The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-04-23
Nh 1t.r,;r~~Io> OF >E"~

-
Tn. other day the News anal On
server printed . ne~ story GtR-aE 'A
facss w4sh reference tp the lo tn 'HF
u.ft4 of zen Thousand dollar ~h'l'' :
hv a., Atlantic National i.ank "f 49,
n5nston - <e~ Y"rk
Y.-terfay The WILMINGTON $tsr e%a"r
q. an tie s~,sht tram vith th u'a
giving an Tie facts esnn,~ ted ~ho ihf
robbery Including statement tAat
the bans was fuliy protected by M
Suraace and app~ndlBs This apology
"a the public and Justification of ihe
vigilance II It's re~portorial fore
From an entirely legitimate SoArc"
"A fe-A dasS batter = reporter - Inv
star learned the facts OF Gac F"1o''S'
and upon inquiry at me b3hSt
ascertasned that ths sale 'tahS1iL -
of the none was fulIy protected -
Insurance. and within - houss aii"r
fHo robbery the mou bad been
made good in Kew York hy the Insult
.auce but before @tYinE the
matter publicity the bank officials de-
sired to communicate with the post
office authorities This MAS teiiow eu
By a most urgent request from lite
pgStofncc people. 3ncf1aillg ~ AA
sp4ctorS or detectives sent here 70 "a
xeStigate the robbery from Na~"laS
ion. that nothing be- said Of the affair
for the present. as any publication
would most certainly defeat tie mus
~ iu~tise and might lead ~ the 60
OF parties Who were under sur
yelIaucc Nhtl.- il MAS stated Uo~t
empbati.0llN ;hat tht wilmington rh''
IF the t-ransactioa WAS ali rsght. the
d~isapuearance OF - large an amount
would travel quickly. and that ms
guilty rarity would Al once be put on
MS guard. Cndcr this
ITbe Star agreed To withhold puoita-
rioa OF the news until the poStoIiCe
inspectors had exhausted their re-
sources on the case, believing with ihc
D~o~to+ice people. that il was entirely
within tho duty of = reputable news
paper - lend It's efforts in every way
possible Il conserving the ends or
justice.
put the story leaked out. AMI L
was entirely i'm the province of NJ
Raleigh = to publish the news,
where no embargo was declared. me
facts in the case are IS given above
There * vet no trace Of the missing
currency, ana the legal papers issued
in the case have been forWarded -
the United states Marshals office in
Raleigh for future reference. in case
there should develop a clue The
Wilmington bank Is fully Reimbursed
by the insurance company. which mas
it's own private detectives at work on
the investigation. the poStofiice peo-
pie apparently having failed
The circumstance each again the
lesson that this paper has several
times had occasion to refer -, viz
that. when 4 thing is news the best
policy as well as the highest duty Of
a news paper is to print the facts.
In case Of the star. il was ovcr-pcr-
suaded To repress an item Of inter
est and importance. What was the re-
suit? The item was printed all the
same and the Star had the always IN
pleasant experience OF printing a local
happening after it had been printed
abroad. In addition. * Is necessarily
true that the paper which Is pub
lished on the pot a treat a local
occurrence more fully and more ac-
curately thar one at a distance. 1t is
thus 10 the interest even OF the persons
who desire II prevent publications that
they be made promptly, frankly
and accurately.
Very frequently this paper is re-
quested. urged and even implored not
L print certain matters Of news. Its
rule is never TO promise anyone not
TO print anything. That is the News
and Observers inflexible rule. which
no one of the staff has authority TO
vary. Readers Of the paper viii, OF
course, have gathered that certain cir
cumStances are not printed in detail.
but these omissions are matters of
discretion with the paper exercised
the idea that there is a point
where publicity stops and license be-
gins. But should we avoid printing
the facts in many of the instances in
which requests which it is unpleasant
to refuse are made that they be not
printed. our reward would be some
what like that of the Stars in this
instance-the necessity Of finally
printing stale" what might have
been given fresh.
Ana, in a majority OF instances, II
would be necessary also 10 correct
inaccuracy of statement or 10 supply
ommitted detail in the original publi-
cation tending TO injure or embarrass
the very persons at whose instance
The publication was delayed
Moral: DO not ask this paper not to
print the news.