Benjamin Bannan, Journalist and Political Economist, was born in Union township, Berks county, Pennsylvania, April 22d, 1807. His father was a farmer and teacher, occupied in agricultural pursuits during the summer, and teaching in the winter season. He died when his son was but eight years old. Benjamin went to school for a period of about two years altogether, during the next seven years, for at that time schools were only open in the winter season for some three months at a time. It was at Unionville where he was inspired with the idea of becoming a printer and editor, from reading the Village Record, to which the teacher subscribed. Having learned the utmost that was taught in the schools of that day, at the age of fifteen he was indentured to learn the printing business in the office of the Berks and Schuylkill Journal, of which George Getz was proprietor, where he remained six years. During his term of service the same industry and honesty of purpose and action which has characterized his whole life, as to win the highest regard of his preceptor, resulted in an offer to become his associate and partner in the business. Meanwhile, at the close of his apprenticeship, he had repaired to Philadelphia, where he worked in several printing offices, finally being engaged in the establishment of Lawrence Johnson, the celebrated type founder, where, after receiving the necessary instructions, he added the art of stereotyping to his knowledge of printing. After a visit to Reading, where he had received the offer, already noted, he thought it in his interests to decline it, and directed his course to Pottsville. On his arrival there, he found the office of the Miner's Journal in the hands of the sheriff; and, believing that this was a fair opportunity and his future field of operations, concluded to purchase it. Almost all his ready funds were embarked in this enterprise; and the subscription list numbered but two hundred and fifty. This took place in April, 1829, and he was connected with this one paper for a period of nearly forty-four years. On July 1st, 1866, he dispensed of half of his interest in the establishment, and on January 1st, 1873, sold the other ????? to the present publisher. The subscribers had increased to over four thousand and its weekly circulation was only excelled by three other political journals in the State outside of the large cities. His first vote was cast for John Quincy Adams for President, in 1828, and he has voted at every Presidential election since that period, and always in opposition to the Democracy. Indeed, during his whole life, he had never voted for a Democrat, where there was a contest between the political parties. He has always been a firm and ????nting supporter of Protection to American Industry and proposed and organized the first Tariff League, in 1840, after the disastrous effects of the Compromise bill had become apparent, which led to the adoption of the Tariff of 1842, the most beneficial measure ever passed by Congress. In 1841, and also in 1861, he collected signatures to the longest petitions ever laid before the National legislature, praying for protection to home industry. For a period of fifteen years he held the position of School Director, and for fourteen years was President of the Board. During this period he suggested to Governor Pollock the present admirable Normal School system of the State in all of its details, which was afterwards adopted. He also can claim--as far back as 1857, when he first proposed it, and published a series of articles on the subject--the plan for a National Currency. His views were communicated to several prominent bankers, who acquiesced in his suggestions, and who admitted that it would be the best currency obtainable; but it could not be carried out, as the States had usurped the power from the General Government, and as the latter had acquiesced in it so long, that the States would never surrender. He even prepared circulars, embodying his views, and distributed them through the two Houses of Congress, but it received very little attention from any of the members. Four years elapsed, and the war of the Rebellion broke out, and a National Currency became a necessity. He communicated with Secretary Chase, and afterwards visited the latter, recalled his circular and compared it with the bill which Secretary Chase had prepared, and it was found to be in perfect accordance with his proposed plan of 1857, except in a few unimportant particulars and one important feature, which was not incorporated in the bill, i.e. introducing an expanding limit. This was not done, as it was impossible to foresee what the exigencies of the country might demand. The idea of having an issue of currency in proportion to the wealth of the country, and expanding it on that basis, seems to have been original with him. It was submitted to the late Stephen Colwell, of Philadelphia, who was also a writer on currency, and who had collected all the works written on currency and money in all languages from all countries, numbering upwards of seven hundred volumes and pamphlets, and in none of them had he observed a similar proposition or idea broached. As a writer and thinker on important public matters, he has earned for himself an honored and respected name among the advanced and progressive sentiment of the country, and wherever he is known, whether at home or abroad, his opinion and advice are solicited and made use of. As a practical reformer, he belongs to an advanced school, being foremost in proposing and carrying out ideas and projects tending to the improvement and advancement of his fellow men, particularly of the laboring classes. As a writer on matters pertaining to the coal trade, his experience of over forty-four years in the anthracite region has fitted him with peculiar and special qualifications. The great work which he undertook to publish, and which he had prepared for publication principally by Samuel H. Daddow, Mining Engineer, he only furnishing the statistics and outlines for the same, is entitled, Coal, Iron and Oil. It was the most expensive single volume issued by any publisher during the Rebellion, reflects great credit upon him, and has elicited from the London Mining Journal the statement, that no single volume ever published in England affords so much information on the subjects treated of in that publication. Suggested by the peculiar circumstances of the time, he has, within a few months past, published a monograph on Our National Currency and How to Improve it, which takes the ground, as originally suggested in his first circular of 1857, of adopting an expanding limit to its issue, keeping the paper issue unconvertible into coin on demand hereafter, but allowing a proportion of it to be received in payment of duties; the legal tenders of the Government to be received in payment of taxes and debts due to the Government; and the issue of national bank notes to the several banks in proportion to their wealth; the fractional currency to be cancelled, and a debased silver coinage substituted, which would therefore always remain at home; this was done in England some forty years ago, and the consequence has been that they have always retained the silver. These features may be somewhat novel and startling at first reading, but he has discussed his propositions so clearly and forcibly that by many it is believed they will be received with more favor as they are studied and comprehended by an impartial, unbiased mind.
Source: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania of the Nineteenth Century. Philadelphia: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1874, pp. 142-143.
Contributed by: Nancy.