Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-08-25
pRArrLEBoRo, FRIDAY, AUGUST Is. leo.
Official Discretion.


torial entitled Official Moles, desig-
mates as "a rubbishy evasion ana Oh
M force whatever" the reasons given
nv Attorney General Fits (published
in the Reformer few weeks ago. ior
holding a brief secret session during
the recent investigation OF state prison
affairs at Bellows Falls. 1t says that
the neople of the state are entitled 10
know all about every last little de-
tail of the states business ana tha'
II is arrogant and insulting to the
neonle for an official to assume any
attitude antagonistic to this principle
1T is true that the people nave d
right to know the details or pubic
business as conducted by the state OF
ficials: but even a servant has some
rights of judgment and discretion
without the exercise of which he would
not be valuable: and the individuals
connected, justly or otherwise. with
public scandal have also some rights
as TO fair treatment and the preser-
walton of such good reputation as they
may be entitled to. The public SER
want, if he be worthy his place, has all
these conflicting rights to consider
That composite parsonage. Tne Peo-
ple"-bigger than any of the state
servants, it is true, and Unsuitable In
its curiosity and sensation loving de-
mands upon the newspapers-has not
a monopoly of rights.
The Times questions the superiority
of the qualifications of the state pris-
on commissioners and the attorney
general over those of the newspapers
as guardians of public purity. But in
the case under discussion. it was not a
question of superior qualifications;
the former, and not the latter, had au-
thority to decide and to act. They
We're conducting the investigation and
were responsible for results. They
were obliged to use such qualifications
as they possessed. inferior or other
wise.
We think the commission did quite
right in Withholding from public
knowledge the name of woman, sup
posedly innocent and not present to
defend herself, who had been
brought into connection with prison
scandals. An accusing newspaper
paragraph, once printed and read, can
never be recalled A second exonera-
ting paragraph may never be read by
the people who read and believed the
first An unfounded suspicion of evil
circulated about a person can never
be wholly cleared away. If the young
woman in question had been present
and the facts in the case at hand
there would have been no excuse for
the secret session. for. as the Times
saws, "her skirts could be much more
effectively cleared in the light Of day
than through hole-and- corner proceed
ings."; but since this was impossible
the use of her name in connection
so discreditable, would have been an
Injustice. A man may acquire sec
ond good reputation; woman has
but one in a lifetime.
The newspapers can hardly pose
as guardians of public purity" in
state affairs. even for the sake of ar
gurpent. although it is evident that
the press of Vermont is not swayed by
.sensationalism but follows as stead
lastly as possible the principles OF
fair and honest journalism. The re-
porters of Vermont newspapers may
lack wisdom for the role of public CEN
sors. but they are not short on hohes-
ty. Nevertheless, during the past rev
weeks. at least one state scandal a.
terward authoritatively denied IN SUP
Stance and several statements from
the governor which he has SINCE pup
lcly disowned have appeared In ieao'
ing state newspapers. To throw opei
unreservedly the proceedings Oh 'he
state's business. means to throw theh
omen to the reporters OF the couii''
as well as of the state. the peopie "
Vermont ought to know by eHperieh''
,,h.t This would mean for the reputa'
ton of the state.
Let us yield little of our poaste'
"rieht' as 1.-THE people" to the goo'
sense and discretion of our pubic ser
wants and to the individual rights .
the accused. We do not demand Una
our laundress shall f1aunt the lai'iii'
linen in our faces in order that we ma!
know just how dirty II Isl we aie as
isfied to know that she has maze ciea'
and spotless what was once unlit ~
use The official explanation maze u
the people of the reasons for the Sc
cret session and covering the pom,
involved showed that no Arrogance
or insult to the state" was INTENDED
or public rights forgotten.