Page:History of Journalism in the United States.djvu/396

CHAPTER XXVIII

CONCLUSION

William Randolph Hearst—Position in newspaper world not unique—Loyalty to California—Eastern Opinion vs. Spirit of the West—Early days on Pacific coast—Brannan and Colton—Discovery of gold—James King of William—His murder—Conclusion—Gregory Humes—The genius of journalism.

Psychologically, as well as chronologically, the journalism of William Randolph Hearst succeeded that of Joseph Pulitzer. It is an interesting fact that, though both editors were of the same political faith and though both, as inventors of the "yellow press," had to suffer the opprobrium of the conservative and Republican journals, their antagonism toward each other was more bitter than that between them and their political opponents. It was in the case of the papers of these two editors that the large amount of capital invested in the modern press began to show influence;—where circulation or business success is concerned there is no common cause in journalism.

At least a dozen serious people have asked in the course of the preparation of this work, "What are you going to do with Hearst?" In treating of contemporary characters, the difficulties are obvious, and the easiest way is always avoidance. The purpose of this study would be belied, however, if we were to endeavor even a lesser makeshift. What little we may have imbibed of the spirit of the men who have inspired these pages would

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