Evening journal., 1888-10-26
NEWSPAPER ETHICS.

We had been led to believe from weeks
of careful observation that our English
morning contemporary was wholly in.
different as to whether II got cleft on
news or not and therefore its apology
this morning for missing the extraord.-
nary piece Of news respecting the organ
cation Of the Union Palace Car Cor i.
pany, which was published exclusively
in the EVENING JOURNAL yesterday, is
somewhat Of surprise to us We are
more surprised, however that an az
tempt should be made to get credit for
knowing "al' about it twenty four
hours before IL appeared in the columns
Of the News and at the same time to dis
credit the JOURNAL by insinuating that
we used the Information contrary TO the
wishes az our informants Neither
Of these attempts is based on the
facts Of the case We know
that oar contemporary was not in pos
session on Wednesday evening Of all the
facts ia regard" to this worthy enter
prise Il was in possession Of enough
facts to have enabled IL to get the rest
That was all It's lofty and characters
tically selfrighteous tone in declaring
that il got left" by keeping good faith
with its informant is merely cover for
its confession that it lacked the requisite
newspaper sense to convince its informant
that il would be the best thing ali
around 70 publish the news then The
Morning News might have admitted that
1t was beaten and might have stated
with truth and entire propriety the rea-
ing 60 cast reflection upon our
work Its readers would have accepted
its apologies, for it is not such an uncom-
mon thing for it to be beaten
The EVENING JOURNAL had the ampest
authority as we'll as the fullest informa-
Ton for the publication Of the news
an question. We secured it through the
regular and Legitimate channels ami we
did not violate single pledge made ia
respect 10 IL A newspaper reporter can.
NOT aHosi to violate confidence and no
man who has sense enough to write zip a
surprise party ever breaks faith with
the person who furnishes him with news
This IS not only ethical. but ut
Is also sensible and absolutely
essential 10 this work. The EVENING
JOURNAL cannot afford Is disregard in
the slightest degree the wishes Of the
many excellent and responsible citizens
Of Wilmington and indsed Of the entire
state, who from time to time through an
interest Of kindness and good win only,
bring to US important pieces Of news. II
we did disregard these wishes we
would not only emit off very many and
important sources Of news for ourselves
but our morning contemporary, too
would thus be deprived Of large portion
of the news that ii publishes.
The agent of the Associated Press in
this city, who is also editor Of the Every
Evening and who in his capacity as tn,
aforesaid agent gets ''left" quite as Otter
as, If not oftener even than our morning
contemporary, used our news and sent il
broadcast over the country without on,
word Of credit to the JOURNAL Thi
was no surprise to us. however, for ii,
has done the same thing again and again
with news that was obtained by him ex
.clusively from the EVENING JOURNAL q
che Morning News, although it his Gus
tom 80 credit Every Evening when b
has the occasion to use its special or ex
elusive news If our memoir
serves US correctly the edito
of Every Evening has dubbed in tine
past this sort Of appropriation as stealing
We believe that he has applied the epI
thet Of thief to the scissors man Of III
Daily Republican. We presume that h
regards himself as an 'enterprising joul
nalist
1t must be evident to that compar.
lively small but intelligent class Of or
continuity who never hesitate to treat
newspaper reporter as they do any 9th,
+ honorable man that the relations Of n
newspapers to their news contributor
are much more friendly and honorab
than they are to their local contemporaries
Competition naturally eliminates much ,
49, ----.----l1-. 49,