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Show BEPOHTEBS AND COURTS. A judicial proceeding specially interesting in-teresting to tho newspaper fraternity, and also of importance to the public is going on in St. Louh. A reporter for tho Globe-Democrat obtained and published some information concerning concern-ing an investigation btiv.g made by the grand jury. Evidently one of tho inquisitors had "leaked" to the news-gatherer, news-gatherer, and the body deemed itself bound to find out who the non-secrt-tito individual was. The reporter refused to tell, and the facts being stated to the judge, ho committed the former to jail for contempt. A habeas :orpu h;u boon applied for, and the quest ir jij of the rightB ot the grand jury and the reporter, ia to bo determined judicially. It i; fortunate that thia case lute arisen with a loading journil, nml one that is rich and able to make the legal light. The decision ol the court will be awaited with anxiety by newspaper peopia throughout the country. If it shall bo decided that a reporter must reveal lo a grand jury or even to the court itself, the source of hia information, when requeslod to do bo, then a very largo poitiou of the reporlorial occupation will be gone. Much of the news that is given to the public by tbe preas, and pailic-ularly pailic-ularly that portion in which tho people peo-ple are more deeply interested, concerning con-cerning frouda and crookedness in office, ia only obtained through a promise of secrecy as to its source. If men underatand that reporters wii' be required to Bay from whom they glean facia, the news men will find their work to be "dry and hard pumping." The best friends to the reporter would scon turn against him were he to tell that they had furnished him this or that item of nowa, or giren him the facts about some big steal, or other disreputable proceeding. Tho reason why the quill-drivera have been able to get the newa ia becauso they have not abused the confidence placed in them. Like the St. Louis reporter, they would suficr roubo and indignity, and even go to jail, rather than expose a friend or violate a promise of Bccrecy. The St. Louis court Bhould and probably will consider con-sider the matter in its proper light, when the reporter will be discharged and complimented for his integrity aud laithluluBss in the profession. |