The record-union., 1899-01-09
A LOW STANDARD OF HONOR.

Evidently a low standard of honor
elasticity of the conscience of certain
of the San Francisco press. Their
pledges of honor express and implied
appear to have no binding effect with
them. Here is one out of many in
stances Of this truth. AT a meeting
of the Inaugural Ball Committee on
Saturday evening in this city certain
matters were under consideration,
which, in the judgment of the commit
tee, should not go to print.
The committee so informed the re-
porters for the press who were present,
and proceeded to go into executive ses-
sion, under which order the reporters
would have been excluded and the doors
closed. But it was arranged that the
reporters might remain, with the dis
tiuct understanding that they should
not send to print the matters, to con-
slider which the committee went into
executive session. This was so clearly
expressed and understood, that there
could be no possible misrepresentation
concerning it. Indeed, one of the re-
porters arose and asked the committee
If after the matter in hand had been
settled, the press would not be allowed
to publish the result? This application
was considered and an emphatic ad-
verse decision given, and the reporters
Were distinctly Informed that they could
remain only upon the understanding
stated, and accepting this the reporters
remained
The Record Union" on its behalf,
respected the request Of the committee
end regarded its own sense of honor and
self-respect, by refraining from pub
lishing that upon which the COM
mittee placed the seal of privacy, as it
had the right to do. But two of the
San Francisco papers, the Cali and
Chronicle" Of yesterday had full re-
ports of the precise matter which they
had been pledged to refrain from pub
fishing. More than that, the other and
public business of the committee was
ignored and not reported by them, and
that which was transacted in private
or executive session, was seized upon
to- make sensational articles.
The committee is a private body of
Sacramento citizens promoting a social
function, putting up their money to do
so, and directing the affair in the man
her these citizens deem best for all
concerned They had the right 10 hold
their sessions in private and to exclude
reporters of the press. But when it
came to executive session they were
gracious enough to allow these news
gatherers to remain with the express
pledge that the matter deemed private
should not be reported, and as TO what
that matter was, was made perfectly
clear and was emphasized by the re-
fusal Of the request made by one of the
press men as we have already stated.
What protection have decent, self-re-
specting newspapers against such in
famous tactics as We're INDUCED in by
the Chronicle" and CALI? How
must we expect decent men who es-
TEEN their words of honor as good and
better than their bonds, to hold the
newspaper press when it Is thus
smirched with broken obligations, vio-
lated promises and the arts of the
sneak? What difference is there be-
tween the Paul Pry who wriggles at
the key hole Of the private apartment
to worm out secrets for the delectation
of morbid tastes, and the fellows who
are admitted to the apartment and
made witnesses of what is said, under
the solemn promise of supposed gen.
tlemen to refrain from using the in
formation which is indicated as strictly
private? The Paul Pry is the better
man, for he at least was not under
pledge and promise.
The Santa Rosa Republican" quotes
in full the recent. editorial expression of
the Record Union" to the effect that
the long drawn out counting Of ballots