1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff you missed in History Class, a production 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 3 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: I'm Holly Fry and I'm Tracy V. Wilson. So this 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 1: is part two of our Pulitzer stories. It's not as 5 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: necessary to have listened to the first part as it 6 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: often is if we're doing a two parter. Uh. In 7 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: that first part, we covered his early life, a rather 8 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: shocking event that happened in St. Louis that led him 9 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: to move to New York, and his rivalry with Hurst. 10 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: Uh So those are all important parts of his story, 11 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: and I encourage you to hear it. But if you 12 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: didn't hear it and you don't want to go back 13 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: I actually think you're gonna be fine today. All you 14 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: really need to know is that by the time we're 15 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: picking up this story, which is in the early nineteen hundreds, 16 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: Pulitzer was already a very well established newsman. His papers 17 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: were known throughout certainly the US, I would say, other 18 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: parts of the world. His rivalry with Hers its kind 19 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:09,040 Speaker 1: of already been established. Uh. And so we're just kind 20 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: of picking up with him being probably one of the 21 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: most famous people in the news industry. So early twentieth 22 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: century where we're picking up. Joseph Pulitzer was advocating for 23 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 1: the US to have a school of journalism. In nineteen 24 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,279 Speaker 1: o four, he wrote, quote, our republic and its press 25 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: will rise or fall together. An able, disinterested, public, spirited 26 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: press with trained intelligence to know the right and courage 27 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 1: to do it can preserve that public virtue, without which 28 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: popular government is a sham and a mockery. A cynical, mercenary, 29 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: demigogic press will produce in time of people as base 30 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: as itself. The power to mold the future of the 31 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 1: republic will be in the hands of the journalists of 32 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: future j rations. So it's clear that he had a 33 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: strong sense of the influence the press could wield, and 34 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: he thought that we needed to ensure journalists were taught 35 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: how to hold power to account. But of course he 36 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: himself had always used his platform as a publisher to 37 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: slant coverage as he saw fit to align with his 38 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 1: own political leanings. Yeah, that whole thing makes it sound 39 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: like he's like, I want an unbiased press so that 40 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: they can write really good biased articles or not for 41 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: my one sure. Yeah, but because of that bias late 42 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: in his life, Pulitzer found himself on the receiving end 43 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: of an indictment from the federal government. And that's because 44 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 1: The World published what was positioned as an expose of 45 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,519 Speaker 1: a payment from the US government to the New Panama 46 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,639 Speaker 1: Canal Company, a payment that was problematic according to the report. 47 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 1: So we should also mention as we get into this story, 48 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 1: because it is big that New York World was not 49 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: the only paper to cover the story, and it was 50 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: not the only one to speculate about the specifics of 51 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: this deal. But Pulitzer's staff was relentless, and it once 52 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:13,559 Speaker 1: again all began with politics, specifically, this started with commentary 53 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 1: on the campaign of William Howard Taft to President Theodore 54 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: Roosevelt wanted to be his successor to the office. Roosevelt 55 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 1: had campaigned heavily for Taft, and Pulitzer's papers coverage, which 56 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: came out a month before the election in October, alleged 57 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: that members of both Roosevelt's and Taft's families were making 58 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: a large amount of money in the Panama Canal deal. 59 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: The story started when William Nelson Cromwell, an attorney who 60 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: worked for the president's chief advisor, filed a legal complaint 61 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 1: that he was being blackmailed because of his involvement with 62 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: the Panama Canal within the US sale. But when The 63 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: New York World found out about the filing, a report 64 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: was a signed to find out more. That reporter asked 65 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: around and found nothing, and then the matter was dropped 66 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: until Cromwell's press agents, Jonas Whitley, showed up in the 67 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: World's offices claiming that the article that was about to 68 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: go to print was false. What Yeah, there was no 69 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 1: article about to go to print, And the paper staff 70 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: told Whitley that they had not been able to verify 71 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: anything and they were not running a story. This all 72 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: gets a little convoluted, so come with us on this journey. Whitley, unprompted, 73 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 1: then expounded on the nature of Cromwell's complaints to the 74 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: World's editor. So that story, which Whitley essentially copy edited 75 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,799 Speaker 1: as it was taken down, so