Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-01-06
The Presidents Misstatements.

The editor of Puck was accused
by other New York editors'with hav-
ing asked President Cleveland for an
office. While it is true that many
incapable and dishonest men seek
office there is nothing disrespectful
in an honest effort to obtain office,
however in this case, the editor felt
agrieved over the charge that be was
an applicant for an ofiaa and 1ee::,= ;.ee::.
ed it Of so much Importance that he
wrote to the President about the
statement. Cleveland did himself
justice by promptly answering the
inquiry. out he did himself injustice
by TIE language in which he replied.
If be had stated to the editor of
Puck that he had not applied for an
Office, justice would have been done
to all parties. But the President did
not do that, he wrote a long letter
in low place language, and if it were
not for the need of showing the quail
ity of the President, it would scarce
ly do to publish his deliverance in
the public press. The following is
q paragraph from his letter: Il don't
think there ever was a time when
newspaper lying was so general and
SO mean as at present, and there new
er was a country under the sun
where it fourished as it does in this.
The falsehoods daily spread before
the people in our newspapers, while
they are proofs of the mental inge-
auitY of those engagnd In newspaper
work, are insults to the American
love for decency and fair play of
which we boast"
The language of the paragraph
speaks for itself. The President is
not only unfortunate in coarse ex
preston, but he Is still more unfor-
tunate in his effort 70 have it appear
that the press insults the American
people by its misstatements and
falsehoods. Doubtless thereis here
and there al editor who wilfuly
missrepresents and falsifies when af-
fairs do not suit him, but such are
the exceptions and they in time find
their level. The average American
editor would be as greatly shocked
at the thought of representing every
phase of every day life of the people
through the newspaper Gs he was
over President Cleveland's coarse
misstatement. The Presidents coarse
expression is the very under side OF
life that the average editor has been
cautious about admitting to the col
umns of his paper. The press has
been publishing the ugly phases OF
life as they bubble to the surface in
tie public acts of men and women
but it has refrained from publishing
the expressions of men relative to
each other and relative to public
matters just as they are expressed
before being dressed for public at
tention.
If an editor would leave his office
one day and circulate among people
and publish what they say of eact
other, what is said of the merchant
OF the Judge, the lawyer, the doctor
the preacher, the church, it would
not look well in print, and it would
sonnd Extensively when read. The
press Is not what it should be, but
considering its surroundings it is q
wonder that it is as good as it is, and
If the President was connected with
journalism the tone of the press
could not be improved in his COM
munity, If he would employ the lal-.
guage that he used in the letter to
the editor of Puck.