The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-02-12
INTEGRITY OF REPORTERS
THEIR METHODS AND MOTIVES IN
GETTING THE NEWS.

Care and Conscience in Getting Out a
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS olicitude for Pub
viduais.
A. very common error is prevalent
that the work of reporters, given in
newspapers, as a rule is not entitled to
respect or credence. 1t is generally as
stunned that the reporter writes chiefly
or wholly to make sensation. or in
some way interest readers without re-
gard to facts, while. just the reverse is
the truth in all reputable newspaper
establishments.
1t Is safe to assume that the state
ments of reporters given in the leading
reputable journals Of the country are
quite as truthful as are the general
statements from the pulpit when the
minister gets outside Of strictly reli
gious teachings, and very much more
truthful than are the public express
sions Of most If not all the leading pro-
fessions. With very few exceptions
the management of our leading daily
newspapers enforce truthfulness and
fairness as the supreme attributes for
newspaper writer, and yet it is COM
mon for all who are displeased with
any reportorial statement to say that
tits mere newspaper story
1t is true that there are few con-
spicuous exceptions to the rule that
governs the reputable newspapers of
the country. Two newspapers in New
York have brought more discredit upon
the journalistic profession during the
last year than all other causes COM
bined They have done it by catering
solely to the most prurient tastes Of
the public and to the most vicious SEN
Ssationalsm. They are not respected
by the public and should not be, but
they do not represent the progressive
journalism of the country, and they
have been more severely criticised by
the public press generally than by any
other class.
Not only are the managers of our
leading newspapers entitled to great
credit for the scrupulous care they en-
force on their reporters and cores
pondents to present the truth with as
exact fairness as possible, but the pub
lie little know the ceaseless care that
is exercised in every reputable news
paper office to prevent the publication
Of even the truth when 1t would be a
more harmful to publish than to sup
press 1t. There is not week, indeed
hardly day that the newspapers of
this city do not suppress facts proper
for public information which would
make a most interesting story, solely
because it would bring flood of sor-
row to the innocent and helpless and
cast an imperishable shadow upon
their lives With all the errors neces-
sarily committed in a newspaper office
by reason of the haste with which ar
ticles must often be prepared, the pub
lie little know with what thorough in
tegrity the newspapers, as rule, pro-
tect the innocent even at the cost OF
suppressing legitimate and interesting
Information. The skeletons of hun
dreds Of households are carefully
guarded in the newspaper offices of the
country and generally without even
the knowledge of the people who are
thus protected.
Tryl. - - MI a
gave a pointed illustration of the gen.
eral integrity of the reportorial service
rendered to our newspapers. Kew
Clarence HI. Woolston, pastor of the
Eastern Baptist church, Is one of very
many ministers whose zeal often out
runs their discretion when enlisted In
humanitarian or moral struggles He
gave an interview to a reporter Of the
Press on the war now in progress tc
improve the social purity of the com
munity. Ee doubtless spoke to the re-
porter just as he felt and as he be-
lieved, and he spoke with the earnest
ness and enthusiasm which led him
into the common error of exaggeration
When he saw his statements in colo
type he was appalled,; he could not be-
ueye that he had been correctly report.
ed, and he unfortunately so declared
but when confronted by the reporter
with his shorthand notes read back te
the minister, he was compelled to con.
TESS his error and acted manfully If
doing so.
If Mr.. Woolston stood alone among
the ministers in this regard he might
be Justly censured with severity, but
he is representative type of very
many ministers who, with equal con-
scientiousness, speak in extravagant
terms when discussing public ques.
lions. They are not in such close
touch and attrition with the world as
to understand it as people Of the worlt
understand it. and they often assume
statements of prejudiced parties, alike
in political, social. religious and mora
disputes, to be the truth, and sermons
are delivered from the pulpit based
upon such assumptions, which are
mainly false.
If those who gave them the false in
formation could see their statement!
in cold type they would deny or evadt
them, but when the speeches or ser
mons are seen in the frigidity of cole
type they realize the error they have
committed If ministers, lawyers
physicians professors and all classe!