The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-26
The New RevOlutiOn-The Telesrnpts. the
Railroads and the Banks.


We publish in to-day's HERALD a very curl
Gus attack upon monopoly in journalism"
which appeared in last weeks Spirit Of tie
Times, paper that possesses the now rare
merit of sometimes starting an original idea.
While its writer evidently has vivid concep-
ton Of the new revolution whose approach is
foreseen by thinking and intelligent men in
this country and in Europe, he mistakes the
agencies that are at work to accomplish it, and
fails to comprehend the real danger. He
| imagines that he discovers in the combination
of newspapers known as the New York Asso-
ciated Press the autocratic power that threat
ems to overthrow the freedom of journalism
and to lay an iron grasp upon the politicians,
the Congress, the national Executive and the
local governments of the States At the same
time he has vague notion that the telegraph
is in some way connected with the evil, and
repeats suggestion formerly made in the col
umns Of the same paper that no telegraph
| lines should hereafter be chartered by the
government without guaranteeing the distri-
button of certain amount of public news
|
The error underlying this singular and sug-
gestive article is to be found in its designation
| of the Associated Press as monopoly" The
New York Associated Press has about it none
Of the characteristics of monopoly; it is a
combination OF papers with diverse and often
antagonistic interests, designed rs well to pro-
tect the press against the tyranny and imposi-
tons of the telegraph as to insure the economi-
cal and speedy transmission Of the news over
the wires. In the city of New York, where q
large number of daily journals are published
it is q necessity, since it would be impracti
cable to transmit to each newspaper separate
report of commercial, political and genera
news day after day from all parts of the coun
try. Besides, the New York Associated Press
sells its reports to any paper that desires t.
purchase them, and hence il would be in con
fct with its interests to limit the number o
its customers. The real monopoly whicl
threatens the independence of the press of thu
United States is the telegraph. A single com
pany has managed to secure control of nearl
all the lines in operation throughout the coun
some opposition, it is as yet in an inchoat
state, and the competing wires reach only
comparatively few points. Knowing the i'm
portance of the telegraphic reports to the dali
journals, the managers of the telegraph me
nopoly have directed their efforts towards tn
collection as well as the transmission of news
in the hope of being able through this agenc
to lay their grasp upon the press and TO die
tate to public journalists such terms as tn
supposed interests of the company may r,
the influence or power Of the tel,
graph that the Associated Press is In an
degree restrictive in Its policy. But for I'll
determined opposition of some Of the more il
dependent journals the telegraph monopo.is
would at the present moment hold absolutel
in their grasp the news reports of the who
. American press and by the unfair use Of con
mercial intelligence would enjoy MOI
: damaging aud unjust advantage over III
public.
This is, however, but single feature Of III
, new revolution that at present threatens Oh
= civilized world Society is everywhere undel
! going marked aud radical change.
, Europe the depths have been stirred. and I'll
b public mind is in a state Of suspense anxiousl
J awaiting the next developments. In th
United states we have undergone great civ
= war, and the people feel that another crisis
. approaching. The thoughtless and unheedin
e have imagined that we were ON the eve of