he was interna-
tional, world-minded, but of gov
ernments, he was suspicious. He
appreciated the virtues of every
nation and race as well as the
vices of most of their rulers.
He respected and admired all
religions. He sometimes showed
impatience with Zealots who
sought to win converts. He sug.
gested once to an evangelist
seeking to proselyte among Jews
of New York that all the con-
verts he would make in a cen.
tury could be carried in a taxi
cab.
Yet he displayed sympathy
and understanding with new be-
liefs. He saw much in Christian
Science and when Mary Baker
Eddy died, Arthur Brisbane was
the only pallbearer who was not
a member Of her faith. Between
science and religion, he saw no
real conflict. He could have an
swered the arguments of Dar.
row and Bryan with equal ease
in that celebrated debate on fun
damentalism, yet he respected
the sincerity of both men.
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

York Sun staff under Charles
A. Dana's direction. The Sun
was a national power in those
days and Dana, who had been
active in Brook Farm, a journal
istic genius. He gave to news
reporting and comment a clear,
classic style that still dominates
the profession. He stressed
science, world events, literature
and art generally. He possessed
a rare sense of news value but
he emphasized as strongly the
necessity for presenting news
most effectively. Many Of
Americas ableSt reporters came
from the old Sun Shop-and
Dana was a man after the boy
BriSbane's own heart!
They got along great together.
In a short time. Brisbane was
London correspondent and the
quality of his dispatches made
him famous. Soon, he was
called back to America to direct
the Evening Sun and from
that managing di torShip,
Joseph Pulitzer won him to The
New York World, then rated
the most aggressive liberal news
paper in the country.
Pulitzer and Brisbane teamed
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
Once Solved an Edison Problem

troit hospital, Brisbane told his
secretary that the sightleSs men
were twice as swift on a ma
chine as some he knew who
could see.
Quick on Decisions
He rode in a taxicab to
Grand Central Terminal from
the New York American Build
ing one day, a distance Of less
than three miles. In the car
with him were an advertising
manager, a real estate dealer
and the editor of a Hearst
newspaper. In the Is minutes
required for the trip, Arthur
Brisbane decided the policy of
the newspaper on an impor-
tant issue, settled a land deal
and mapped out an advertising
campaign.
With 10 minutes left to train
time, he stood at the marble
topped information counter in
the terminal and got his ITO
day" column under way. Call.
ing a messenger, he dispatched
it downtown and telegraphed
the rest of the column from sta
tiOnS,
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
Scientific Prophecies. Often True

Incapable of surprise because
he appreciated the infinitenesS
of the human heritage, the mod
ern miracles Of physics, medi-
cine, chemistry and surgery were
so often foreseen by Brisbane
that their accomplishment ap-
peared the mere fulfillment of
his prophecies.
Arthur Brisbane grasped az
fairs of the world as readily and
as comprehensively as if the
globe in his office were literally
the earth. And he could draw
significance for every human
mind in the plight of a child
with a headIesS doll, in a Strug-
gle between a spider and snake
in a web. Associates said the
whole human race was Bris-
bane's field-for he knew zool-
ogy, botany and geology and
much meteorology, too.
Thousands of illustrations of
Mr.. BriSbane's incredible accu-
1acy of judgment ON great and
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
Ridicule of Mitchell Saved HulQn

AT q Waldorf banquet one
night, breaking his rule against
public addresses, he was intro
duced to an assembly of soldiers,
financiers and scientists as the
champion Of yellow journalism
and this reporter recalls his re.
SponSe:
81 champion yellow journal
ism because a journal should be
yellow. Yellow is the favOrite
color Of us all. It's the color
of the metal that you, Mr..
Henry CIewS, and your Wall
Street associates wear your
selves out trying to dig from
other peoples pockets, the same
metal that stretched America
out to the California mountains.
Yellow is the color of the stripes
of the American cavalry, of the
generals decorations and the
color of the sun that you men of
science look on as your god.
Would anyone Of you prefer
pale pink?"
He could be master of in
vective. but he was unsurpassed
in satire. Of a socially ambitious
mayor. Brisbane wrote a half
page editorial under a cartoon
picturing the mayor shucking
evening clothes in a flat and
calling joyously to his wife in
the kitchen:
"Oh, my dear, Mr.. Wander
bilt called me Jack tonight"
And that cartoon went far
toward the defeat of John Pur-
roy Mitchell for reelection and
the elevation of Hylan to con-
troll of the city government.
Of his own ability, he was
confident, sure, but modest. He
sometimes paid himself an in
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

