The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-15
SUPERVISING THE. NEWS.

" e have already referred to- an article
in the Atlantic Monthly by a newspaper
man., who confesses that he suppressed
the news at the command Of some of his
advertisers and made his paper the tool
OF certain selfish politicians and colored
the news to suit them. In commenting
on the same article the Chichago Inter-
ocean says:
Having served same years apprentice
, ship to Journalism in his native Pitts
burg he thought he would Ike TO have
/ a paper OF his own. He picked out a
thriving town, obtained the support OF
men high in the political faith" he IN
tended to follow. with their aid enlisted
the capital needed in addition to has own,
and started his paper. Then his troubles
began.
His. largest advertiser called to de-.
nand that he suppress the arrest on
charges Of fraud of a personal friend.
The accused was a man more than sus-
pectea of habitual swndling- His suiit
in the pending case was confessed by ms
offer TO make restitution 9et~the ed1toi1
hastened to suppress the facts ana 10
more the public interests that demanded
their publication. That is to say, before
| he had been in his editorial chair forty
eight hours he proved his utter unfltness
for his place
Having thus started upon the down
ward road, he permitted ward polltlclans
to buy him with small contracts ana 70
sell him for their own ends. linen nc
descended TO attacks upon proposed pup
lie franchises and to advocacy OF 1nu-
nicipal ownership. not, as he confesses.
because he believed in it. nut tha.s ne
might be bought off.
AS a result of this line Of policy ne IS
now materially prosperous, but unhappy.
He is the tool of INSCRIPTIONS power
when it is too strong to be biackmaileo.
He knows his own base and enslaVed con-
dition. but utterly fails to understand that
none except himself is to blame
The confessions Of this pitaole creature
are. interesting as a human document.
p,+ b;s conclusion that all others are
,;le himself is infamous. If all news
n.nors were like what he shows his IS
and all put,lics like what he asserts ms
10 he. the republic could not endure loi
= 7ar. 1t would fail Of its own rotten
ness.
Novsrapers thus conducted are not only
DISGRACE to journalism, but they are
nosit,ve menace to pure politics and sood
ao,.or,-,ent This man makes two most
nitiful and contemplate confessions. i1e
both advocated measures which he 'A11c"
~ be corr,,pt and suppressed the news.
T, e,cr case he received a pecunlary con-
s;dara.io1r. OF the two evils We re-
card the latter as the greater and more
dangerous. It is bad enough 1or a
newspaper to use its influence, eNerteu
through its editorial columns. in advo-
cacy of selfish and corrupt measures but
# is far worse for a paper to suppress
the news, or distort the news, or Color
the facts for selfish reasons or for pecunl-
ary considerations.
We do not mean by this to say that
every happening in a community shouio
he rcnorted in the newspapers. 1t is IN
tho interest of public morals that certain
scandalous news be suppressed and 1t Is
n credit to Southern Journalism, that the
| columns of our newspapers are seneraiiy
| ..rse f.u,a such publications. In Southern
communities, too it is the custom Of edl-
tors and reporters to have a regard
for the feelings of distressed families,
in handling a certain class ofrnews, and
while this sort Of thing Isl sometimes
| carried too far, generally speaking. the
| suppression of all such publications is
! through motives of kindness.
But taking due note Of these special
cases. we say that the first duty of a
newspaper is to print the news, all the
| news that is fit to print, and both sides Of
| every story. For a paper to suppress IN
formation to which the reader is fully
| entitled for the benefit of some private
1 interest is. in our opinion, the high crime
of Journalism. The editor IS privileged
20 express any opinion he may about a
public question, but SO far as his news
columns are concerned it is his bounden
duty to lay before his readers, fairly and
| imnartially and fully, all the facts in the
case. nothing suppressins, nothing eS-
| tenuating. The newspaper which fails TO
do this plain duty to its readers and TO
\ the public cannot expect the commenda-
daton of fair-minded people, and is I'M
worthy of support. The day of the organ
! in newspaperdom is done.
-=--------=
Senator Hanna declares emphatically
4 that he IS not ana OOeS lloL cApeCI4t " NC
/ a candidate for the Republican nomina-
ton for the Presidency, and wishes the
sossips would stop talking about It. IN
speaking OF the matter the other day to
one of his colleagues he said:
If these fool people. some Of whom
are my ends and others my enemies
would sto., talking about my being Il
| candidate Tor President, am confident
I could accomplish something OF real
1 benefit to the country i'll the task have
undertalseI to bring about a thorough
/ and permanent understanding between
! capital and Dor, or between the employ
1 ing and the working classes. My WORK
/ along this line is greatly embarrassed, il
/ not actually hampered, by the frequent
4 talk of my being !, candidate for Presl-
4 dent. am not a candidate for Presi-
dent, and do not expect to become a
/ candidate I want everybody to under
! stand this, so that l can go on with the
task assigned to me by the National
/ Give Federation, without having my
1 motives viewed with suspicion. l woulc
4 rather be instrumental in bringing the