The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-04-19


letters. They are published in an obscure corner,
where country editors, fresh nom Ohio, put ma
chine poetry, to fill up with. They are intended az
reply TO the letters Of Amos Kendall and Professor
Morse.
There is only one point in them. II is the asser
lion that the New York press wish to monopolze the
wires which Smith controls, for purposes of specula
ton; that six newspaper editors, Numerically op
posed to each other in their interests spending
one thousand dollars per week, or Whereabouts, t.
obtain news, with which TO operate upon the com
mercial community! Such an assertion is too ridi
culous for even Fog Smith to make. But fogs pre-
vail the most on the Eastern coast in the yerna
season.
Nonopolizng the wires of telegraph by tho
press is an impossiblity. Ii is an absurdity. En-
terprise may, it is true, give those possessing IT.
monopoly, for a few hours, of the news obtain
ed. Two or fhree papers in this city, one or two
in Philadelphia, one in Baltimore, and one in
Charleston, enjoyed a monopoly, for twelve te
twenty-four hours each time, during the Mexican
war, of the news of each battle in the valley of tina
republic. How was it done Simply by little
enterprise, and the expenditure of few thousand
dollars. We used the telegraph then, but We
heard of no monopoly, because those who managed
the wires had no desire TO dictate to the public, and
because they felt deep an interest as we did, to
lay the details of the brilliant deeds of country
men at once before the public.
II is the same with the reports of the proceedings
in Congress, now daily received from Washington.
These reports cost from five to eight hundred
dollars per week. They are published in six
papers of this city. These papers enjoy a mo-
a. c,r Ia
that no one else will expend much money
to obtain them. II is the same with the TO
reign news. Some one or two OF these SIX news
paper proprietors have been in the habit, since the
first Cunard steamer made her first trip TO Boston,
of running expresses, at cost Of three hundred TO
fifteen hundred dollars each, 10 obtain the Eu-
ropean news earlier than the mail could bring IT.
The news has been received in this way, from
tweny-four 10 forty-eight hours ahead OF the mail
This vast expense was incurred, not to speculate m
cotton, breadstufls railroads. gas works, or in ef-
forts TO depreciae the value Of telegraph stock, in
order 10 buy il in and thus control il, TO the injury
of the public but to prevent Spectators from prey
ing upon the community. After the completion OF
the electric line these expresses were, run IN another
FORM over the wires; and six papers in this city, the
most liberal and respectable portion OF the Boston
press and the entire press of Philadelphia, and other
Southern Cities joined in an arrangement to receive
the steamers news by telegraph The enterprise OF
these papers gives them monopoly OF the news, for
a short time. Ii is sent TO every editor who de-
.ires it, to be used by them for the public good. No
paper is excluded. Any paper paying its share OF
the cost of the news, can have il. Any assertion
TO the contrary is made to sub~erve private purposes,
al once unsafe and dangerous to the commercial
community The only paper in this city that sides
with Fog Smith, in his efforts TO control this intel
lgence and dictate to the public admitted, AT its
own solicitation, to all Of the advantages of the
Associated Press but il afterwards backed out, in
consequence Of the inducements offered by Fog
smith, in shape of news at a cheap rate. Hence
the daily falschoods the editor knowing them to be
such, OF that concern, at many words of tele-
graph news per fslsehood.
But this is enough. Our object has been to show
10 what dangers the public are exposed in the mono
poly of the telegraph Ii has been the fixed deter
nnarion Of Fog Smith from the start, to control
the wires that run easwardy 10 where the English
steamers touch. Till the introduction OF Bans and
Houses systems he enjoyed a monopoly, and had
everything his own way. So long as these new
ines exist, the community are safe from bad men.
Their destruction, while man like Fog smith Is
The sole manager of the remaining wires, would be
a public calamity. Amidst the hue and cry against
the agent Of the Associated Press he seeks TO grasp
the entire line, stretching from New York to Hail.
fax. In the event of his success, LET the public
e.look out for the engine while the bell rings"
Amos Kendall and Professor Morse saw the
effect of Smiths movements, and the necessity OF
the case required the publication of their letters.
They take the correct view Of the whole matter.