Evening star., 1939-11-26
Reviews Career of
Lonedon Bonython
By Frederic J. Huskin.


proprietors who have made great names
for themselves, amassed huge fortunes
and left their mark upon the country,
but America is insular in many ways
and it seems there is half belief that
the United States has sort of copyright
on this type of career, this being the
country of special opportunity. Some
thing is known of Lord Northcliffe, the
Englishman who became the greatest of
British newspaper proprietors and q
World War figure, but, otherwise the
foreign field is pretty much blank to
the average American mind.
Nevertheless, there have been news
paper giants of other countries and one,
at least, was of the pure American type.
Word has just been received here of his
death at the ripe age of 81. He was Sir
Langdon Bonython of Australia and his
career so closely resembles American
notable newspaper careers that 1t is
worth attention.
In many respects Australia resembles
the United States in its history, its op-
portunities and its development of men.
Founded by fugitives, either from justice
or from intolerable conditions in home
countries, as well as by convicts, both
countries have burgeoned into fresh
and youthful greatness and it is an even
judgment as to whether these new coun-
tries made their great men or their great
men made these countries. The paral-
lelS between the countries are many and
no more opposite one can be found than
that between great American newspaper
publishers and Sir Langdon Bonython,
for SO many years proprietor of the Ade-
laide Advertiser and other Australian
publications.
Langdon Bonython was born in Lon
don in 1848 of Cornish parents Aus
tralia seemed land of promise in those
days and, at an early age, the Bonythons
emigrated there. The youth was educat-
ed in the schools of Adelaide, then little
more than town with many of the
aspects of early American frontier towns
and ports. No sudden fortune was made
by the Bonythons and young Langdon
found that he must go to work at an
age when those more fortunate eco
nomically. were going to college. He got
job on the staff of the Advertiser, then
a struggling hand-set paper of meager
and uncertain circulation.
Into his reporting work the youth
Bonython put all the vigor of his per-
sonality. He did not stray aside to the
gold fields nor was he attracted to the
promising riches of the sheep stations
He stuck to newspaper reporting, and,,a
the early age of 81, became part owner
of the Advertiser. 1t was only few
years later than his energies had made
him editor and then sole proprietor. His
story is matched by the stories of such
great Americans as James Gordon Ben
nett of the old New York Herald Joseph
Pulitzer of the old New York World and
st. Louis Post Dispatch and others in
the newspaper world.
With the Advertiser in hand Bony-
thon branched out and published the
Chronicle, weekly which went all over
Australia. and the Express, an evening
paper Bonython's editorial policy was
the growth and prosperity of Australia.
He was conspicuously outspoken for
what the British term a colonial who
often is expected to follow the tone of
London rather than venture upon any
independent leadership.
He called upon Australians to develop
their country. He stressed the impor-
tance of service to the colony, not as an
appanage of Great Britain, but for it
self. Having had but a truncated edu-
cation himself, he interested himself
nightly in the cause of public enlight-
eminent. Australia was, save for its
mines, pastoral, sheep-raising country.
Bonython concerned himself with the
development of industry. In 1889 he
became president of the Council of the
School of Mines and Industries of South
Australia, an Office which he held for 80
years until his death. From 1883 to 1901
he was President of the Adelaide School
Board. From 1895 to 1902 he was chair.
man of the Council of the Government
Agricultural School of Roseworthy.
His educational activities included the
presidency of the South Australian
branch of the Royal Geographical So
ciety, of the Literary Societies Union
and of the South Australian Teachers
Association. 1t was because of his activ-
tiles in the interest of education that he
was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1898.
Decorations further were conferred upon
him by King Edward in 1908 and King
George in 1919.
Sir Langdon did not concern himself
much with politics, but he did take
time to serve in the Australian Parlia-
ment during the first six years Of its
existence after becoming an independent
commonwealth. But his interest did not
lie in elective offices; he preferred the
quieter role of civic benefactor.
Many millionaires give college halls to
be named after them, memorial windows
and churches and the like. Sir Lang
don's bequests were for the most part
unconnected with his name. For ex-
ample, he donated $500,000 to be used in
the general construction of the Adelaide
Parliament buildings with not stone or
brick named for him. He gave $3.50 900
for hall for Adelaide University and
100000 to found chair of law there.
He gave something more than 100000 to
the School Of Mines and Industries, Sir
Langdon had been retired from active
life since his 81st birthday anniversary
when he sold the Adelaide Advertiser for