Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-05-19
ARE WILLING To WAIT
People Not Restless as to the
Forecast Of War En-.
gagements.
GOOD RESULTS WILL BE SUFFICIENT.

While Interest and Anxiety Are Uncurba-
BILE the Public CheerfulIy sustains Self
Denial in Order to Keep Its Enemies
In Ignorance of What the Government
Proposes to Do.
The people of Rock Island are not
grumbling these days because of the
derth of war news, that is. of an anti
cipatory character. This. too. seems
to be the prevailing spirit throughout
the land, and the failure of the press
to forecast the movement of fleets,
the plans of the government, etc.. is
not regarded as evidence either of an
indisposition to provide news of cur
rent interest, Or ii a lack of enterprise
on the part of newspapers. The COM
plant has been made by the war
and naval departments at Washing
ton that the government has been
hampered by the premature publiea-
ton of plans. which have served to
post the Spanish government through
its system of spies at work in this
country. as well as to advise our own
people of what to expect. Accord
ingly, the well meaning news
papers, as well as the general news
disseminating agencies. have cheer
fully agreed to cooperate with the
government in suppressing all infor-
nation that may prove detrimental to
the American government. The spe-
cies of later day journalism. known
as the yellow newspaper. may not be
included in this purpose. but the best
class of papers is. The representa-
tive newspapers are determined that
the government of the United States
shall not have it to say that any fail
ure to execute well laid plans success
fully shall be laid at their door.
Editors gave Melville +. Stone, gen.
eral manager of the Associated Press,
salyOs of applause yesterday afternoon
when he said that he had dared to
suppress news for the protection of
the government of the United States.
He was cheered to the echo when he
said that last Sunday the Associated
Press knew that SIMPSONS fleet was
off Cape Haytien, but that the publ
cation of that fact would have seri-
ously embarrassed Sampson, and the
Associated Press was too great to
cripple the daring admiral or the gov
eminent. This was in the annual
meeting of the Associated Press in
Chicago, and motion had been made
that the members be assessed until a
fund of $3.50, 900 had been created for
the purpose of improving the service.
Mr.. Stone took the floor in opposition
to this, and to explain that the asso-
citation has been prodigal in its expen-
ditures for war news: that it has four
boats in service now, for one of which
$4,000 alone had been offered and
refused, that the service is checked
only by the rigid government censor
ship, and that the board of directors
and the management are giving
a service unequaled in the
history of news gathering. The
motion for an assessment was tabled
and the lengthy and strong statement
made by Mr.. Stone applauded on
every hand.
To an ARGUS representative, who
visited him in his Chicago office this
week, General Manager Stone afforded
brief insight into the pains that are
being taken by him to give to the pub
lie all that it is proper that it should
know. I'VE have two propositions
before us, ;" said Mr.. Stone. Zone is to
please our patrons, who are part of
our great news disseminating system
the other is to please the public. live
serve the former faithfully we serve
the latter" And there is not a man
on this continent who works harder
to carry ont the principles he stands
for, and the ends he seeks to serve
than Melville Z. Stone.
Professional Sacrifice to Patriotism.
In the sacrifice of its very province
to the more lofty aims of patriotism
the press has taken position OF
observation-disclosures on high ground,
where it may well challenge compare.
tive attitude on the part of the other
professions in strict, unselfish lov-
atty to country. first. 1t is a
fortunate and gratifying circumstance
for the press to find its constituency
recognizing the same principles. OF
propriety that have been applied, and
patiently abiding the time when i,
will he proper that those things
should be known which our upper.
most thoughts yearn for in the pres
ent hour.