The record-union., 1894-03-21
A JUST PROTEST.

Senator Hill of New York is some
thing of a humorist, despite the severity
of his countenance and the gravity of his
bearing. For he says in recent earnest
protest in statement for the public that
he is weary of the stories that he is to
marry. Every few months or weeks, he
declares, some one starts the story that
he is to marry this or that woman.
"Now," adds the Senator "these stories do
not annoy me, but they are not fair to the
ladies mentioned or their families. 1t does
not appear TO me as If the publication of such
stories without investigation was fair. Some
times the stories are started merely in jocose
vein, but they are not the less unfair. Take
the latest story. Tor instance. You know that
am very fond OF the theater. 1t is q fine rec
reatlon, but have always been accustomed
to going With gentlemen friends. Some time
ago the Fice-President invited me to make
one OF theater party in which there We're
number OF ladies' Aware that ladies were TO
be present, put on my Swallow-tail and
tried to look as pretty as ! could. l was the
charming young lady she was. One or two
of the enterpriSing young gentlemen of the
newspaper press in Washington were at the
same theater that evening" and suppose they
thought it fine thing TO send out this latest
story Of my engagement to be married. l re-
gret very much that they did this as it can
only annoy the Nlce-Presfdent and the young
1ady's family. do not object 10 newspaper
criticism or the comments of political adver-
saFies so long as il refers TO me personally
but it is better to leave the ladies out. can
answer back and say things; the ladies are
practically deienseless. When am about to
marry, or any lady has consented to marry
me, will be as candid about it as have been
about other matters"
There is about this such charming
frankness and such sharp and justif-
able thrust between journalistic ribs that
we print it to point moral. The DISPOSE
ton of the press correspondents to gossip
about the purely social affairs of public
mon runs to the raw extreme. 1t is often
insulting and always impertinent.
The public mans private affairs, his
social pleasures and recreations, so long
as they are decent and honorable and do
not concern his public duty and obliga-
tions, ought to be just as secure from the
intermeddling of newspaper Paul Prys
as the affairs of the private citizen. With
out consent of the parties named no self
respecting journalist publishes the fact
that this or that citizen of his town is
paying attention to this or that lady, or is
about to marry Miss So and So. Nor
does any newspaper man who regards
the common proprieties of life parade the
courtships of the eitizens of his COM
munity. This mating of people is forever
going on, and it is a matter that is their
own and not the public concern.
There is no more defense to be made
for concocting yarns about Senator HilI's
polite attention to ladies than about those
of any other citizen. The fact that gen.
tlenlan is a Senator or a Governor or
Federal or State official does not make
him in these matters public property, so
long as his conduct scandalizes no one.
The disposition, let it be repeated, to gos-
sip in print about such matters is one that
newspaper managers ought to discourage
in their representatives.
1t is just as gross offense to report as
fact, without warrant or authority, that
Senator A or B is to marry Miss or D,
as it would be to report as fact similar
story concerning any business or other
man in the community, and every jour
nalist in the land forbids his reporters
doing that. except by consent of the man
and woman concerned. Common decency
and regard for the rights of others set up
that rule, and it is very rarely violated
except in the cases of public men, and no
good reason can be given why it should
not obtain in their cases as well as in the
cases of private citizens.