he developed the explosive
energy scientists seek in the
atom.
Other Great Names
For the measure and weight Of
Arthur Brisbane's greatness,
other great editors must be men,
toned. The most famous Of
them-Charles A. Dana Of the
old New York Sun and Joseph
Pulitzer of the old New York
World, for and with whom he
worked in their brightest years;
Henry WatterSon of the Louis
vile Courier Journal; Lawrence
Godkin of the old New York
Post; James Gordon Bennett Of
the Herald; Horace Greeley of
the New York Tribune; Samuel
Bowles of the Springfield Repub-
lican-had small audiences in
comparison to the ever-increaS-
ing multitude Arthur Brisbane
taught and led.
Presidents and premierS, kings
and caliphs reigned and battled
in endless pageant before this
mans eyes and he watched them
all. Born during Americas
struggle of the States, he saw
war lifted from earth to the
clouds and sunk under seas. He
moved forward with the advance
of science.
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
Also Great Advertising Director

Griffith gave thanks that he
did not have to cleave the in
crease.
Arthur Brisbane from birth
was a liberal and never forsook
the faith. He was born in Buff
falo on December IL, 1864, CO.
incident with Lincoln's appoint
ment of Grant to command the
Union Army. He was son of
Albert Brisbane, a wealthy, lib
erty-loving philosopher who was
the last leader of the Brook
Farm community and who wrote
with the compressed clarity that
characterized the sons work.
The elder BriSbane's audience
was so limited that he used to
buy space in New York news
papers at $3.50 a column to OBJ
tain recognition for Fourier
philosophy.
The Brisbanes believed even
then in advertiSing-and the
father used to use capital letters
for emphasis, a topographic
style that the son adopted long
after in the Hearst newspapers.
Sarah White was the boys
mother, an everlasting influence
on his life and thought.
Arthur Brisbane, after local
schooling, spent five years in
French and German schools.
He learned more out of school
than in books there although
he was an incessant student. He
paid scant attention to fiction
ever. But he became an ami
mated encyclopedia Of history,
biography and science in all it's
forms and what was new in any
field of human effort fascinated
him.
Became Reporter at 19
On his nineteenth birthday,
Brisbane joined the old New
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
not big enough for old Mr.. Liv-
ingStOne'S bOOtS!"

not big enough for old Mr.. Liv-
ingstOne's bOOts!"
At a dinner where he was COM
PEELED to speak, a preceding ora
tor recalled that a prediction the
editor made had failed COM
pletely of fulfillment. Brisbane
commented as he rose:
"That was only one Of many
thousands of mistakes I've
made. / expect to live long
enough to make many thou
sands more. The mistakes Of
myself and of others have
taught me most of what 1
know"
He was a tremendous traveller,
but confined himself to America
almost exclusively. He always
travelled fast, arguing speed
heightened life. He saw the i'm
portance of every part of the
country and sectional envy
seemed to him unpatriotic
nearly to the point of treason.
State rivalry was splendid, he
thought, but State enmity de-
structive. He could find as
many points in favor of Florida
as of California, as much to be
said for Detroit as New York
but he rated the farmlands and
mountains and their people as
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
Good Listening Aided KnOUledQe

He liked to saunter into coun-
try newspaper offices and chat
between editions with the ed
itorS and their assistants. He
would draw them to the local
hotel for luncheon sometimes
and they leaped at the chance
to talk shop. Or rather, they
would talk and he would listen.
Arthur Brisbane was the best
listener on earth, strongly as he
disliked conferences, low as he
rated social engagements.
He rarely read humor and
seldom INDUCED in it, but he
possessed that gift. When w.
S. "Slim" FarnSworth, sports
editor of The Evening Journal.
asked him to contribute his own
favorite avocatiop for a series of
fads of the famous, Mr.. Bris-
bane drew a handful of cur
rency from a pocket and with
slow care began building a
column Of coins and he said,
gently, lest he disturb the
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

we'll for years. The Brisbane
editorials became International
ly famous. He used news on
the heads of readers like ham,
mer on a bell, startling the COM
munity, setting up vibrations
and reverberations. He hit hard
and often. He did not await
developments. He forced them.
He made the old World a mod
ern crusader, organizing and
leading the masses of readers
against social, industrial and
political evil. The World be-
came the most effective organ
of public opinion in the coun-
try!
Arthur Brisbane learned one
executive element there that in
fluenced him to the end of life.
He learned the wisdom of appre-
ciating specialized skill in others
and of delegating duties to
others. But he selected his
delegates with extreme caution,
giving them authority as fast as
they could exercise it, paying
them far above average rates,
generating loyalty in them. An
odd trait for an intense in
individualist who set no limit
to his own labor.
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

