The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1914-06-05
BKEAkING CONFIDENCE


newspaper work is not to violate
confidence. l, is often heart t-break-
ing TO news gatherer to have things
told him on honor and then to be un-
able to publish them. and to sit ST.
lcntIy by and see some other paper in
sheer luck stumble over STORY"
which has been nursed for days
While The Intcllgcnccr feels
responsibility to give It's readers the
news. We also feel pride In our pro-
fcssional reputation to such an ex-
tent that we would rather suffer d
| beat" on an item than TO publish
II under circumstance; tina. would ap-
pear base and would bear deceit on
the very face Of Il.
Tuesday Tho Intclligcnccr learned
that the treasurer Of Anderson county
has rendered his resignation 10 the
| governor OF the State. This paper was
| requested upon honor not to publish
the Information. In making inquiry
about the matter some of the pcrsons
approached evidently tipped IL Off"
tn the local afternoon publication, and
rs IL result the treasurer told the re-
porter for the aforementioned that he
would talk of the matter in confidence
| only. AS IL result OF that confidence
the following appeared:
Columbia. June 3--It was learn
cd this Afternoon that Governor
Blcnsc has received the rcsignu-
ton Of Mr.. e. w. McGee. trcasur-
cr Of Anderson and II was said
that Mr.. McGee asks for imme-
diate acceptance. No announce
mcnt has been secured from the
governors Office as to what dis
position he will make Of the resig-
nation. 1t Is understood mere
that Mr.. MCGec intends To enter
into another. business and this
IL the cause Of his resignation
In some manner our curiosity was
piqued and we wired the private sec
| retary OF the governor of the state
to the following effect: did the gov
crnor's office today give out story
on the resignation OF the treasurer
OF Anderson county," In reply we
received the following:
The Ints,iigencer,
Andefson, s. G.
Your wire. No newspaper story
given out today OIL any matter
today, as; fur as know
= e. John X. Aull.
We know that the public Is not in
terested in the shop talk and tho 9TH
or tuntfnro, NJ pou,oDoo,r om,.. v,...
this Is q matter of deep Significance
to the newspapers trying to live UP to
a professional standard
We would not have said these things
but for the fact that some weeks ago
the publication referred to made a
false statement to the effect that The
lntelligencer had obtained q certain
bit OF news from the county treasur-
er's office and had violated Mr.. McGee's
confidence. We felt at the time like
stigmatizing the allegation in the
manner 1t deserved. but as the county
treasurer himself repudinted the fling
and requested that nothing more be
ssid, we let 1t drop. .
We wish to say here and now that
The Intelligencer will ever fight to
earn and to deserve end to retain the
confidence of the people. We would,
therefore like to ask the question: Did
the purported story from Columbia
published yesterday afternoon come
from outside the city limits of Ander-
son?
There is more In this than the mere
matter OF IL beat" or ''loss" OF a |
story. It is q matter OF principle. XII
this story did not originate IN Co.
'lumbia. why does 1t bear a Columbia
date line?
Post Script--Slnce tho above was
written, The Intelligencer has rccoiv-
ed the following from it's Columbia
correspondent. Mr.. w. F. Caldwell.
The Intelligencer,
Anderson. s. C.
No resignation received hero,
30 Mr.. Aull announced. Governor
Blease ia In Charleston.
1922 p. m. w. F. CALDWELL
We bslieve that the case here ia
made quite plain. Tho Intelligencer
does not wish to be very severe In this
matter. but we wish for our readers
to know that We try to be careful In |
the selection and printing OF news and |
facts. although newspapers. like in
dividuals. are prone to err and may
he deceived BY designing persons
riding" their columns.