The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-09-30
JAY GOULD AND THE PRESS.

SIS JAY GOULD AND THE PRESS.
New Orleans Picayune.l
The comments of the New York
press upon the designs of Jay Gould
are sufficient to satisfy the public that
there are grave reasons for the alarm
which the Herald first sounded. Our
readers may not perhaps at first fully
understand how Mr.. Gould, by getting
possession of four papers in New York
could control the press of the United
States. To appreciate the situation
fully they must understand that what
is known AS the Associated Press of the
United States is q mutual association,
that has grown up in this country from
small beginnings, and, like the British
constitution, hos been maintained by
strict adherence to precedents and
prior rights. The journalistic business
is precarious one, one that has been
much abused and much misused, and
a solid and substantial system of tele-
graphic news has been an essential re-
quisite of we'll directed establishments.
New York is the great centre of news
in this country, not only in financial
and commercial point of view, but in
almost every other line, and she con-
trolls the Associated Press. The fran
chises which have grown up all over
this continent in every city and State
get their authority and inspiration
from, and exist through the New York
association, which embraces seven
papers.
The reader will perhaps say this is q
very singular combination, and that
the press of the country stands like a
pyramid upon an apex; and so it does,
and 1t may be that Mr.. Gould has look
ed only at the small point touching the
earth, and not realized the splendid
business capacity and tireIess energy
that has balanced the enormous mass
above it.
~ While New York is the centre of
news under present organization, and
the New York press have deservedIy
large influence in the country, it is yet
patent to all outside of that metropolis
that there is mightier power outside
the great metropolis that rules this
country.
The local press in all the interior
cities, which now even rival the New
York daflieS in circulation, and certain
ly exceed it in influence, the great
mass OF newspapers scattered through
the land that are not and cannot be un-
der the influence of Walls.street cliques
and capitalists, are a power that will
defend popular rights for generations
yet to come.
Grant came out with the support of
the New York press, but tho people
crushed him. The decaying principles
of our free institutions will be first felt
in the great metropolis where "wealth
accumulates and men decay" but there
Is vast conservator back of this that
Field, nor Grant, nor all of them COM
bined can control for moment.
Mr.. Gould has apparently stricken
at the shield of freedom, an untram.
meled press. The American people
will quickly return that blow. But
we fear that the first remedy suggested,
that of an absorption of all the tele-
graph lines by the Government, would
be getting the people out of the frying
pan into the fire. If the telegraph can
be utilized by Mr.. Gould to control the
press, it can also be subservient to the
political power in command at the
time Mt Washington. 1t is monopoly
as it stands, but it is open to opposi-
ton, and by opposition Mr.. Gould
humbled it and got it under his clut
ches because it cannot stand fair COM
petition. The press of the country
Will OPPOoASLOA ~ "HCl1 Is
brought to the test, and Mr.. Gould will
find he has awakened a power that has
not only money, but conscience and
nerve, aud that has the support of mil
lions of people and moro millions of
capital.
If the Government takes the lines an
enormous additional patronageis given
to jst of tt the vast and varied business
{ Of tho che nation are yielded up as
about $lpoils. Not only is there then
worth secondary responsibility for
-.ilthful service, but the dangers of
abuse are multiplied. We can find no
parallel abroad for RENTING our tele-
graphic service to the Government,
because there is nowhere else Gov
eminent similar to ours, or a civil ser.
vice organized on such principles.
This is one of the many problems
that the public will have to work out
for themselves, and we think the tele-
graphic service will be far safer in pri-
vate hands, where all the merits of
management are developed by COM
petition, and all the losses of evil de-
signs fall upon the men who have their
money invested.
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