Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-02-09
NEWSPAPER TRICKS.

HAL tame INV fNNNNNN AfN hffffHff"ff
writer. recently contributed to tho
press m article on the tricks and toe
tics Of the American interviewer. ~
was copied from the London Telegraph
into the Dcscrct News ~ January ~
In humorous way Mr.. raino related
some of his experiences which Jed him
60 the conclusion that. whether YOU
allow yourself 10 be- interviewed. or re-
fuse 10 allow yourself to be- interviewed
you are equally certain to regret a."
In cases where he would say nothing
stories were made M ~ coming from
him, and when he did talk. ideas were
attributed to him which he never en-
tcftaincd and words put into hlr mouth
which he never uttered.
This h one ~ the tricks ~ modern
Journalism which cannot be too strong
~ condemned. The reporter, though
cnlpnblc. II perhaps not 20 much to
blame aa the editor or publisher. who
urges him on TO ret news and 10 fabr-
cate II when he cannot lcgitlmatcly get
what he desires. and the public aprc'
lite for something unusual and HenHa.
,ional and which cannot he gratlned
unless II IL highly splccd, h also
largely responsible.
The San francisco Monitor, In an
article touching on this subject. has
the following IN relation 10 another
phase Of improper journalism
"a reporter gctr IN the seen, Of some
family trouble. lie rtraightway
breaks Into the home and demands 10
know what concerns nobody In the
world outside the family. II 10 II re-
fused the knowledge which he seeks
he builds n story on what he has heard,
rakea NJ the family history. and 10
an atom Of truth adds u whole mbun-
tain Of untruth. And there II M redress.
Few men are strong enough to fiKht u
greet newspaper. Character and good
name are nothing In comparison with
the public demand for what " sup
posed TO be- news
We know ~ no cfcctuai remedy for
these evils except public sentiment.
The decent and respectable elements of
society could show their dirapproba-
tion Of these things by nirong
protests. and then by refusing
to support payers given to this
rcprohcnrlbIe conduct They can cx.
exclude such sheets from their business
places and from thcir homes. They can
use powerful Influence In many ways
to abatc this evil. which IN not only In
furious to the victims Of the reporters
Euiie. but IL huriful TO society and
damaging to the state. II II blight
Ing TO public morals. and serves no
greater purpose than TO bring money
into tho Golfers of the journals which
make such things speciality.
Another shameful prostitution Of the
power " the press, Is In the printing
~ startling headlines above an article
which arr utterly ut variance with that
which IL found In the text In these
rushing times many people, In scanning
newspaper depend upon the headings
nnd the summary which frequently
prccede the article. when such head
inKr truly Indicate what ia In the body
" the article following, they arr a con-
Venlencc 10 busy people and ARE there
fore cummcndahlc. but when they con-
Vey something false and misleading
aud unwarfanicd by what followH,thcy
ARE a cheat and snare. and 10 he
ciaHscd with the crime known na for
gerry. In illustration NJ this yillainous
practice we elite the firSt page ~ the
Mormon" sheet published In this
city, OF Wednesday. Fob. Sth. Here
are some Of the headings. In small type
M they appeared In large types "pur-
pose OF Mormons- church Proposes Ia
stand by polyEamiat lobcrts-so Says
Apostle Taylor-Yct lie Maintains that
the Church Does Not Interfere with
Matters of State"
Careful reading of the toNt OF the
special dispatch which follows, fails
to disclose anything that viii warrant
the assertion that the church proposes
anything In relation 60 the matter, Of
has any purpose In reference TO politics
on the contrary the gentleman quoted
IA rcpreacutcd as saying
''rhc church does not interfere with
matters uf state We do not believe
In amy such union. finding good In ni
religions. This trouble IN wholly pu'
liticnl, ana not ON moral ground 90
many suppose
That emphatic declaration would b.
sufficient TO any fair mind I,
show that what follows In con
nection with the subject Il
given on political grounds alone, The re-
mark. m two-thirds Of the member
OF Congress are against II and put hin
out, we viii send another man In hi
place" IL therefore a political asser
tlon. Hut In the headlines It II thu
stated: III Roberts IN unsented. THU
church onlcial States, Another Llk'
Him WIN be sent 10 Take His Place
Thus "a deliberate and intentional
falHifcatlon NJ the words said 10 have
boon uttered by Mr. Taylor. ls ncrpe
trotcd by the paper that makes n bust
ness u mlsrepresenting everything pos
slblc relating 10 the Mormon Churcl
ana IT, leading men. The same shnc
has stated that nothing could be- NOR,
wicked than to place false consiruc
ton ON the words Of another"
The Dessert News diEllkes the worl
~ pointing out these Vile attempts Il
make trouble for the majority ~ tn
people Of Utah, but finds It necessary
10 engage IN Il occasionally because q
tho continual assaults that are mad
In thiu direction. We do not expect l.