The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-04-19
The Associated Press.

The association is merely business
eopartnership. EE is not Incorporated
It depends upon no special legislation,
but merely upon it's own capital and
exertion. Seven New York daily news
papers form it's membership. Tho policy
OF journal may change while it still re-
mains within the association. The cost
Of obtaining the news is divided between
oil the members. News is furnished to
other papers rs cumstomors. Local as
sociations were established in Boston,
Hartford and New Haven, and these
form the New England association, which
Western Press association hcla8-a Bifnnar~
position. The New York office is tho
clearing house of the country. A Afexihle
method Of adjusting prices is followed,
the strong helping the weak. 1t has
nothing to do with special dispatches.
Eighteen or twenty-eight thousand words
are tolegraphed daily. There is system
OF combination reports in use BY n
single wire New York put into instan-
taneous connection with New Haven,
Hartford and Worcester, and the reports
are manifolded at all points in tho circuit,
'pony" reports being sent to the smallor
towns. Receivers must read by sound.
All towns in circuit get their own
'1ooals" sent back to them, which is q
drawback, but the plan lessons the cost
All Now York State "locals" are sent
here to be distributed. Drop-copies of
San Francisco dispatches are taken at
Chicago and Cheyenne.
The seven newspapers which control
tho association hold monthly meetings.
The details arc in the hands of the
superintendent and executive committee.
koI D., llxrN
betrayal. sometimes n leak is sprung,
but it is quickly traced by decoy telo-
grams. Errors often occur in transmits
sion. Strange words are coined for the
sake Of brevity, such rs Suicidal" and
"confagrated. These pathological hor-
rors are resolved into their original elo-
ments. A dispatch from the West was
read, "Troops all scalped." 1t should
have beon, "Troops all escaped" A
railroad conductors message read, "We
killed dead mule" Of course, q denf
mute WAS meant. The agents of tho
Associated Press must be geographers,
must know public character, and have
an acquaintance with parliamentary
practice They must be intellectual
machineS-entitled only to industry and
conscience-they must not make com
ments. Some papers pay only $15
| week for the privileges OF the association,
! but the weekly deficit is divided among
| the seven New York doilies, and the
share of oach averages $500 n week.
Among tho objections to the association,
it is alleged that it is a monopoly, and
that it lives by favor of the Western
Union Telegraph CempNny. But thcro
Is no combination between the telegraph
company and the association, which is
simply Wholesale customer. The power
of the Associated Press would be increased
by the Postal Telegraph system. A mil
lion mon may photograph tho sun, if
they will get up early in the morning.
Until the law makes felony of copart-
nership it cannot interfere. It has q vast
educational influence, and is ono Of tho
mightiest force in American civilization.
The papers go to press Mt 2 a. m.
"Good night" is echoed along the line
and the magnetic pulse is silent till the
morrow.-Leoture By James W. Simon
Inn