Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-03

The President and the Newspapers.
Several of the New York newspapers
have commented on the letter written by
the President to Mr.. Joseph kepper, pro-
priator OF Puck. A New \ ork CORES
pendent, in a letter to Western paper,
took occasion to say that puck was no
longer friendly to MIR. Cleveland because
he had refused TO appoint brother-ln-
law OF MI Keppler to consulship. 1t
seems that Mr.. Keppler had never asked
TO have relative or friend appointed to
any office, and. in fact, bad never asked
any favor Of the President. he, there
fore requested the President to give him
letter to that effect, and his request was
complied with. In the course OF his let
ter the President took occasion to say:
I don't think there ever was "A time when
newspaper lying WAS 50 general and so
mean as at present, and there never was
country under the sun where it flourish
ed as It does in this. The falsehO0ds daily
spread before the people in our newspa-
pers, while they are proofs of the mental
ingenuity OF those engaged IN news paper
work, are insults TO the American love
for decency and fair play OF which we
boast.
This criticism Of the Presidents is
hardly Just. Ii was evidently written
hastily and without full comprehension
OF its full meaning. 1t is calculated 10
give the impression that newspapers are
wholly unreliable. The fact Is, it is as
tonishiug how few misstatemeuts they
make in comparison to the amount ofmat-
ter they publish.
AS a rule those who make newspapers
are conscientious workers, and strive not
only to get the truth but also to put it
into such shape that it will convey cor
rect impression. There are, Of course,
sensational writer's connected with the
press who have little regard for the truth.
The percentage, however, of those in the
newspaper profession who sacrifice truth
in order to accomplish some particular
purpose is not greater than the percent
age in other professions.
Let US take Mr.. Keppler, for instance,
who figured as one OF the principals in
this interesting correspondence which is
Just now attracting attention! Mr.. KEEP
pier complained that a New York cor
respondent had written falsehOod about
him. But how about MIR. keppler's pa
per, PHck2 Does Mr.. keppler mean to
say that all the impressions he conveys
by means Of his cartoons are cOrrect?
How much respect does he pay to truth
when he desires TO make a particular
point? Hasn't Gov. Hill, Of New York,
just as good ground for complaining OF
Mr.. keppler as Mr.. keppler has of COM
planning OF the New York correspondent?
And this attack of the Presidents on
the newspapers! Would he be able to
show II to be iusti6able il called on to do
so? OF course he could not, and he
would be forced to admit that he had has
THY made assertions which he could not
sustain. Re could tud many misstate-
ments OF facts, doubtless, but not many
willul falsehoOds.
Much Of what the President credits to
the ingenuity Of newspaper writers is
furnished by those who are the first TO
cry out against the press if anything re-
flecting on them appears in print. The
special correspondents simply put into
readable shape the current gossip. They
seldom attempt anything in the line of
original fiction. II there were greater
readiness in furnishing such facts as the
public has a right to have there would be
fewer misstatements in the public prints
than there are.