The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-01-15

! to the fact that the Associated Press has
suppressed news of advantage to the
Democrats, and had flooded the country
with such stuff as would benefit the Re-
publlcans. The Pittsburgh Post gives
the following explanation of how and
why it has been done:
The Western Associated Press is cor.
poration for the collection and transmits
sioi. Of news Mr.. William Il. Smith is
its msnsging agent with MS head
quarters nj Chicago; back OF him is u
Board of Directors, and behind them the
stockholders of the corporation, embrac-
log the pro orietoIs of newspapers OF all
shades OF politics and Of no politics. 1t
is simply business enterprise to collect
and distribute for publication the news
Of the day. such IS Congressional and
Legislative proceedings, conventions,
the markets, returning boards, murders,
suicides, shipwrecks, railroad disasters,
&c 1t is supposed to have neither pol
itlcs or religion. Its aim Is to collect
and distribute. all the news, bit or miss
whom it may. Journals receiving it use
their discretion in printing these news
dispatches. What interests one locality
or party may not another, but the lead
ing idea of the Association Is that they
shall have this choice.
Mr.. Smith, uf Chicago, who in his ca
pac!ty as general agent, has direction CT
all the subordinate news gatherers, being
u devoted personal and political friend
OF Governor Hayes, during the late can
vass and since the election, has changed
the independent character the associa,
tlon has held tor years, as non partisan
news gatherer, and to certain extent
has made it 4 sort OF n prop to sustain
Hayes claim on the Presidency, by hav.
ing It's agents transmit, instead o. news,
bitter personal attacks on Gov. Tilden
andthc Democratic party. The associa-
tion, IN fact, has been used to argue
Hayes case before the country, and has
sent forth, with its endorsement, state
ments when Mr.. Smiths journalistic ex-
perience compelled him to know were
infamous fabrIcatiOns.
But Mr.. Smith has gone step fur
ther in his devotion TO Hayes and repu-
diativn of the trust reposed IN him BY the
members OF the ASSOCIATION. A few days
ago he sent al order 10 his subordinate
news gstherers that under no circum.
stances were they 10 send line In re.
gard to the eighth OF January conven-
tions, demanding fair count Of the
electoral vote. The conventions in some
.l hx-t hNn dc
OF citizens, were addressed by statesmen
of national reputation, and their action
was important for the information OF the
pe op!e. They have been referred to in
Congress rs meetings Of great moment,
and President Grant in his last re-
ported interview transmitted by the
press) bore testimony to their
Importance rs one Of the
factors in the adjustment of the great
question now exciting the American
people. But the great Mr.. Smith, OF
Chicago, sitting as sort oi supreme
Judge OF what WAS proper news and
reading for the people, issued his edlct |
that not q syllable about these Conven-
tivns should go over the wires. To our
mind this action was simply an imper-
tiuent ob,rustion of his Individual ieel- |
iugs and wishes. Besides, there seems
to have been q purpose to keep the order
quiet until too late for Democratic |
Journals 20 make arrangements outside
the Associated Press, but by accident we
became acquainted with its character ut
a late hour on Monday, aud were
enabled to secure special dispatches from
Columbus aud Indianapolis.
Ii WAS not because the Conventions
were not important, viewed from n
journalists stand point, that Smith
TO suppress their proceedings.
He knew better than that, and the care
he took TO suppress all rep rts demon
.,ra,es the tact. II was simply Mr..
Smiths little part in the Hayes plot.
That's all there is of 1t. Left to them
selves the local news gstherers would
have sent nOn-psrtiSaa reports, but
Smith went out OF the way to specially
direct that nothing should be transmitted.
We dislike this long explanation, net be-
cause Smiths actioss are of importance,
but to show how thoroughly the Hayes
conspirators have subsidized and control
every avenue Through which public opln-
ton Is spproschsble on the Presidential