ng staff.
Public and private hospitals publish the vital statistics that come under their jurisdiction, and boards of health and health officers are in their turn responsible for other information in
regard to health conditions. These are but suggestions of the large number of responsible organizations and individuals that in effect guarantee the authori
tativeness of much that is published by the press. The material thus guaranteed by the nature of its source does not lie in the
field generally denominated “ news," nor is it in the assignments given reporters, nor is it found in editorial columns, nor does it lend itself always to the writing of a “ story. ” Nevertheless , this
guaranteed material forms a large part of every newspaper and it can be readily separated from other parts where the guarantee is
less in evidence. It is also obvious that while the greater part, if not all, of the newspaper that has behind it an absolute guarantee
can not in any sense be considered news, yet its inherent value in
reconstructing the past may be far greater than the published news of the hour.
It is thus evident that the newspaper always contains certain features permanent as regards the source from which they are
derived. The superficial details may vary , but the source remains the same, and hence the responsibility is a constant one. These permanent elements are those furnished by federal, state, county , town, and municipal governments; by other official organizations of a public or a private character ; by business associations whose
credit in the eye of the public depends on their contributing to the press only absolutely trustworthy information ; and by many elements of thenewspaper itself considered as a business enterprise . The responsibility for these permanent features of the news paper is thus readily recognized and it becomes as absolute as lies within the range of human responsibility . Error may be
found in these portions of the newspaper, - permanent as to their
source and as to their responsibility ,— but every possible pre caution to avoid them has been taken by their guarantors. The
student of history may accept at its face value this permanent element in the press and be assured that in so doing he has not been led into avoidable inaccuracies of statement. The errancy of the press, if such there be, must lie elsewhere.