he was directly telling 76 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 1: the stenographer taking notes what to put in it ran 77 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,200 Speaker 1: in the World on October three, and it read in 78 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:56,440 Speaker 1: part quote that the Democratic National Committee was considering the 79 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: advisability of making a public statement that William nell In 80 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: Cromwell in connection with Mr Bunal Varia, a French speculator, 81 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: had formed a syndicate at the time when it was 82 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 1: quite evident that the United States would take over the 83 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,599 Speaker 1: rights of the French bondholders in the Deliceps Canal, and 84 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:19,479 Speaker 1: that this syndicate included, among others, Charles P. Taft, brother 85 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: of William H. Taft, and Douglas Robinson, brother in law 86 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 1: of President Roosevelt. Other men more prominent in the New 87 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 1: York world of finance were also mentioned. According to the story, 88 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: these financiers invested their money because of a full knowledge 89 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: of the intention of the government to acquire the French 90 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,320 Speaker 1: property at a price of about forty million dollars, and thus, 91 00:05:42,839 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: because of alleged information from high government sources, were enabled 92 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: to reap a rich profit. End quote that whole thing 93 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 1: was a quote in the paper. So this was basically 94 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: saying that the French holders of the Panama Canal Company, 95 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: which had been struggling financially, had sold it quietly to 96 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 1: a number of American investors, and then those investors sold 97 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 1: it to the US government. Those investors or people connected 98 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:15,599 Speaker 1: directly to Roosevelt and Taft, and the whole thing was, 99 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: according to the blackmailer orchestrated by William Nelson Cromwell, an 100 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: attorney who had worked for the president's chief advisor. So 101 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,480 Speaker 1: of course this would have been shady and was reported 102 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 1: to show that Taft was corrupt and unfit to be president. Yeah, 103 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 1: it's a little bit hard to follow, but that that's 104 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: the main takeaway that it was trying to kind of 105 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: smear Taft. So we also need to note that entire 106 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 1: Panama Canal deal and situation is really complex and it 107 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 1: went through a lot of shifts in negotiations for decades 108 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:55,360 Speaker 1: before this deal actually happened, and issues with its complexities 109 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,799 Speaker 1: did not end there. They even reached into the twentieth century, 110 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:02,159 Speaker 1: and we're part of Jimmy Carters campaign and presidency. But 111 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: all of that is outside the scope of this episode. 112 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: We're really trying to just focus on the press coverage. 113 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: What you do need to know is that that initial 114 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: company that was working on connecting the Atlantic and Pacific 115 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 1: through Panama was headed by Ferdinand Delis Epps, and when 116 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: he was found guilty of misappropriating funds for the project 117 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: and his company was having problems, a second company, company, 118 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: Nuvel Canal de Panama or New Panama, Canal company was formed, 119 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: and that company is the one we're talking about that 120 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:33,880 Speaker 1: made that sale, and it's going to come up more 121 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: in a moment. Cromwell's PR agent had also told the paper, 122 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: after relaying the details of this blackmail attempt, that Mr 123 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: Cromwell would like to make a direct statement. He did 124 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: this by phone and approved when the dictated statement was 125 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: read back to him. The statement was a denial of 126 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: any wrongdoing on his part. The story would have never 127 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: made the papers had Cromwell nuts heard all of this up, 128 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: and Soudent really spiraled. Even though that initial legal complaint 129 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: of blackmail he filed never went anywhere, he also never 130 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 1: seemed to pursue it. There are still some questions about 131 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:18,880 Speaker 1: why Cromwell did any of this. Charles P. Taft was 132 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: vehement in his denial that he had anything to do 133 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: with the Panama Canal deal. Douglas Robinson refused to speak 134 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: to the press. The New York World actually hired a 135 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,200 Speaker 1: member of British Parliament who was a lawyer to look 136 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,959 Speaker 1: into any details of the sale that they could find. 137 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 1: On the European side of the story. That lawyer went 138 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 1: to Paris, but he found nothing and he wrote a 139 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 1: report back to the world that read quote, I have 140 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 1: never known in my lengthy experience of company matters, any 141 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: public corporation, much less one of such vast importance, having 142 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 1: so completely disappeared and removed all traces of its existence 143 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: as the New Panama Canal Company, this company, having purchased 144 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:06,079 Speaker 1: the assets of La Company Universal du Canal Interrosia Unique 145 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:10,359 Speaker 1: de Panama, the old or Della Ceps Panama Canal Company, 146 00:09:10,559 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: