The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-20

undeserved. Blushingly he laid his honors
down, declaring that he knew nothing about
any offer on the part of Japan, ana mad
never told anybody that the President was
in favor of selling the islands And yet this
story in some form was copied and COM
mented upon far and wide. Thousands or
newspaper readers will never know to their
dying day that Japan did not make the
offer, so strong is the power OF the hrst
impression, and so slow is the truth IN
catching up with error.
This incident is only one of at least
hundred that have occurred since the out
break of the Spanish war. Never in the
memory of the Oldest deniZen of Newspaper
row have there been so many false alarms
as during the year now Closing FAKE
interviews have been plentiful This same
Mr.. Kyle was quoted a few days ago as
saying at Pittsburg on his way here, that
he was much opposed to the polcy OF ex-
pansion and should work against any treaty
providing for Philippine annexation. ms
created considerable surprise in Washing
ton where the senator's highly-deVelopeu
taste for the plums of official patronage
has long been known. The nrst question
everybody asked was; can II be that the
President is keeping some South Dakota
places out of the reach of the senator ana
that he feels compelled by stern sense OF
duty to threaten rebeilion? But all these
questions were put at rest as soon as Mr.
KYLE saw the interview. He declared that
he never had said anything OF the kni
Those were not his views. The interviewer
at Pittsburg must nave awakened sohe
other passenger on the train. ,
Last Friday an interview with IeneIai
j
York Sun, setting forth with circumstan-
TALLY the conclusion he had reached III re-
gard to the two offices he now holds, one
in the army and the other in Congress- re
was quoted as saying with much emphasis
that he would resign his seat I'm the House,
and would never serve day OF the term,
beginning March 4. to which he was lately
elected The evening newspapers OF the
same day carried denial from General
Wheeler He, too, had never said sucn
things ard these were not his views: Every
week furnishes illustrations of tins sort
The fakir of such news does better than me
ordinary man of enterprise, for he makes
two blades of grass grow where there was
none before. He gives the world the penehl
of the story and also of the denial. f1acl
attracts attention and arouses interest.
strict regard for the truth would have pre-
vented the appearance of either.
Something must be said in behalf OF tne
newsgatheTers suspected OF taking, IN At
least one respect however. The practice mas
become alarmingly prevalent of denying IN
tervievs whenever their authors have occa-
casiOn to regret having given them out lnis
is a trick borrowed from diplomacy. IL p
a half-pleasantry for some pubic men 70
saw while chatting freely: Now II you ever
quote me on this, ] shall deny the inter-
View" OF course, this Is q fair arrangement
Rut TO give out an interview and then dehy
II because it's effect Is apparently not as GOO
as was expected Is hardly fair ana square
4 certain percentage of the so-called Iak@
interviews are traceable TO this source.