The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-07-27
SURPRISING THE NEWS

a community, city State or county,
i: news. no mans private affairs
concern others than himself, and the
utilization of anything relative to
this is not journalism, but yellowism.
A newspaper is clearing house for
the collection from all legitimate
sources of all that interests the pub
lie or large part of it, and placing
it before them in readable shape.
without comment or cOlOring.
1t is the duty OF newspaper to
publish all the news that is fit to
print, and what Is news is left to the
discretion OF the trained men in
charge of the news-gathering end of
the paper. 1t is equally reprehensible
in q newspaper to suppress any i'm
portant news story or to fake story,
or publish one which it knows is not
ali true.
The public expects, and has
right to demand, the publication OF
all news and frequently raises howl
because some story of supposed i'm
ortancc and fact is left out, not
knowing that perhaps the matter has
| cen siftcd thoroughly by the cdi-
! Il IN h., inn. 1l1 M
Notification, or dealing with the pri-
yate life of someone, and therefore
rot legitimate news.
The paper depends upon its public
for the news which it prints. The
| task of gathering here and there the
various items found in any daily pa
per is a hcrculean one, and one which
is often performed with great diff
Guilty. Fortunately. most people, cor
porations and official bodies readily
contribute daily anything which has
cCmc into their knowledge. or which
they themselves are the center Of
recognizing the reciprocal relation
CAisting between them and the paper;
but there are some institutions, OF
both public and semi-public nature,
which, while demanding the publica-
ton OF al the news. not only refuse
tG tell the representatives o. the
newspaper anything OF their own vO-
l.tiOn. but actually deny all knOwl-
edge of Il fact when asked about it
and even go SO far when confronted
with the facts for confirmation, o,
ciycn the privilege of making a state.
ment relative thereto, become almost
i. not quite. insulting i'm their man.
Ter, and make threats if the stor,
be published. They do all they ear
to suppress the news, no matter how
important the story.
Reports of accidents and death:
are OF the utmost interest to the pub
lie, for often one unknown to the at
tcndants of the institution where h,
carried after an accident dies, an
only by publication of the fact ant
he particulars of the surroundin:
happenings can the relatives an,
> friends of the injured and dead b.
apprised OF his fate. Yet it seem
To be the policy CT some hospitals an,
sanitoriums to carefully conceal ever
h thing that comes to their doors.
In a nearby city the jailOr actuall
= euicd the Incarceration of ma
charged with the murder after tn
press representative had seen the ma
e, tered, when whole tSate wa
awaiting the news of the capture o
Il murderer.
The police in another city denie,
the arrest of burglars who had :
3 whole section terrorized by their nu
E merous robberies. when the men wer,
! confined in the cells. because forsoot!
$ the department was mot ready (,
give it out To The papers"
: Some railroads make il a practic,
d to tell the public nothing concernins
d a reported wreck. though hundred
are anxious as TO the safety of famil,
and friends.
n These are Il few instances of s,lp
: preston of the news and the fact
;, which some corporations and ins,i
= tutions are guilty OF. and yet it i
g most common from these very one
tc hear the cry raised of suppression
of news
u There is a mutuality existing be
. tween The public and the press whicl
c affects one as much as the other, an
: If either Sppresses or garbles TIL
@ facts. either is equally recalcitran
: TO duty, and either receives the sam
: just need of public scorn.-Jack
lSanElila Netrpnilnc