The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-02-08
TIE TRUTH.


Union printed the sentence, "Tell tn,
truth about Jacksonville" At once
the newspapers took II up and al
manner of criticisms have resulted.
one paper says that IL will MOI
print the truth about the city, "be
cause her friends do not want to hur
her." Another paper says the Times
Union itself "dares not print the trutl
about the city" Another paper say!
the Times Union sould not print tho
truth about Jacksonville and main
tain its reputation as a clean family
newspaper. To all of which, in dis
cussing the criticisms, the Florida pa.
per says:
Truth is relative. We freely ad-
init that truth naked and unadornec
cannot be brought in polite society
and IL is this truth, dressed according
10 the fashion. frilled and furbelowed
as an ladies' must be I'm our country
during the present century, that VIC
speak. When we ask our friends tc
speak the truth about Jacksonville
we ask that they use modern Eng
lish, that they speak under correc-
gard for their readers and ours. This
truth is our friend-it is according to
the latest dictionary that we use tho
word and we can easily show that we
have high authority for our defni-
ton
That's 1.-THE definition. II all de.
pends upon the definition The preach
ers tell the truth according to the ac-
cepted definition of the word as found
in the dictionaries, but they may not
tell IL according to the definition of
some people. The newspapers print
the truth-a Iart of it, at least-ac-
cording to their own definition of the
truth, out OF course, no newspaper
would be so foolish as to drive itself
out OF business by printing the un-
adorned truth about things which do
not concern II. In nine cases out of
ten the people who complain that the
newspapers do not print the truth
would be driven out of town If the
papers should print the actual
truth about their lives. Very few
people, indeed, would desire to have o
truthful biography of themselves
1y every one who desires anything
printed about himself desires it to be
the truth 10 a certain extent.
In all seriousness we believe that
the newspapers come nearer sDealIing
the truth than does the average man
or woman. Certainly we believe that
the columns of the newspapers are as
free from falsehood as are the SER
mons preached in any pulpit And we
absolutely know that not one news
paper in a thousand would print any
thing else but the truth if il were
able TO get at the truth. But where
a paper mas TO rely upon the speech
of others for its facts as all news
papers do, they are liable 10 print a
great many statements that when
sifted to the bottom. may be found to
be exaggerated, TO say the least.
The woman who gives a Society
function" insists that the society edi-
tor give the facts. She wants the
names of the guests properly spelled.
and the truth told, she says If the
reporter states, upon hear say, that
the decorations were red and green,
red and yellow, forthwith Is the state
ment that you really can't rely on
the newspapers; they never tell the
truth"
But what would be the result If the
reporter attended the fupction and
truthfully reported It? What would
be the consequences If the paper were
to state that whereas the hostess at
tempted 10 cover up her wrinkles by
copious supply of talcum, she only
them; that while the
dinner" was well served there was so
little of IL left over that the cook did
not have enough 10 eat; that the hus-
band of the hostess came In at late
hour, a little the worse for liquor, and
that the whole atmosphere of the oc-
casion was one of shoddy deceit and
hypocrisy. Such truths might pe
written about many society func-
tion that is reported in the papers,
but that Is not what the hostess de-
sires. She desires. not the truth. but a
fabrication pure and simple. SO long
as 1t reflects glory upon her personal
or misleads the public into
belieyeing that she vas born a gentle
woman instead of being the daughter
of washerwoman, which is no dis
honor. Springfield (O) News.
on account. OF the Union Eyangel-
istic services being held in this city
this week. George H.. McNutt, the
DINNER Pail Man" who was 10 have
lectured at the Y M &C. A aa the