The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-28
THE REPORTER

certain local attorney, not long
ago. was engaged in a criminal case.
He placed upon the stand prominent
man, who became somewhat confused
and as result proved, to say the
least, an indiscrete witness. A re-
porter heard his remarkable testimo-
ny and straightway incorporated it in
his account of the trial. and it was
published. The reporters statement
as to the testimony given by the
prominent witness was substantiated
by the official court reporters records.
but that did not prevent the attorney
referred to, the day following the pub
LEGATION of the article, from informing
the reporter that his article was in
correct. BY doing this the attorney
adhered to the usual custom of blam-
ing the public mistakes of the average
citizen onto the usual goat" the hap
less reporter.
Speaking on this subject the Day
ton News has the following edito-
rial:
An article in the Century Magazine
calls for "A League for the Suppress
sion of Abuse of the Press" claiming
that the reporters for the daily papers
have made life almost unbearable for
part of the community. Even in
decent society one who declines to
yield to their demands" says the arti-
Gle, lis put upon the defensive" An
other expression is that "arts of this
modern inquisition" are said to range
from deception down to blackmail,"
and so on.
1t is not the first criticism of the
kind that has been heard in the land
and it will probably not be the last
one. But it is as unjust and as un-
fair as anything that could have been
penned Instead of "a league for
the suppression of abuses of the
press" what we need in this country
is some kind of league that will
teach people that a reporter is a
human being and an exceptionally
fair and impartial and discreet one
at that.
If the reporters OF the country were
to write one-half what they know
about people. then there might be
cause for a league to suppress them.
Or il they were to quote the people
they interview in the identical lang
uage given them. it would put lot
of people out of business. Certainly
II would call attention to the fact that
the average man, in an average con-
versation. used language he would be
ashamed to see in print
The frequent denials one sees of
interviews is not the fault of report
ers. 1t is a fault Of the party inter-
viewed. A man makes statement
to a reporter and it is printed in the
paper. and forthwith there is a howl
from some quarter. The easiest way
out of the dilemma is to claim the
reporter incorrectly quoted the state
ment. or to deny ever having seen a
reporter. Every reporter has had that
experience. He has many a time
been told a story and had the party
relating it. after he saw the effect of
it, deny that he made any such state
ment. Such things have happened in
no less important places than the
White House, and they are constantly
happening in other places.
In contrast with the article in the
Century, here is the statement of a
gentleman who was frequently inter-
viewed by American reporters recent
ly. During his visit to this country
Gross-Admiral Won Roster of the Ger
man navy. came in contact with the
newspaper people every day, and con-
versed with reporters at frequent in
tervals. In leaving this country and
in thanking the reporters for their con-
sideration. he took occasion to say:
Not one got me wrong. not once
was l misrepresented. Often l men,
toned things in confidence and in
no instance was the confidence BE-
trayed The reporters whom met in
the United States, treated me with del
icacy and afforded me feeling of
sense of fair play, which l admire and
appreciate"
But the American reporter really
needs no defense. He is capable of
taking care of himself, anywhere. any
time. His lot is hard one, it is true.
He is overworked and underpaid. He
is expected to put knowledge into the
mouth of the man he interviews and to
meekly take the condemnation that is
visited upon him when the remark
happens to be unpopular or indiscreet.
He betrays no confidence. and when
he writes q lie it is for the purpose
of helping some unfortunate fellow