brought off the deal with the American government. So thorough 147 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,800 Speaker 1: has been its obliteration that only the United States Government 148 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 1: can now give information respecting the new company's transactions and 149 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: the identity of the individuals who created it to effectuate 150 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: this deal, and who, for reasons best known to themselves, 151 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: wiped it off the face of the earth. When the 152 00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: deal was carried through the stock the British lawyer reported 153 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: had originally been registered. That would have meant that any 154 00:09:40,679 --> 00:09:43,719 Speaker 1: transactions would have had to have been tracked, But then 155 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 1: it was converted to bearer stock, which meant that no 156 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: such records had to be maintained. It was like at 157 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: that point privately owned, and you can sell anything to 158 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 1: somebody else without having to report it. The company had 159 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: been liquidated, but with no names attached to it to 160 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: ascertain who had eieved any of the money. In addition 161 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,319 Speaker 1: to the monetary benefit from the sale, the World reported 162 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 1: in a follow up article that Cromwell had also managed 163 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: to influence the signing of a concession which granted California 164 00:10:13,840 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 1: based Union Oil a monopoly in the canal zone that 165 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: allowed the oil company to build a pipeline that would 166 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 1: connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. That pipeline, per the 167 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: World's account, was to run from the city of Panama 168 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: to the city of Cologne on the Atlantic side. Union 169 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 1: Oil was a subsidiary of Standard Oil, so the whole 170 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: thing meant that Standard would just be unchallenged in the 171 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: canal and according to the World Quote, there have been 172 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: rumors that at least one member of the Standard Oil 173 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:51,559 Speaker 1: group of capitalists was in the American syndicate, which is 174 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: reported to have made a huge sum through the sale 175 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: to the United States in nineteen o four for forty 176 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 1: million dollars of the property of the French Panama Canal 177 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:06,960 Speaker 1: Company to William Nelson Cromwell. There were allegations of multiple 178 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 1: wrongdoings that were recounted and reiterated across multiple articles. Yeah, 179 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: we have like Americans secretly sold this property to the 180 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: US government and made a ton of money on it, 181 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: and those same Americans owned a portion of these oil 182 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: companies that were also getting deals to have a monopoly 183 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: in the area. Other papers picked up these stories that 184 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: were running and reported on the reporting of the world, 185 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: taking those reports as true, and then other papers picked 186 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: those stories up. This became like a weird game of 187 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: journalism telephone, as one paper would quote another paper as 188 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: a source. They were all hinging on the idea that 189 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: the world had reported the story. So, for example, the 190 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 1: Indianapolis News ran a story on October two under the 191 00:11:55,120 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: headline Panama Secrets that reported quote the Chicago Journal said 192 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,720 Speaker 1: us that it is well known that somebody bought the 193 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 1: stock of the defunct French Panama Canal Company for twelve 194 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: million dollars or less and sold it to the United 195 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: States government for forty million dollars. And the Chicago paper 196 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: declares further that it is not known to anybody outside 197 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,079 Speaker 1: the gang of speculators that reaped a rich harvest by 198 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 1: playing on the patriotism of the American people. How much 199 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 1: of that twenty eight million dollars went into the pockets 200 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:30,600 Speaker 1: of President Roosevelt's intimate friends who promoted the deal. We 201 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: will get into how all this bad press impacted the 202 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: election and the people involved right after a quick sponsor break. 203 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: So you may or may not be surprised to learn 204 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: that Taft won the election despite all of those damning 205 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:56,960 Speaker 1: articles in Pulitzer's papers and those of other publishers. And 206 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 1: while initially Theodore Roosevelt had sort of a nord things 207 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 1: because of the world's known democratic leanings, when Republican aligned 208 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: paper started to run the same stories, he got really angry, 209 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:11,839 Speaker 1: and he started speaking out against newspapers that had run 210 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 1: these stories and said that they quote habitually and as 211 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 1: a matter of business practice, every mandacity known to man, 212 00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: and that they were far more dangerous to the country 213 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: than corrupt politicians. He also asserted that the US paid 214 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 1: the French government, and how that money was dispersed after 215 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 1: that was not something that the US government would have 216 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: knowledge of. The New York World responded to Roosevelt's statement 217 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,440 