The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-08-17
As Others See 1t
PUBLICITY
COrlando Reporter-StarD

A man stops his paper because his name was men
toned in a news story in which he figured. The story
not complimentary to the individuals who were
the subject of the story. That's why he didn't like it.
lie did deny the accuracy of the story in fact he
had to admit that story published was accurate. But
that is what he objected to. lie did not want his
misdeeds given publicity
Now that same man has often been heard criticzng
newspapers for not publishing facts about people. He
is stickler for the He charges them with sub
merging facts beneath apologies. But the shoe is
on the other foot and he finds it pinching.
OF course this individual when he does some
thing worth while expects the newspapers to play it up
big Why what he takes the paper for; just to
see his in print whenever the least excuse will
warrant favorable mention. If lie sells town lot make
page story of it, If he cheats his neghbor out
of his home. put the soft pedal; that's business
transaction with no news value. If he sells good
bill of goods to outofown party he is sure to come
around and tell the newspaper about it though he may
only use advertising space the day before Christmas.
Ii he himself goes of town and buys something he
could have bought home and the newspaper makes
mention of the fact, his paper is Immediately stopped
This is just general statement OF a case. The in
dvidual is imaginary. Yet every reader will agree
that the town is hardly big enough to accommodate the
people who take selfish view of newspaper publicity.
This to be of the weaknesses to which flesh
is heir. But is it fair to the newspaper?
You will admit that George Washington would have
been failure in the newspaper business George Wash
ington couldn't tell a lie. How many people would
take newspaper that told the truth about them? Just
think of the many things the newspaper might say
about you and stay strictly within the truth. Ii the
newspaper published all the facts about people in
community society would be disrupted. Homes would
be wrecked. Churches would he split wide open Some
business houses would be Stunned. Disbarment pro-
ceedngs would be instituted against some lawyers and
many official would be granted ndetermnate leave OF
absence. The publishing OF the plain, unvarnishel
truth would do this very thing and you know it.
On the other hand, if the whole truth was known
many people now obscury would shine like the
of Il monday They modest and retiring; they
are poor and friendess they have suffered because of
the mistake of some friend. They people OF noble
and the doors of many fine deeds; yet they
are unnotced their virtues unsung Like the that
is doomed to bloom unseen in the desert waste many
beautiful soul has taken its flight unheralded
These the uneven verdicts and penalties of So
ciety We are selfish. We unfair, We want the
newspaper to publish the truth only when it is favorable
to us We it to keep quiet when it hurts US. The
truth about the humble and the honest will be OF little
interest to the Onrushng crowd in its tumultous for
fame and wealth.
Be it said to the credit Of the newspapers that they
do not always heed the requirements Of unfair censors
of its and editorial columns. There are times
when the publishers recognize the truth that silence is
golden. If wound be more quickly healed and
wrongs rightly and righeousy adjusted by pol
icy of silence few there will be who will dispute the
wisdom of going easy news display. SO too there
is justification in the newspaper painting human vr-
and human accomplishments in glowing colors The
picture may be overdrawn but if the subject is pos
ses5ed with even a moderate degree of pride he will
seek to up tn appraismnt made OF him. AT
ter all achieve achieve" is the message Of the news
paper, and with it, the command is, play square"