Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-03-17
FLAYS
CRITICS Of PRESS
IN CHICAGO SPEECH
Scores statesmen Journalists
Who Let Personal Views
influence Writings.

CHICAGO, March 17.-President Taft,
beginning his short swing around the
circle as the guest of carious Irish or
CARNATIONS in this city today. was the
| guest of honor and principal speaker
at functions which kept him busily Oc-
cupied. AT the Chicago Newspapers
Club, in an impromptu address, the
President warmed to his subject. THE
Press" and touched on phases of jour
nalism which, from the emphasis he
placed on them, apparently he feels
| deeply.
!! He criticized severely certain news
paper correspondents. In part he said:
Newspapers, of course, are essential.
We say we do not read them. The
difficulty that 1 find is hat l have
to read them, and after a time OF SEN
sitiveness-what shall I call it?-of q
sense of injustice, ones skin grows
thicker, one is able to forget phrases
of contempt and. criticism, and If we
can only survive two or three days
of attack and assault and ~unfounded
statements, most people will forget 1t.
Nov I don't know whether you num-
Der amonk your members not only
newspaper men, but men who combine
the profession of the press with states
manship, whether you lave among you
the men who are reformers down to
the ground and at the same time are
engaged in haiding out their views and
news suited to their views at states
men-correspondents. If you haven't,
YOU lack a distinguished type of news
= 5;.%;,e IN cd tunn Whirh
| am inbound to say, has not contrib
uted to the accuracy OF the news fur-
nished the public, for the reason that
a newspaper man who does his TASK
rightly is a man who furnishes the
facts as they are. without respect 10
whom they may hurt or help; but the
man who is preaching an vange or
who is helping a cause, and, especially
the one who takes himself seriously, Is
about the worst witness of events with
respect to those which his views reach.
"I speak with some knowledge be-
cause I nave had to examine that char
acter of statesman close at hand, out
l think he centres about washington;
| Therefore I believe l am addressing pure
newspaper men, men who don't exag-
gerate merely for the purpose OF heip-
ing or marring a cause but men VINO
are In search of news to present to to
the public.
ssThe public is now, l think, taking
the editorials as they appeal to the rea-
son of the reader and not because they
are editorials or because they are print
ed by a particular paper, and the pub
lie is beginning to discriminate with
reference to the news and to make up
their minds accordingly. If that is not
so all | can say is that I hope it soon
will be-"
At the Traffic Club, in acknowledging
election to honorary membership the
President in discussing railroad legisla-
ton said in part:
'Time was in mis- country when 1t
VS. most difficult for any railroad man
to conduct his business within the law.
/ worked to bring it about so that he
NAV conduct his business within the
law and so that the law shall be fair;
but so that he shall be made to feel
the penalty of the law when he steps
outside of it.
II believe there is a course, n |
believe there is legislation we may
have that will bring that about, and I
hope that / may be always able, no
matter what the result to me, to do
Justice between the great interest of
this country, the people, the shippers
and the railroads; that business may
60 on. that we shall all be within the
law. and hat every man shall see that
it As to his ultimate advantage to up
hold that law and preserve it and make
it inviolate.'