The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-08-08

SOmetimeS-and 1t would be SurprlS-
ing to know how often-in his search
for confederation, the news gatherer
runs across man high in the COM
munity--a man of unquestioned integ-
rity and truthfulness-a man consid-
cred the last word of authority in
such matters-who corroborates the
story. The story is printed. Next
day it turns out to be untrue. The
man of high standing, called to ac-
count, hides behind the assertion that
it came to him from the best of au-
thority and he deemed it true.
Walk down the street any day, or
into club room, or hotel lobby and
keep your ears open to what is said.
Some old he-hen of gossip will be
overheard to recite spicy bit of
gossip. Trace that gossip down and
it will be found to be pure fiction.
And yet that same old he-hen of
gossip is usually the first man to
roast" a paper after it has been
imposed on.
There is this much difference be-
tween the gossip of he-hens and
story printed in newspaper. The
story in the newspaper goes into his
tory; it is lasting record; it is set
down in black and white; it endures;
it is registered on the immortal tab
lets of the art preservative.
''The moving finger writes, and hav-
ing writ,
Moves on again; not all your piety
nor wit,
Can lure it back again,
Nor all your tears wash out line
of it,"
In contrast. these he-hens of COS
sipers, who keep tongues wagging
from morn till eve, leave no lasting
record. When caught up on some
particularly nasty bit of gossip, they
declare. II never said it,
Every Sunday in Idaho there are
statements made from pulpits, which,
were they put to the acid test of alb
solute truthfulness, would place the
preachers who made them in the
Ananias class. Of most of these we
hear little. But let such a statement
be published in a newspaper, and all
the dogs of war would be unleashed
and hell would be to pay with no
pitch hot.
1t is for this reason that too many
pulpiteers and too many platform and
class room men and women repeat
statements they hear without first TAX
ing the time and trouble to verify
them. They feel safe in relying upon
the sounds of their voices dying out,
leaving no record. 1t is a bad thing
bad for them and bad for their
fellows. In these modern days of
shorthand note no public speaker can
hide behind the cry, II have been
misquoted." He must stand or fall
by what he SAYS
And speaking of misquotation there
is another class of men who a.n nvnn
more despicable in the estimation of
a well-trained newspaper man than
the he-hen. 1t is the man who,
pleased with the sound of his own
voice and perhaps carried away by
enthusiasm, says something to a re-
porter which when it gets into cold
type, raises the very old Nick-it is
such a man whom the newspaper
properly and completely despise, be.
cause he is the man who bowls that
he never said any thing of the sort
1 have been misquoted," he yells.
1t is a safe bet that ninety-nine out
OF one hundred newspaper reporters
get by without misquoting a man.
1t is part of their business not to do
so. They are trained to avoid IT,
some of us have been a score of years
IN the training; and all of us would
rather miss payday than deliberate
ly do such thing.
Under the circumstances to he
called liar by some liar grinds.
In the matter of the Caldwell
preacher-he is in bad. If he has
lied, he should admit it, if he was
informed incorrectly by some one
whom he was justified in believing
then he should tell the name of that
man, so that the blame could be prom
erly placed. X, mr." DO one of t...se
,Wo things or suffer the consequences
Here is the best way to avoid tror
Die of this sort:
Keep guard on your lips"
BY this we do not mean that Won
should suppress information; but Won
should give nothing but reliable in
A good newspaper man would