Speaker 1: that there were discrepancies in the way details of the 218 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: sale had been relayed. Cromwell had stated that the money 219 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: was paid by the US government to JP Morgan and Company, 220 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: not to the French government. There were other details in 221 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: Cromwell's account that did not align with Roosevelt's claims as well, 222 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:58,560 Speaker 1: and the world called for quote the Congress of the 223 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,679 Speaker 1: United States to make immediately a full and impartial investigation 224 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 1: of the entire Panama Canal scandal. Theodore Roosevelt, who at 225 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:09,960 Speaker 1: this point was still president for a couple more months, 226 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: sent his response to the World's claims directly to Congress 227 00:14:14,200 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: on December, and that was published in papers nationwide. And 228 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 1: it read quote in view of the constant reiteration of 229 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 1: the assertion that there was some corrupt action by or 230 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: on behalf of the United States Government in connection with 231 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: the acquisition of the title of the French company of 232 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: the Panama Canal, and of the repetition of the story 233 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: that a syndicate of American citizens owned either one or 234 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,400 Speaker 1: both of the Panama companies, I deem it wise to 235 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 1: submit to the Congress all the information I have on 236 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: the subject. These stories were skurless and libelius, and character 237 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: and false in every essential particular. It is idle to 238 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: say that the known character of Mr Pulitzer and his 239 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: newspaper are such that the statements in the paper will 240 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: be believed by no eddy. Unfortunately, thousands of persons are 241 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: ill informed in this respect and believe the statements they 242 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 1: see in print, even though they appear in a newspaper 243 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:14,400 Speaker 1: published by Mr Pulitzer. These stories need no investigation whatever 244 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:18,000 Speaker 1: they are in fact holy and inform partly a libel 245 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 1: upon the United States government. The real offender is Mr 246 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: Joseph Pulitzer, Editor and proprietor of the World. While the 247 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:29,400 Speaker 1: criminal offense of which Mr Pulitzer has been guilty is 248 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 1: in the form of a libel upon individuals, the great 249 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: injury done is in blackening the good name of the 250 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 1: American people. It should not be left to a private 251 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 1: citizen to sue Mr Pulitzer for libel. He should be 252 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 1: prosecuted for libel by the governmental authorities. And that is 253 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: exactly what happened. The U. S. Attorney General, Charles J. Bonaparte, 254 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: began criminal proceedings against The Indiana News and The New 255 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: York World, and the d C Grand Jury handed out 256 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: indictments on February sevent nineteen o nine. Pulitzer's Umbrella Company 257 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: Press publishing Company, Pulitzer himself and editors Caleb M. Van 258 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 1: Ham and Robert H. Lyman were all named, as well 259 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: as staffers from the Indianapolis News and the paper itself. 260 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 1: United States District Judge Anderson ruled against the government, and 261 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: he made some interesting remarks in his ruling. He stated that, quote, 262 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 1: the circumstances surrounding the revolution in Panama were unusual and peculiar. 263 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: The people were interested in the construction of the canal. 264 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: It was a matter of great public concern. It was 265 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: much discussed. He mentions that after a route through Nicaragua 266 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 1: had been recommended by an appointed committee, suddenly Panama was favored. 267 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 1: And he went on quote, up to the time of 268 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: that change, as I gathered from the evidence, the lowest 269 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: sum that had been suggested at which the property of 270 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:57,080 Speaker 1: the Panama Canal Company could be procured was something over 271 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: one hundred million dollars. Then rather suddenly it became known 272 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: that it could be procured for forty million dollars. There 273 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:06,919 Speaker 1: were a number of people who thought there was something 274 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 1: not just exactly right about that transaction, and I will 275 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:12,879 Speaker 1: say for myself that I have a curiosity to know 276 00:17:12,960 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 1: what the real truth was. But then Judge Anderson quoted 277 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: the sixth Amendment quote in all criminal prosecutions, the accused 278 00:17:21,119 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 1: shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial 279 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: by an impartial jury of the state or district wherein 280 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,679 Speaker 1: the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have 281 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 1: been previously ascertained by law. Basically, because the World operated 282 00:17:35,440 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 1: in New York, seeking an indictment in the District of 283 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: Columbia had been the wrong move. Roosevelt attorneys had sought 284 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: indictments for criminal libel from the federal jury in New 285 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: York Southern District against Press Publishing Company in one of 286 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: the editors, on the basis that the World had sought 287 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:57,680 