The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-12
Mr.. sheldon on Ncwspapers.

lne amateur euiIOT VI lHt IOptHH 'upHut,
contributes to the Outlook a plant about
The Daily Papers and the Truth" He
begins by saying that a prominent Kansas
politician. a man OF great integrity, re-
spected by men Of all parties" picked up
a daily paper the other day and said to
him: Here is the daily lie about me" The
prominent politician complained that he
was constantly m|isrepreSented and lied
about in the press. He said that he was
misquoted II he gave interviews. II he
refused to give them, imaginative reporters
would make them in quantities to suit.
We are sorry if any Kansas or Missouri
papers treat prominent politicians or any
body else in this way. There are parts
of the country where politics generates
a strange amount Of virulenCe and where
lies about your opponent are eagerly
snapped up. There are few papers in
the country, however, that consciously
print lies or invent news. Those that
.habitually do are without influence to
injure and are despised by decent men and
women. In the matter Of interviews the
only safe rule is to submit to the interviewed
tho remarks which he has made, This is
not always feasible but it is always desir-
able. Speaking Of fa%lsehoods. it should
be said for Mr.. %SHELpoN's information
that nothing is more common in the ey-
p~erience of reporters and newspapers
than to have prominent politicians and
other notabilities deny, with n great show
Of earnestness and indignation. genuine
interviews in which they have been made
to say what they did say and no more. so
sadly is the world given to inaccuracy.
But Mr.. SHELDON has a personal grew
ance. lie speaks from a heart that has
been wounded by untruthful papers. He
complains that in the last three years "A
large number of prominent daily news
papers have printed falsehoods about
my IhiSI books, my daily habits, my family
life, my church and my parish in general
He Ia. never been interviewed but once,
yet scores Of pretended interviews with
him have been printed, 4 large New York
daily has published letters bearing his sig
nature but never written by him. Even
a prominent religious paper" has had
fictitious interviews with him and given
accounts Of him that were falsehoods
Of the most serious character" Various
well-known journals had histories OF events
supposed to take place in the Topeka
capital office while he was playing editor
histories filed with miSstatementS and
eyaggerations and downright f~alsehoods."
In short, Mr.. SHELDON has been lied
aI,htt ahnpNinahltr and ln q, ,,tn.oI.
hot thereat. is il not fair to ask" he
writes, g by what legal or moral right the
press Of this country Assumes the monstrous
power to say to a man that he must talk
or give out matter for publication, or in
any case. whether he does or not, expect
to be misrepresented and lied about?"
The press assumes NJ such right and COM
mits no such wrong, A small and shame
less part of it doesn't scruple to forge where
the bludgeon has not been effective. We
regret to say that 1t Is exactly in such a
part Of the press that we most often find
the name Of the Rev. Mr.. SHELDON as n
contributor. Doubtless the use of his
name by those masters of unveracity is
unauthorized.
Is il not time" asks Mr.. SHELDON, that
the people Of this country began to demand
OF the daily press that it tell the truth first
OF all?" The object Of the reputable daily
press is TO tell the truth first, last and all
the time, 1t succeeds fairly well, con-
sidering the opportunities of error and the
limited time there ia for corrections and
closeinquirios, ltdoes not eavesdropa az the
thrust itself into private affairs Of no leSit-
innate public concern. II doe not know
ingly print false news. Such. we believe,
is the character Of the great majority Of
American newspapers.