Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-01-27
CHAFE UNDER
RESTRICTION
Washington Newspaper
Correspondents Are
Up in Arms

Washington, D. c., January 27.-For
number of weeks there has
been serious and earnest discussion
among the corps Of Washington cor
respondents Of the growing disposition
OF the executive and administrative
branch of the government to curb the
facilities of the special representatives
of the press and to criticise the free ex-
ercise of the duty Of commenting upon
public affairs, the duty with which the
special correspondents are charged.
says the Washington Star.
The discussion was increased when
the president issued his order forbid
ing cabinet officials to give out news
to the specials and limiting the dissent
nation of information to official state
ments to be furnished the press asso-
Citations.
1t was recognized Immediately that
this action amounted practically to the
establishment of system whereby an
administration would have the news
presented to the public only In the light
desired by the officials.
1t is only fair to say that under pres
sure of public sentiment that order has
since been modified. and the president
announced to a group of correspon
dents called to the White House that
newspaper men would be welcome to
/ inquire at headquarters about official
subjects of public Importance. But.
| while the order was modified. 1t Is
claimed by many correspondents that
the spirit of it's original intent still
fingers.
The climax of the discomfort of the
correspondents was reached last Sat
urday when it became known that the
presidents secretary Mr.. Loeb, had
expressed to representative OF
paper which had published full and
fearless account of the Morris episode
that the manner in which the paper in
question had handled this matter in its
news columns had been very objection
able to the White House from the pres
| ident down.
Buzzed With Animated Comment.
After the correspondents had recov-
cred from the amazement into which
they We're thrown by this astounding
statement they began to reflect upon
the circumstances attending the pub
lication of that story. and the more
they reflected the madden they got
For hours the press galleries at the
capitol buZzed with animated COM
| ments
L was recalled that some newspapers
had contented themselves with pub
dent given out from the White House
while others had printed the accounts
of eyewitnesses and that there was
wide divergence between these two
stories The official version was very
much more unfavorahle to t0e victim
of the incident and more in defense OF
the action of the White House EN-.
plOveeS.
The correspondents who discussed
the subject took the ground that criti'
csm of news story by the Whit.
House officials was all the more often
siva as an invasion of the rights of {
free press when that news story was ;
fair statement of the case and the Off
cial version was. to say the least. no
complete in detail.
Then it was recalled that the White
House has been very sensitive abou
newspaper articles and frequently dis
posed to haul up newspaper cores
pondents who wrote articles which
however correct I'm substance. were no
pleasing to the administration. In.
stances We're recalled where a number
of correspondents had been called VI
and admonished that the administra
ton did not like a certain story.
one case was recalled where a prom
inent western correspondent had Sc
verely criticised the cabinet gag ordel
and the president sent for another man
in the bureau and vigorously expressed
his displeasure. After listening to hin
respectfully to conclusion the othe
man said, Il did not write that par
ticular story. but if had would have
made it even stronger
The correspondents have been talk
ing over the situation for weeks, al
stated. and the discomfort went SO ia
as To bring out q suggestion which &
one time was seriously considered 70
a meeting of the corps to discuss way
and means for possible escape from thu
tightening lines that seemed to b.
drawn about them in the executive
branch. Nothing was done at the time
however.
Corps cf High Personnel.
The corps of Washington cores
pondents consists Of the neWspape
representatives whose names appear IL
the Congressional Directory. The les
list published ia names. representa-
tives of papers throughout the Unite'
States. The corps has semi officia
standing. q : admission to the press lis
can only be obtained by cards issue
by the speaker of the house and TIN
chairman of the senate committee ol
rules.
The admission is regulated by strin
gent rules ISSUED under the authorit,
of the two houses and vigorously On
forced
The personnel of the corps is high, 1t
members usually being picked and OK
perienced writer's on their RESPECTIVE
papers. and the honor and dignity q
the corps are jealousy guarded by
committee elected every two years b.
the correspondents and acting with an
under the direction Of the speaker o
the house and the chairman of tn
senate committee on rules.