Speaker 1: to quote stirrup disorder among the people. Meanwhile, the World's 288 00:17:57,680 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: attorneys sought out records in France and in Panama to 289 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: try to show that the reporting that was being done 290 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: was based in trying to discern the facts of the 291 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 1: deal and whether corruption was involved, but they largely ran 292 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,679 Speaker 1: into the same kind of problems that their British investigator had. 293 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: The French government was pretty uncooperative and it could not, 294 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:21,439 Speaker 1: it said, compel anyone to give statements or testimony unless 295 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:26,440 Speaker 1: they actively wanted to. But ultimately none of these problems 296 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: of never finding out exactly what happened mattered because it 297 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 1: once again came down to issues of jurisdiction and interpretation 298 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: of the law. The judge who ruled on the matter 299 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 1: disposed of the case. That was how he put it. 300 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:44,679 Speaker 1: He stated that territorial jurisdiction was merely a convenience. The 301 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 1: bigger issue is revealed in this section of his statement quote. Now, 302 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: it may be, as it has in the past, been 303 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 1: thought that under some circumstances, the crime of libel might 304 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,159 Speaker 1: be considered to impair the authority and interfere with the 305 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,680 Speaker 1: efficiency of the government of the United States. But so 306 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:06,280 Speaker 1: far as I know or am informed by counsel, this 307 00:19:06,359 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 1: thought has not found expression in any national statute now 308 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 1: in force. In other words, there's no federal libel law. 309 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: So the suit was brought on faulty grounds. This was 310 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: a moment that a lot of newspapers celebrated because it 311 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 1: felt like a big freedom of the press thing, But 312 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: there was still some fight left on the matter. In October, 313 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,680 Speaker 1: the ruling was appealed to the U. S. Supreme Court. 314 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:35,919 Speaker 1: Roosevelt and Taft might have believed that they would finally 315 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: get the justice they sought, but the headline on January third, 316 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: nineteen eleven, in the New York Times was Supreme Court 317 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: ends Panama libel suit. In the opening paragraph stated quote 318 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:50,439 Speaker 1: by unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of the United States 319 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:54,439 Speaker 1: today decided that the federal government could not maintain the 320 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: so called Panama Canal libel suit against the Press Publishing 321 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 1: Company of New York in the Federal courts of New York. 322 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: In so holding, the Court affirmed the decision of the 323 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:07,679 Speaker 1: Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern District 324 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:12,000 Speaker 1: of New York, which had quashed the famous indictment. That 325 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: same article included a statement from the World which was quote, 326 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: there is no federal libel law to muzzle American newspapers. 327 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: Freedom of the press does not exist at the whim 328 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 1: or pleasure of the President of the United States. It 329 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,919 Speaker 1: is at the mercy of no steward of the public welfare. 330 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:34,160 Speaker 1: The great constitutional issue involved in the Roosevelt libel proceeding 331 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: against the World is settled for all time. And another 332 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: statement Pulitzer said, quote the decision of the Supreme Court 333 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,399 Speaker 1: is so sweeping that no other president will be tempted 334 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: to follow the footsteps of Theodore Roosevelt, no matter how 335 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:52,640 Speaker 1: greedy he may be for power, no matter how resentful 336 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:57,680 Speaker 1: of opposition. Here's the thing. While Pulitzer was a central 337 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 1: figure to all of these proceedings, he wasn't present for 338 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: any of it, really truly not present. He had not 339 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,919 Speaker 1: been in the world building, and he was on his yacht. 340 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: He had released a press statement at the start of 341 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: all of this hubbub saying exactly that quote. So far 342 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: as I am personally concerned, I was at sea during 343 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,679 Speaker 1: the whole of October, and in fact, practically for two years, 344 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,880 Speaker 1: I have been yachting on account of my health. Mr. 345 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 1: Roosevelt knows this perfectly well. He knows I am a 346 00:21:28,240 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: chronic invalid and mostly abroad yachting on account of my health. 347 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: As an aside, the nature of his health issues seems 348 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: to be kind of all lumped under the umbrella of 349 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 1: nervous disorders, which was so often invoked in the late 350 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 1: nineteen in early twentieth centuries. Pulitzer was obviously prone to 351 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: working to the point of exhaustion, and he was definitely 352 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: prone to depression. He did lose his sight, and he 353 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:59,120 Speaker 1: reportedly had developed an extreme sensitivity to sound but specifics 354 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,959 Speaker 1: beyond that what made him refer to himself as an 355 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 1: invalid are a little bit tricky to pin down. Doctor 356 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: after doctor seemed to just see him and then prescribe 357 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 1: him things like rest, massages, quiet time, et cetera. When 358 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 1: Pulitzer had questioned the editors that the world about the stories, 359 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:22,400 Speaker 1: he had learned that they had run them, making these 360 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:27,119 Speaker 1: claims against Roosevelt and Taft based on no evidence, just 361 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,399 Speaker 1: the accounts of people whose stories could not be verified. 