wooden type cut to be even more
impressive. He devised the So
called double truck by which he
could run a picture across two
pages without a break. Circula-
tion sky-rocketed-but no, that's
not the word because sky-rockets
come down. The Journal circu-
lation remained on high!
The Journal appeared as an
evening paper on September
%, 1896, with Mr.. Brisbane
the propeller shaft that ex-
ecuted the HearStian policy in
the BriSbanian manner. In a
year, the circulation reached
51O,197 copies, the biggest spread
in the history of earth'S jour.
nalism, down to that time. The
New York American became
the Hearst morning paper. The
World passed into permanent
eclipse.
Through all the dazzling per.
formance. Arthur Brisbane re-
mained shy, aloof figure so far
as the public was concerned.
He avoided banquetS, baked at
public speeches.
In a building where executive
titles became common as cob
bleStones on waterfront street,
where office boys tried to paint
their names on Sanded glass
doors, Arthur Brisbane worked
and wrote almost inviSiLly.
There was no name on the door
of his musty office which was
filled with reference books-a
Bible, familiar quotation" and
other philosophers essays ever
at hand and newspapers from
all over the world. The furni-
ture was comfortable but creaky.
The place reSembled the lair Of
an active country editor.
Offers of Riches
For many years, rival pub
fishers sought to draw Bris-
bane from the Hearst banner.
Six and seven figured offers
came not merely from other
newspapers, but from manufac-
turing, industrial and political
organizations. The mans gen.
ius for making people think
and-what was more important
making them think as he
wanted them to think, as he
thought himself, became rated
supernatural.
But there never was poSSibil-
ity that he would leave ths
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

Up to the hour of death, he
continued to expand the area of
his work and influence, to in
tensify his seemingly super
human mental and physical
energy until mind and body
were utterly exhausted.
Incredible Genius
But he lived as he wanted to
live and he died as he wanted
to die-a newSpaperman. Arthur
Brisbane possessed depth and
breadth of knowledge that would
have made him among the fore
most as a scientist, q phi
loSopher, a statesman, a pro-
feSsor, a historian. He preferred
to combine and concentrate all
his varied talent into news
paper work. In that profession,
he proved to be a genius
unique, incredible and of ire
mendous power.
This man spoke to and was
heard by an audience of many
millions every day. He Stimu-
lated them to thought. by analyz-
ing public questions, by SIM
plifying abstruSe problems, by
applying the foot rule of COM
mon sense under the light of
human experience. He wrote
simply, directly and with ter
rifle impact. He was master of
the monoSy1lable from which
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

small problems might be offered.
He foresaw the futility of the
Versailles Treaty and predicted
the uprising of Germany and
the sowing Of war seed again.
AS if it were of equal impor-
tance years ago he telephoned a
Chicago newspaper editor that
the then celebrated Wanderer
case was murder, not suicide,
and gave the reason that re-
suited in the solution Of that
mystery.
He could-and did-cover po-
litical conventions better than
any political correspondent. He
could make Damon Ruuyon and
Bill Corum step fast to keep up
with him at the ringside. And
if they waxed reminiscent over
the days of Fitzsimmons and
Corbett, Joe Cans and Terry Nc
Govern, Brisbane would swing
them back to the three Jacks
Sullivan, McAuliffe and Demp-
Sey-and discuss the time when
he boxed the great John L. and
covered bare-knuckled bouts on
English turf.
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

same political and social philos-
ophy and both were instructive
champions of the masses. With
passing years, difference in
their appearance accentuated
and Arthur Brisbane became
more Studious looking than
ever, slightly stopped, spec
tacled, gray-haired-more like
an active country editor than
ever-and a thinning thatch
accentuated the bulging brow
Of the man.
Almost always, he carried a
Sheaf of newspapers under his
arm. In Subways, sometimes,
passengers would try to buy
one-for he dressed in effacing
gray and there was not q CLINT
of jeWelry about him,
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

ANY leader possessing Slncer-
ity and willing to make personal
sacrifice for a. reasoned faith
attracted Brisbane's admiration.
He saw in the passive resistance
of Gandhi one of the most pow
erful forces ever released on the
world.
In any attempt to outline Ar
thur Brisbane'S career, the in
herent modesty of the man is
revealed. His concise autobiog-
raphy in who's Who" tells all
he wanted the world to know Of
him and it is very little.
He married Phoebe Cary when
he was 48. He refused to per-
NIT more than mere mention of
the ceremony in print. He pre-
vented as far as possible any
reference to his family in print.
Dana's Dictun1
For Brisbane learned the ele-
ments of journalism under Dana
and it was Dana who in CONVEX
Sation with one of his editors
laid down this dictum for obitu-
aries of newspapermen, as they
scanned proofs of the life story
of a flamboyant politician: For
you a column; for me a line!"
When the editor died, Dana gave
him exactly a column. And
when Dana died, the New York
Sun printed exactly a line:
Charles A. Dana died yester-
day."
When Arthur Brisbanes son,
Hugo Brisbane, died recently,
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
Autobiography Key to His MOdeSty

