The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-10
The White House and the News.

Il . .fs 3 II
!; A few days ago we hal something TO
say In protest against the over-ready
4 criticism which followed upo,, the recent
election OF Mrs. Minor Morris from the
| White House. Our remarks were based
upon the presumably official statement
I of Assistant Secretary BarncS who de-
| clared that the lady had behaved in so
/ dsorderly way that her removal WINS
| not only justlfablc but necessary. In
accepting Mr. Barness statement at It's
| face value, 1t now appears that we have
been somewhat premature.
-Four newspaper men who wers eye.
witnesses of the affair--while Mr. Barnes
himself, they say, was not-5tnnpt some
OF the assistant secretary's statements as
absolutely untrue. They assert positively
that Mrs Morris did not scream or make
any disturbance whatever until the OIL
Ger actually laid hands upon her. Mr..
Barnes further declared that the negro
eye-witnesses flatly deny Ills. They say
that, as g matter of fact. the negro
caught hold of the lady's ankles and
actively assisted in her removal from the
house.
This flat contradiction oetween the adj
ministratlon and impartiaiiS- disposed eye
witnesses Is little short of astounding.
The strength of the latte. $ testimony
would be rather difficult to discrciti.
More or less insignificant at first glance,
this unhappy affair has now become an
issue of real Importance. The President
owes It 10 himself and to the people to
have 1t Immediately and fully invesii-
gated. If Mr.. Barnes's statement Is cor
rect, he has right to have It's accur-
acy established. If 1t is incorrect. the peo-
pie have right to know 1t. An attempt
at hushing up must prove unsatisfactory
to everybody. Pending investigation. it
is inevitable that the administration
should rest under the unpleasant sus.
picion of having been guilty of colorins
the news.
From Washington comes another story,
growing out of this one. which is hardly
less disagreeable. A certain correspondent
wired his paper an account of the Norris
episode-which was full, frank and not
at all in accordance with tho official YER
sion Issued by the assistant secretary.
Whereupon he was duly summoned be-
fore Secretary Loeb and adn!onlshed tina:
the manner in which he mad handled
his story had proved very Objectionable
to the White House. The SOLD possible
inference is that White House news must
be served only in a way that is agree
able to the administration. and that cor
respondents who have the temerity TO
violate this order must do so at the risk
OF the Presidential displeasure.
The argument that a particular news
story is Objectionable to the White
House" is, obviously, highly improper
one. 1t Is difficult to distinguish such II
comment from a deliberate attempt at
coercion. The only adverse criticism
which Secretary Loeb. or anybody else,
is warranted in passing upon any decent
newspaper story Ia that It does not give
the facts. II decent and IL II does give
the facts, there Is literally nothing to be
said. II the White House wsihes the cor
RESPONDENTS TO send only things ttias are
a agreeable and flattering ~ their news
papers, there is Jus. one way IN which 1t
can accomplish this. 1t must take care
that only agreeable and flattering things
are allowed to happen there.
A free and unrestricted press Is a nat
iona, asset OF tremendous Importance
With which not even the President of the
United States has the sighiea; right 10
tamper.