The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-10
PRIVILEGED INFORMATION.

From the New York Editor and Publisher.
 The bill before the Indiana legislature mentioned in last weeks Editor and Pub fisher, which provides that information given in confidence to an editor or re- porter shall be privileged. is of intense interest to newspaper men. It is step toward placing journalism securely among the higher professions, which have been represented in the past by the law. the medicine and the ministry only. Objection might be raised to the bill as a dangerous measure were 1t not for the section which makes the giving out of false information under such conditions crime, and which provides punishment for the same. This safeguard makes the bill reasonable from every standpoint.
 Great as is the press In its service in fathoming crime and assisting officers of the law In instituting Justice. its power would doubtless be increased immensely if 1t could be regarded as a sort of con fessional where those fin possession of knowledge of wrong-doing could make the case plain before the people and still be guaranteed the confidence which such confessions are granted when given to practitioners in the other professions. Commenting on the bill, the Atlanta Constitution has this to say
 If a newspaper man is to be exempt from turning legal informer' at the de- mand of the court he will be placed on a footing with the priest, the doctor and the lawyer, to the extent that their con | fessional secrets are privileged. And why not? If anybody has a right to such ex- emption from testifying Tn court in a manner repugnant to professional ethics, the newspaper editor or reporter is that man.
 Some of the best news the newspaper gives it's reading constituency-with the emphasis on the news-has its source in personal confidence.
 'If a priest has right to maintain a secret told him at confessional and does so when he knows the revelation he might make would clear away all doubt as to the guilt or innocence of the ac- cused at the bar of justice, why is such right stronger than a parallel example ] with newspaper man the recipient of 1 the confidence?
 Commenting on the proposed law the Tacoma ONash) Ledger says:
 "'The newspaper man in his line of duty has to tell the truth, even though this causes the persons to whom it re- lates to pass through an unpleasant or deal. It is possible that an individual may be in possession of an important fact the public has a right to know about but l the promise that he be shielded. This promise a newspaper man often gives and has a right to keep, and should bt protected in the keeping. If the informa. ton prove false, the informant certainly would have no reason to expect to be safeguarded
 "The section of the same bill defining as a crime the giving of false informa- ton to a newspaper may not be so strong 1 y commended owing to the fact that the 1 proof of deliberate falsity would not bt easy to develop in court In very many in stances, but as a general proposition 1t 1: not so bad The newspaper is sometimes
 imposed upon grossly in this respect and l Is compelled to bear the onus of blame A newspaper, above all things. tries tC know that a piece of news given 1t foi information is true, and when 1t proves to the contrary, it is a safe guess that somebody lied to the reporter or misin. l formed him unwittingly or carelessiy"