362 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:33,280 Speaker 1: He had known the pieces were running, but he didn't 363 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:38,199 Speaker 1: realize they had no authentication. He was mortified privately, but 364 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: publicly he stood by his paper and its words and 365 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 1: worked on the ultimately successful defense. That part just kind 366 00:22:47,400 --> 00:22:50,440 Speaker 1: of blows my mind, where he's like, you did what well, 367 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:54,359 Speaker 1: I guess we have to defend it now. Uh. We 368 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: are going to talk a bit more about Pulitzer's nervous 369 00:22:57,600 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: disorder as it was called, and the way an imp 370 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,719 Speaker 1: acted his life. But first we're going to hear from 371 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:05,399 Speaker 1: the sponsors who keep stuff you missed in history class going. 372 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: One of the things that came up a lot in 373 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: my research on Charles Chapin and pretty much any time 374 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,199 Speaker 1: i've read about Pulitzer is that you know any of 375 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: the people that worked for for Pulitzer. We're often getting 376 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:29,199 Speaker 1: telegrams from him that came from all over the world, 377 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: and this kind of makes it seem like Joseph Pulitzer 378 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:35,399 Speaker 1: might have been enjoying his wealth and doing fabulous things, 379 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 1: but the reality was a lot less glamorous. He was 380 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,720 Speaker 1: essentially spending a lot of money traveling from one place 381 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: to another in search of anything that could help his 382 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 1: eyesight or his health. After he and Kate had bought 383 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:53,200 Speaker 1: an estate in Bar Harbor, Maine, Pulitzer had a special 384 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 1: addition made to the house, which was heavily sound proofed 385 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 1: so that he could have some sort of relief. That 386 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: was a thing. Structure was nicknamed the Tower of Silence, 387 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 1: and he spent so much time on the water because 388 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:07,919 Speaker 1: it was quieter than any place he found on land. 389 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: He always had secretaries with him, whether he was at 390 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: his New York mansion, in his Bar Harbor summer home, 391 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,040 Speaker 1: or on his yacht to take dictation at any hour 392 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:19,440 Speaker 1: of the day or night, as he managed his publishing 393 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 1: empire from afar. But this all mostly seems like a 394 00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: really anxiety ridden and lonely way to live. On October eleventh, 395 00:24:28,880 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 1: nineteen eleven, Pulitzer set sail aboard his yacht with his 396 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: youngest son, Herbert, and a compliment of staff. They were 397 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: headed for Jekyl Island, Georgia, but as the boat approached Charleston, 398 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: South Carolina, the captain decided that he had to drop anchor. 399 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:48,200 Speaker 1: There was a hurricane brewing farther south. They were hoping 400 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:50,879 Speaker 1: it would clear quickly so they could continue on the 401 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: rest of their journey. On the second day they were 402 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,840 Speaker 1: anchored off the South Carolina coast, Pulletzer began to have 403 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 1: sharp stomach pain. He was traveling with a you doctor 404 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 1: who hadn't really gotten to know him all that well yet, 405 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: so a doctor from Charleston, doctor Robert Wilson, Jr. Was 406 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: contacted and asked to come out to the yacht, and 407 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: Wilson determined that the cause of the distress was indigestion, 408 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:16,560 Speaker 1: and he gave Pulitzer a barbiturate to help him rest. 409 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: The next several days, Pulitzer felt much better, and he 410 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:24,320 Speaker 1: reportedly seemed happier than anyone had seen him in a 411 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:29,879 Speaker 1: long time. But then he once again started experiencing terrible pain. 412 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:33,240 Speaker 1: Kate was summoned from New York because the staff was 413 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 1: so worried that had happened before, but this time she 414 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: became concerned enough that she immediately booked a seat on 415 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: a train that was headed south. One of the things 416 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: pullets Are often asked if his secretaries and other staff 417 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 1: was that they read to him when he wasn't feeling well. 418 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 1: It was how he often drifted off to sleep, and 419 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:53,800 Speaker 1: after having one of his staff read to him from 420 00:25:53,840 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 1: a book on constitutional history, Pultzer suddenly found himself in 421 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: serious pain again. Or Wilson was once again summoned and 422 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,600 Speaker 1: once again gave him a sedative after he had settled in. 423 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,119 Speaker 1: After that, another secretary started to read a biography of 424 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: King Louis the eleven to him in German. As the 425 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,879 Speaker 1: reader got underway, Pulitzer said something he often said to 426 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:22,680 Speaker 1: his readers, Liza gonf Liza, that translates to softly, very softly. 