Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-18
TO THE NEWSPAPER MEN.

Chicago, March 17.-President Taft
beginning his short swing around the
circle as the guest of various Irish or
CARNATIONS in this city today was the
guest of honor and principal speaker
at functions which kept him busly
occurred. Before the Chicago News
paper Club, in an impromptu address,
the President warmed to his subject,
THE Press" and touched on phases of
journalism which, from the emphasis
he placed on them, apparently he feels
deeply
| Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
Newspaper Club" began the President,
Il have been trying hard TO get up the
ST. Patrick's day speech that | should
make to this important assembly. I
say important. | look around on this
handsome crowd, this charitable, bene-
ficent, patriotic crowd and l value the
opportunity to speak to men who do
the work on the Chicago papers, but
who are not responsible for their edi-
| torials.
Il have seen so many apocryphal
statements. so many unsound argu-
ments and unjust conclusions. that
they must come from some other source
than this distinguished and Intelligent
audience
THE newspapers of course are es-
sential, We say we do not read them.
Well, We have to read them. We have
distinguished member of one of the
tribunals in Washington who says he
never reads the newspapers. Whether
he gets his news through his wife or
how he acquires the information as to
the progress of the world | do not
know. The difficulty ] find is that |
have to read them; and after a time
of sensitiveness-What shall call it,
| of a sense of injustice, ones skin grows
| thicker; one is able to forget phrases
of contempt and criticism and what
newspaper man ultimately learns; that
after all, if we can only survive two
| or three days of attack and assault and
unfounded statements. most people
| will forget it.
THE only men who don't forget
| about themselves, the most sensitive
men with reference to the criticism of
| the nreSs, in my experience are the
| newspaper men, those who are served
UP by the newspapers of the Cpposi
| ton They are most sensitive ana it is
gratifying to me that they are.
| Nov / don't know whether you
| number among your newspaper MEM
| bers not only newspaper men but men
| who combine the profession of the
press with craftsmanship, whether you
have among you the men who are re-
| formers down to the ground and at the
same time are engaged in handing out
their views and news suited to their
| views as acknowledgements IF
| you haven't you lack a distinguished
| type of newspaper men, distinguished
tyre which, I am bound to say. have
| not contributed to the accuracy of the
news furnished the public for the rea-
| son that a newspaper man who does
his task rightly is a man who furnish
| es the facts as they are without respect
| to whom they may hurt or help; but
| the man who is preaching an eNangel
or who is helping business. especial
| " the one who takes himself seriously.
| is about the worst witness of events
| with respect to those which his views
reach. | speak with some knowledge
| because I have had to examine that
| character of statesman close at hand,
| but | think he centerS about Washing
| ton: therefore l believe am address
| ing pure newspaper men. men who
| don't eXaggerate merely fer the pur-
pose of helping or marring cause,
but men who are in search of news to
| present it to the public.
"The public is now, 1 think. taking
the editorials as they appeal to the
reason of the reader and not because
| they are editorials or because they are
| printed by particular paper; and the
puhlic is beginning to discriminate
| with reference TO the news and to
make IN their minds accordingly. If
that is not so. all l can say is that |
hope it will soon be.
IT am glad to be here and to look
into your faces and to assure you that
while I am a quarter of the way
through my term. have learned, 1
think. a good deal more in that first
vaar than 7 am likely to assimilate in
the next three
The President acknowledging the
election to honorary membership in the
Traffic Club of Chicago, said:
IT IN, worry, glad yJou elected me before
N. paxt interstate commerce bill has be-
come a law l am not sure whether
would not have listened with sooo dea
more tremor and fear TO the inquiry as
to how many voted no
1T seems TO bee fn the minus vi SWIM
c.p+laman in resAonsiibility that tnf
people who are to {be consulted are no
those directly Affected. That III ''''
| rain of explanation afectihs "i'''""a
vs., venture TO CONSULT railroad men. il
lis enough to condepn all the 's'''o'
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