The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-09-24
JAY GOULD A. A NEWS DIRECTOR.
what Other New York Papers Say Abou,
His Attempts to Get Control or the Asso-
cinted Press-IIow the New York "Sun,'
Stands

NEW YORK, September 23.-The Time,
: this morning copies on its editorial pae,
me editorial from the Herald sent soutl
,ast night in reference TO the Associated
r fress. In an editorial Of its own on III,
same subject the Times writes a. follows
we republish from the HerdM Of TO-DAY
iorcible and exhaustive statement OF the
present relations OF Jay Gould 10 the Asso.
cmted Press. The warning therein con.
veyed concerns the public rather more than
u does the metropolitan newspapers. or n
least the solvent newspapers Of this city
which publish the Associated tele-
grams. Honesty and solvency In newspa-
per management are usually bound toge-
thcr In the relation Of cause and effect, and
no journal with reputation 10 lose and
large pccuniary capital at stake could well
aford TO publish any kind OF news which
bore The visible impress Of influence Of Jay
Uould. But the public, whose acquaint-
ance with the internal management OF a
newspaper does not usually extend be-
You'd the knowledge OF the name OF
us actual or ostensible proprietor,
can he most grossly vctimiZcd II the
scheme outlined by the Herald should be
crowned with success; for il must be re-
citation OF the country, which Mr.. Gould
aSpires 10 control, became a mere bureau
OF the Western Union Telegraph Company,
over which his influence is undisputed,
there would not only be Il few hundred
newspapers ready to publish the news with
the Gould twist or color, but there would
remain hundreds OF others TO which these
in turn dispense the same news in more
or less compressed form. Place in the con-
troll OF the news tclegraphy Of the country
man who has become what he is by the
plumber OF stockholders, corruption Of
Judges, bribery Of legislators. and purchase
OF politicians, and nobody need have much
doubt as to the result. Every telegraph
operator in the country would, under
Gould's plan, become an agent for gather
ing OF the news, and Associated Press tclc-
grams would become an abstract Of daily
intelligence colatcd by the employees Of
Jay Gould. Neither explicit orders nor
constant supervision would under such a
system be needed to keep from such news
everything likely to prove disagrceable to
Gould. and the most casual suggestion
would insure the transmission OF ANYTHING
needed to further the interest or satisfy the
rcvenges Of the arch gambler. While con-
firming all the facts stated in the Herald
article, and most heartily emphasizing the
warning it conveys, we doubt whether the
Government purchase OF the telegraph svs-
TEN might not prove remedy nearly as bad
as the disease. In the absence Of a non-pO-
litical system of public service, it certainly
would. and there i some reason to believe
that Gould would be very glad to have the
Government take the poor bargain off his
hands at his own valuation. We prefer to
deal with Gould aS a news censor on his
own merits, believing that his plans only
need 10 be exposed 10 be defeated. When
his control OF the Associated Press is com
plete it will be time enough TO discuss the
remedy. Meanwhile the indications are
/ that the Uer0lGS assumption i'm regard TO
/ the place OF the Sun in this controversy j.
/ somewhat lasty. lis columns OF Yesterday
certainly gave no evidence OF SubScryicncy
/ to Gould. I'm fact, the condemnation OF
/ Gould and his works. which We quote
from the SIN to-day, j. not exceeded in
/ bitterness or point 10y anytime which has
appeared i'm the Herdld. such grounds a,
/ tie able and iar-,ccing cdtorof the Sta may
/ have given for the SuppO>ilOn That he
would lie found acting with men and ncws-
papers that he heartily dc>piscs are proll-
! bly, 10 be explained on IN entirely different
/ hypothesis. In any ease, JAY Gould'> con-
troll OF the majority Of the seven nCWSpa-
pcrs comprising the central organization OF
/ the Associated Press would be but the be-
I ginning OF the struggle for newspaper in
dcpcndencc. The public need only be ac-
quaintcd with the conditions Of such a
contest to render Gould's failure certain
and disastrous.
The JOurHdi Of Commerce this morning
1 clio 6r.f colUuu an IL ebiforipl
PAGE TO an article on the same subject OF IN
even more dignifed and confident tone
/ than the one Just quoted from the Times.
under the caption 1.-THE Associated Press
/ The journal Of Commerce explains what
the Associated Press is; itS membership:
IFS relations to the press OF the country:
who have no voice in its management and
/ the policy which has Away controlled IT.
workings. The JOUpdi then goes on to
say: During the last year or two sensational
papcrs have published occasional para
graphs stating that three members Of the
New York Associated Press had been pur-
chased bVa Well-knOWn millionaire MIR. JAY
Could, and that he was negotiating Tor an
other. with the view OF obtaining con-
trolling interest in the organization. The
journal Of Commerce was most certainly
apDroachcd with a procr Of purchase, and
we understand that others OF the remain
inc four were treated TO like oilers. II
would be unfair TO suspect Mr.. Gould Of any
lmuroper motive in thus seeking To control
| fine press Of the country. He has many vast
! enterprises on hand. and he may honestly
! believe that the press Is now conducted
does not give him the aid and attention
that he deserves. He may hold ii To be the
| duty Of those who do so much To guide
nlIhlic opinion to lend their powerful III
ilucnce TO the furtherancc OF his schemes,
ORIGINATED, as he doubtless believes, not lot
hi, own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT so much as Tor
the welfare Of our common country. But
the mass Of the people have jealousy
however unreasonable il may be, OF those
who seek TO subSidize the press for any
purpose: and ii Mr.. Gould could nave
purchased the majority Of New York pa
ners we do not believe he would have re-
allied from il the help and comfort he de-
sired. At any rate, none OF the papers
then approached were for sale at tilai
fine on any terms, and that scheme Tell
through. More recently there spran. up a
adherence between the Western Union
TELEGRAPH Company and the New \ orH
Association. and Mr.. Gould and Governor
MORGAN. in behalf OF the telegraph compa'
nv. met committee Of the press to neg0tl-
ate for settlement. In that interview Dir.
Gonld LAID claim, in behalf OF the Western
Union Company, to the right to be inter
c.ted in the collection and sale as well a.
the transmission OF news, and proposed a
Joint partnership between the New York
press and the telegraph company for that
nnrpose. This having failed, a new propo-
sition was brought forward TO join the
Western Associated Press. the Telegraph
Company. and the New York Press in
such a partnership. II was evident
TO most, il not all, OF the members OF
~ hot an