427 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 1: Those were the last words pullets Are spoke. He died 428 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:29,879 Speaker 1: on October twenty, nineteen eleven, at the age of sixty four. 429 00:26:30,400 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 1: His cause of death was reported as acute angina. While 430 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 1: his papers often ran salacious and sensationalized stories. Pulitzer's name 431 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,199 Speaker 1: today is associated with quality and achievement in journalism, and 432 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,919 Speaker 1: that's because in his will Pulitzer left a lot of 433 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: his fortune to secure his personal legacy. He left an 434 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:55,440 Speaker 1: endowment to found the Columbia University School of Journalism. This 435 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 1: is actually something he had started working on with school 436 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,879 Speaker 1: officials years prior. In his will, he wrote, quote, I 437 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 1: am deeply interested in the progress and elevation of journalism, 438 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:08,920 Speaker 1: having spent my life in that profession, Regarding it as 439 00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 1: a noble profession and one of unequaled importance for its 440 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 1: influence upon the minds and morals of the people. I 441 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 1: desire to assist in attracting to this profession young men 442 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 1: of character and ability, also to help those already engaged 443 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 1: in the profession to acquire the highest moral and intellectual training. 444 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 1: There are now special schools for instruction for lawyers, physicians, clergyman, 445 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 1: military and naval officers, engineers, architects, and artists, but none 446 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:42,199 Speaker 1: for the instruction of journalists. That all other professions and 447 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:45,959 Speaker 1: not journalism, should have the advantage of special training seems 448 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,199 Speaker 1: to me contrary to reason, and to that end he 449 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,119 Speaker 1: had given Columbia one million dollars already, and then he 450 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:56,400 Speaker 1: left an additional one million that his executors would give 451 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 1: the school after it had been up and running successfully 452 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: for three years. He also allocated money to be used 453 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: to establish the Pulitzer Prizes. These were and still are 454 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 1: tied to Columbia University. The school manages the Pulitzer Prizes 455 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: and Pulitzer's will He established the following prize categories quote 456 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 1: first annually for the best and most suggestive paper on 457 00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 1: the future development and improvement of the School of Journalism, 458 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:27,440 Speaker 1: or for any one idea that will promise great improvement 459 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: in the operation of the school. One thousand dollars. Second 460 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:36,639 Speaker 1: annually for the most disinterested and meritorious public service rendered 461 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 1: by any American newspaper during the year. A gold medal 462 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: costing five hundred dollars. Third annually for the best history 463 00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: of the services rendered to the public by the American 464 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:54,560 Speaker 1: press during the preceding year, one thousand dollars. Fourth, five 465 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 1: annual traveling scholarships of fifteen hundred dollars each. For clarity, 466 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: just in case you had not already figured it out, 467 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:07,120 Speaker 1: in this instance, he's using disinterested to mean unbiased. Today 468 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: we think of it in a very different way, but 469 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 1: that was the intent. Three of those UH scholarships he 470 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 1: mentioned in point four were to go to journalism school 471 00:29:15,640 --> 00:29:19,680 Speaker 1: graduates determined to be the most deserving, with the intention 472 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 1: that they would use that money to go to Europe 473 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:25,040 Speaker 1: and study quote, the social, political, and moral conditions of 474 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 1: the people and the character and principles of the European press. 475 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 1: One of the remaining annual scholarships was to go to 476 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 1: a music student to study in Europe, and the other 477 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 1: to an art student to study in Europe. There were 478 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: additional annual awards guidelines in the will for six more categories. 479 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 1: Five hundred dollars quote for the best editorial article written 480 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: during the year, the test of excellence being clearness of style, 481 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:54,600 Speaker 1: moral purpose, sound reasoning, and power to influence public opinion 482 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 1: in the right direction. One thousand quote for the American 483 00:29:59,640 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 1: novel published during the year, which shall best present the 484 00:30:02,920 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: whole atmosphere of American life and the highest standard of 485 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 1: American manners and manhood. There was another thousand quote for 486 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 1: the original American play performed in New York, which shall 487 00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:17,920 Speaker 1: best represent the educational value and power of the stage 488 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:20,680 Speaker 1: and raising the standard of good morals, good taste, and 489 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: good manners. There was two thousand dollars for the best 490 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:28,680 Speaker 1: book on US history, and one thousand for quote the 491 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:33,720 Speaker 1: best American biography teaching patriotic and unselfish services to the people, 492 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: illustrated by an eminent example, excluding as too obvious the 493 00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 1: names of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. I love that. 494 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: He was like, we don't need any more Washington or 495 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,280 Speaker 1: Lincoln biographies, guys, and yet we still get them, still 496 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 1: get them. The list of Pulitzer prices that exist now 497 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 1: is quite different. Current journalism categories include public service, breaking 498 00:30:56,400 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: news reporting, investigative reporting, explanatory boarding, local reporting, national reporting, 499 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:10,160 Speaker 1: international reporting, feature writing, commentary, criticism, editorial writing, illustrated reporting 500 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 1: and commentary, breaking news, photography, feature photography, and audio reporting. 