Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-11-29

FROM NEW YORK,

| sa hVM NbW LULA Jt
CIrcuIar from the Executive Y Coma
nittee of IhoI western Associated
Press.
New YORK, Nov. 2s.
To Me Western Assoctated Press: M
} our Executive committee report that
,shey have given the business committed to
them at the Cincinnati meeting of the Board
uf Directors, their best attention, and that
they have acted upon the conviction that
the press Of the country should encourage
competition with the New York Associated
Press, and with that. view have engaged
Mr.. ID. II. Craig to supply the Western AS
sociated Press with general news. The
news arrangements, existing until this
date, were formed, during the past twelve
years, without any considerable direct
ing agency on the part of the Western
Press, and the New York Associated Press
has; of course, been managed in the inter-
Pst;of its members, the business of furn-
ishipg news being merely incidental to the
main purpose of collecting it for them
selves. AS to the proportion Of the expen-
litures In the original collection of news,
paid by the New York press and the out
tide press respectively, we have the most
contradictory statements, made by parties
claiming to te correctly informed. There
Is a like dispute as ito the aggregate su M
paid per ahnum for the collection of news,
the disagreement among the various au-
thOrities on this point being TO the extent
Of $l50,000. tst tE"t
1t twas urged upon us that it was impor-
tant that the press of the country should
unite with that OF New York, in obtaining
news, but we found the condition OF unity
TO be that the whole responsibility and au-
ttiority should be vested in, and the man
Agemcnt rest exclusively with the New
York Association. We proposed to take
the New York Associated Press reports,
reserving the rightto supplant them with
news obtained from other organizations.
This was refused, as it was the resolved
policy Of the New York Association
to subordinate the press of the country
by holding the monopoly of news
gathered at this point. They. are
willing to sell their news on terms fair
enough, except that they couplei'threats
petition with them impossible. The ex-
ecutive power of the association is not,
however, equal to its pretensons.i
There is no identity in the manage
ment of the New York Associated Press
aud that of the telegraph, such as many
persons believe to exist. The New York
Associated Press have no more control
over the telegraph than the Western
Associated Press have.
They have, as 1--WE have, contracts with
the Telegraph Company, and the favorable
footing of the Western papers with the
Telegraph Company is not affected in any
degree by the source of the news that is
sent us but so strict are the regulations of
the New York Associated Press, that if
we took news of them, and an agent of
ours should purchase an item of intelli-
gence from rival organization for the
collection and diffusion of news, they
would break with us at once.
1t was, therefore, necessary to elect
whether we would consent to be confined
to the news of the New York Associated
Press, or make new arrangements without
the embarrassment and disability of such
restrictions. We chose to make new ar
rangements, believing it is desirable to have
news for the Western Press made up pri-
iuarily for their use, and not specially
for the journals published in New
York: and that it is also desir-
able there should be competition
in news gathering, as well as in other
affairs. When there is no competition in
collection of news, and the business is con-
centrated at one point the few who control
! it have manifest, interest in Withholding
or misappropriating it, especially if it has
a commercial value. By establishing CON-
petition, there will be constant incentive
| Iii the rival organizations to excel in their
Legitimate functions of obtaining and for
warding news to the press accurately
and promptly. .,.fs
It is agreed with Mr.. Craig that the
Western Press shall receive news reports
I from all parts of this country, and from
/ Europe, that shall compare faVorably with
! those sent by the New York Associated
Press, upon terms as favorable as those
heretofore prevailing; and if thepress out.
side of New j ork unite with him, he en-
cages to make a reduction of 10 per cent
on the present rates Tor news dispatches in
| this country, and 30 per cent, on European
dispatches. He contracts to surrender al
any time all facilities OF every sort of the
opposition news association which he has
organized to the proprietors of the papers
of the country, associated in the general
| news arrangements, in competition with
| the New York Associated Press.
/ 1t is provided that the new Association
] shall never exercise, or claim to exercise
tany control over local associations or in
D do w luCll IlRilJ W E6CelNt
news from other associations or parties in
New York. or elsewhere; and to the West.
ern Associated Pressi is conceded the exclu-
sive control of their news reports within
their own territory.
Mr.. Craig also undertakes to report and
! have transmitted to members of the West
| ern Associated Press market reports to and
from the Western, cities on the best attain
able terms, making up reports to suit us
instead of New York, and charging only
the actual necessary expenses for its SER
vice. e's ~ 80 %
In case the New York State papers de-
eide not to cooperate with us, as they have
heretofore, and we should thereby be de-
priEed of the State papers reports at Buff
falo,, Mr., Craig guarantees that reports to
the western press, equal in length and ex-
cellence to those heretofore sent, shall be
transmitted. direct from this city. without
increase Of expense to the Western Associ-
hted Press. We have no connection what
ever with Mr.. Craig's projected CONNER
eial news exchange system. That is an
independent affair, and does not concern
us. News rooms are already in exist
ence In nearly all the Cities Of the United
States. If they are obnoxious to
publishers -of newspapers they are
no new thing, as they have been in
operation in. some places for three years.
Even If it were desirable to break them
up, it could not be, done. The New York
Associated Press, We understand propose
to start news room In opposition to Mr..
Craig's. We'have decided that the report
known In the West as Regular Report"
shall be prepared by Mr.. Craig, and contin-
ued to all the papers in quantity and time
L. ,t,.fo RI 6xxyah hax a.