New-York tribune., 1902-12-25
WORD WITH NEWSPAPER CRITICS

II -.
A few days ago "The Evening Post" printed a
letter from one of its readers complaining be-
cause the papers regularly report the condition
Of Mr.. Cornelius Vanderbilt, who is now, we
hope, recovering from severe attack of typhoid
fever. Our contemporary made the proper re-
ply that Mr.. Vanderbilt is a man whose per-
sonal character and relation to important in
terests make his hard fight for life q matter of
legitimate concern to large number of respect
able citizens. 'The Post" regrets, as we do.
that the news from his sickroom has sometimes
been intrusfvely sought and sensationally pub
lished, though it is probable that only small
proportion Of those who have deployed around
his house, waylaid physicians and servants and
trained Photographic cameras on the premises
are reporters. But those whose business it is
TO gather and distribute information have no
reason to reproach themselves for obtaining
quietly and decently in such a case as this the
news which their readers rightly wish TO find
in their columns.
So much for a particular piece of unjust fault
finding, which suggests some further reflections
of a general character. The Tribune holds no
brief fraternally or otherwise for Journals that
employ methods which 1t dislikes and in spite
or strong pressure on the part of many actual
and probable readers, refuses to initiate But
our contempt to hear common tattlers, who
have not trace Of delicacy in their own COM
position, indulging in censorious criticism of the
newspapers because they print, often with far
more reserve than is maintained in converse
ton. small part Of the current facts and gossin
OF the day. When some unhappy scandal is
dfvulged, the first person to rail at the paper in
which he has eagerly read account of it
having bought the one in which he expected to
find the fullest particulars in the broadest Ian
guage-is the individual who thereupon bustles
off TO his club with additions contributed ont
of his own dirty Imagination. and loves TO be-
foul the atmosphere OF drawing room with
salacfous intfmations, if he knows of one from
which he will not be kicked into the street.
And so in graver matters. When a disaster
in business or speculation has engendered sus-
picions OF fraud and perhaps involved respected
names, from what source proceed the assertions
or insinuatons, partly calculated, partly reck-
less, altogether damaging which the news
! papers handle with extreme caution. knowing
well that those who outwardly pretend to be
Mortified by their mild disclosures secretly burn
TO see every detail of the scandal which thev
themselves have helped to circulate ANONYMOUS
/ ly printed? They come from bank parlors and
brokers' offices; they are caught I'D on street
corners; hotels, cafes and the smoking rooms OF
clubs are full of them; too often care is taken
that they shall, no care is taken that they
shall not leak out of private houses to willing
ears Tor the use of loose tongues We know
mat some newspapers are occasionally. and
some customarily, culpable, but theirs are not
Ihe only nor The worst fnvasions Of private life
The most despicable agents of publicity are the
unprofessional purveyors of doubtful or Illicit
or dangerous information, which, with all the
impudence of simulated Indignation, they damn
the press for repeating. We applaud and want
TO share IN every vigorous expression of honest