501 00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 1: And under the umbrella of letters, drama, and music. There 502 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: are Pulitzers for fiction, drama, history, biography, poetry, general nonfiction, 503 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:29,240 Speaker 1: and music, as well as a provision for special citations 504 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,120 Speaker 1: and awards. Over the years, other categories have come and gone, 505 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: like telegraphic reporting and explanatory journalism, which now is explanatory reporting. 506 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 1: Pulitz are also set up a scholarship fund in memory 507 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 1: of his daughter, Lucille for the women at Barnard College. 508 00:31:46,880 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 1: The Columbia School of Journalism was founded in nineteen twelve, 509 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 1: the year after Pulitzer's death, and the Pulitzer Prizes awarded 510 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: their first set of honors in nineteen seventeen. Do you 511 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: also have some listener mail? Yes, this is from a 512 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 1: listener who I'm not going to name. They have an 513 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 1: unusual spelling of their name, and it's so unusual that 514 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 1: they're easy to find, and they would like to maintain anonymity. 515 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:13,719 Speaker 1: But their name in itself is unusual enough in the 516 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: U S that I worry that people would try to 517 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,719 Speaker 1: do subouts of letters and figure it out. Uh. So 518 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: we are not naming this person, but just know who 519 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 1: you are. Uh. They write, Hi, Tracy and Holly. I 520 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:27,640 Speaker 1: have listened to your podcast for years and it has 521 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: kept me company early mornings while I have been alone 522 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: working as a baker. It's nice to have other people 523 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,280 Speaker 1: around it four am, even if you are not really there. 524 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: The company is wonderful. I am emailing finally, have been 525 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:41,760 Speaker 1: meaning to for a while because I was listening to 526 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:44,680 Speaker 1: an older episode about the Great Vowel shift in the 527 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: history of English. My name came up again. Not going 528 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 1: to say the name, so we're skipping this next portion. 529 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: They write, I'm also a quilter who loves cats and 530 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:56,160 Speaker 1: nature's also clearly a baker. So I have delighted in 531 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:59,440 Speaker 1: all your podcasts on these wonderful subjects and cannot get 532 00:32:59,560 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 1: enough of your history of flowers as well. I have 533 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:04,840 Speaker 1: also failed to mention that my father was a history teacher, 534 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:07,080 Speaker 1: and now I am able to one up him with 535 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,200 Speaker 1: certain facts and anecdotes I have learned from your podcast. 536 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:13,239 Speaker 1: I cannot express enough how much your podcast means to me. 537 00:33:13,320 --> 00:33:16,320 Speaker 1: It's been wonderful learning more and more about history, not 538 00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 1: just to one up my father, but because I truly 539 00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 1: love how much there is and always will be to learn. 540 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:23,760 Speaker 1: Thank you for all the wonderful episodes. Can't wait to 541 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: listen to all there are to come. I wanted to 542 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: read this specifically because it captures the thing that I 543 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:34,240 Speaker 1: have come to love so much doing this this show, 544 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:37,680 Speaker 1: which is that there are moments, I think where both 545 00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 1: of us have had that thing of like I don't 546 00:33:39,760 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 1: know what I'm going to talk about next, but then 547 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: the second you start paging through a book, you suddenly go, oh, 548 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 1: here are ten ideas, because there is so much history 549 00:33:49,240 --> 00:33:52,840 Speaker 1: to talk about forever. We will never run out because 550 00:33:52,840 --> 00:33:55,360 Speaker 1: we're always making more. So thank you. That's always also 551 00:33:55,400 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 1: a good reminder to me personally, Thank you so much 552 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:01,480 Speaker 1: our baking friend. I love anybody who bakes, so I 553 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 1: really was excited about this one. If you would like 554 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:06,240 Speaker 1: to write to us, you can do that a history 555 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:08,879 Speaker 1: podcast at i heeart radio dot com. You can also 556 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: find us on social media as Missed in History, and 557 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:14,239 Speaker 1: if you haven't subscribed and would like to, you can 558 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:16,360 Speaker 1: do that in the I heart radio app or anywhere 559 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:24,080 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite podcasts. Stuff you Missed in 560 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,920 Speaker 1: History Class is a production of I heart Radio. For 561 00:34:26,960 --> 00:34:30,279 Speaker 1: more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, 562 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:33,560 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.