the father stood the shock sto-
ically and protested against any
public mention of it. Finally and
reluctantly, he consented to pub
lication of a paragraph in the
Hearst newspapers. Under pro
test, pictures of himself occa-
sionally were published.
He was an advocate of per.
sonal anonymity and believed
the name of a newspaper should
carry more weight with readers
than any by-line. His own edi-
torials virtually never were
signed-yet his fame as an edi-
torial writer was worldwide.
1t was not until he established
his far-reaching column, Today
that he signed his stuff and
that seemed at first to be q
mere notion. Personal columns
had become popular in news
papers and thousands of little
departments of opinion devel-
oped. Arthur Brisbane was at
an age when most newspaper
men are past their prime and the
most successful columns came
from youthful minds.
Arthur Brisbane apparently
thrust his pen into the country
wide competition to illustrate
how easy it was-for him-to do
a column in addition to other
work. The success of it was in
slant through the nation. From
the syndicated revenues of it, he
was granted $26O,000 a year COM
pensation, $4,000 a week, almost
Continued on Page S, Col. u
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

direct diffuSe compliment, stat
ing in type:
"Mr. HearSt's greatness is
based largely on the wisdom he
shows in the selection of sub
OrdinateS to carry out his ideas"
This was another trait both
men possessed.
Great NeUS Sense
Brisbane's sense of news value,
public sentiment and emotional
appeal were unsurpassed. He
could write intensely interesting
editorials on subjects ignored
under the eyes of other news
papermen. At sight of an ant
darting through rain, he wrote
that an ants estimate of Nj.
agara must be like mans at
tempt to understand God.
One OF the most interesting
editorials he ever wrote-inter-
esting in the breadth of it's ap-
peal-WaS based on a converse
tion with a barber who shaved
him. Even better was one he
did in a midland town which
was railroad junction where
he was forced to remain several
hours because William Randolph
Hearst had called him back to
New York suddenly.
Arthur Brisbane Sauntered up
and down Main Street, noting
the persons he encountered ana
talking to a few, or rather
listening to them. Out of that
self-aSsigned task came an edi-
torial on small town life that
remains a classic in this re-
porter'S memory. Brisbane based
it on healthy, handsome farm
girl looking at engagement rings
in a jewelers. window.
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

He was great advertising
director. A decade ago, David
Wark Griffith brought "The
Two Orphans" to the screen
under the title orphans of the
Storm" and exploited it as a
tender, sentimental Gis shian
narrative. The film dropped
Imply and a six figured invest
ment appeared set for failure.
Griffith asked Brisbane's aid.
Brisbane looked at the film,
told the producer the advertiS
ing was wasted. 1riffith said
he sought cure, not criticism.
Brisbane promptly proposed IL
pages of advertising at a dollar
a line in the New York Ameri-
can and Evening Journal once
q week.
Aghast at the cost, the mo-
tion picture man declared the
plan impossible. Brisbane coun-
tered. He suggested that Grit
fifth average the last four weeks
receipts, authorize the advertise
mentS and declared he would
accept half the increased intake
in payment.
Box Office Bulges
Against that expression Of
confidence Griffith took
thought, then bought the pages.
Brisbane wrote the ads. Instead
of the wistfulnesS of GfSh and
the romantic glamour of history,
"Orphans of the Storm" blazed
into aggressive action. He Sug-
gested novel methods of adver-
tising. One ad pictured Billy
Sunday, who had never seen a
motion picture, but who ad-
mitted with a leaping gesture
that if he did orphans of the
Storm" would be the picture he
would select and why. The box
office bulged with business.
The Washington times., 1936-12-26

newspaper field or the. Hearst
organization. He liked the peo-
pie he worked with, from the
Chief down to the copy boy. He
was a newspaperman, born and
bred, trained and tempered.
Between william Randolph
Hearst and Arthur Brisbane
there developed unity born of
understanding, appre iation,
sympathy, respect and a friend
ship that was closer than fra
ternal.
Like william Randolp
Hearst, who was a year older,
Arthur Brisbane was tall, spare
and strong physically. Neither
smoked or drank and their
voices rarely raised in anger or
resentment. They shared the
The Washington times., 1936-12-26
GIFT OF PROPHECY GAVE
HAL0T0 REPUTATION
By JOSEPH MULvANEY

NEW YORK, Dec. .26.-Arthur Brisbane of the
greatest newspapermen that lived He great in
nhase and field of journalism