The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-03-08
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until | reached here last evening,
nor had time 10 examine tho sthomeut
| OF another witness until | arrived here
Honce | made some notsa hh1tily last night
| OF what would ike to say and wi h your
perml,sion will speak from these notes
| tor few minutes.h
The chairman, you may proceed Mr.
Smith,
Mr.. Smith al note that Mr.. Hubbard.
| In tho very Interesting argument which he
| recently made before this committee, used
the following langushe: Tho western
Union Telegraph company and Asso,
ciated Press made close corporation,'
aud the chairman In examining ar
other witness asked n (reierrlns 10 the
Associated Preset IL Ia about 40 complete
n monopoly now as could be established, 10
| Il not?' The Associated Press's private
business 10 conducted for the benefit OF the
papers concerned. II has exclusive con-
freely open To my newspaper or hsso-
citation OF newspapers It's syslem oil
collecting and distributing news Is
| ou,growth Of experience and the known
wants OF those who are served. IL IL thor.
ough and satisfactory TO those associated
together and shall ba TO the public, as
| the news of the world is placed In the
cost. But for this co-0perativa system this
would be impossible. Tho Associated Press
| il not, therefore, as has been repeatedly
asserted, a monopoly. Webster defines the
| word monopoly to mean, first, n
person who ongrosses a com
modify BY purchasing the whole
of the article In market, for the cake OF sell-
ing at an advanced price,. or second, one
who buys license or privilege granted by
authority for the ssle, buying
or selling OF any commodity. The
Associated Pres, Is not monopolizer 10
either OF these senses. II does no, own the
sources OF news and y has never
any authority. 1t is evident
the us. OF the word monopoly lie due to
transformation. Many people suppose
| that because the Associated Press uses the
wires OF tho telegraph company freely,
| therefore there is mutually OF interests.
The merchant who oonducis his business
largely by telegrarhic correspondence,
bears precisely the same relation as
the press to the telegraph company. The
latter 10 n common carrier and tho business
conducted over the wires by both merchant
and press are strictly private. l note that
Senator Wilson asked the fol-
lowing question, TO which ne
the news were free TO all II would simply
be u question Of competition between the
news associations would IT notI
There is confusion OF Ideas
heare which is due to misapprehension
| OF the character OF newspaper work. l beg
the senator's pardon, but he is not singular
In this. The same niisapprehension gener-
ally prevails, and il shall not be my fault II
clearer ideas do not obtain hereafter"
-Senator Wilson: III think, Mr.. Smith,
without desiring to interrupt you, that
you have cut tho whole con,
neoiion with the context" Answer: II
will quote the senator more fully further on.
REMARK then, that news Is free to all. Are
not the transactions Of congress to-day open
and free 10 ali the world? But while the
sources OF news are free, the tkill ana
agencies aSe employed in ito distribution
and the capital that makes all available
come under the rules OF private enterprise
and private property. There Is no power
to make these free without the consent oil
Senator jackson asked the witness the
following question, relative TO compe.
tition in news service: From your
own consideration Of the subject
vls~. 10, ia ss.si, sso remedy yo1 ''oais
snggestn 10 which witness replied III the
following extraordinary language:
Answer: ~ think that the telegraph
compan es should give rate similar to
government gov that is il they should charge
80 much Tor serving pisce, and II there
Ia moro than one paper there they should
servo the additional papers anu
,Gss tb lHse po aSI were D' served s
or ten that 1t should be 50 much, and that
the rates should be high enough TO psy
them for doing tho work
Senator Wilson pushed the
inquiry with the following result; Sup
pose there should bs u regulation by act
OF congress TO the effect that all news trans
t.r n fflArrQnh
company should be furnished ut same rates
TO ali papers at different points reached,
what effect would that have on your cause
OF cor, plaint?"
Answer: II thinkit would give every
body chance to live and do business"
what would be your Judgment concern
| Ing n measure oil that kind, basing your
opinion upon your experience in connec-
ton with telegraphinE ana DewsY
Answer: ~ think the effect would be
good. 1t would put everybody on the
same basis. and the news
papers then would be Just
same as commercial patrons to the tele-
graph company are now.
I'm short, the question is asked why
shonld not the Associated Press here serve
all papers OF the same price?
',rot the credit OF the wealthy members
OF the Associated Press be II said they have
Voluntarily taken on themselves the largest
payment. Thus, take what - calieu the
Western Press report, which Is delivered
to fourteen principal cities lying between
The AIleghenys and the plains OF Kansas.
| The service ia the same to oil ,
vet. except the cities Of Cincinnati
and Chicago, no two cities pay
| the same. Their assessments are In proper
| ton TO their population and ability to pay;
The same applies TO cities taking condensed
REPORTS. In number OF tn csc
nlaces the money paid by the papers
does not eqnsl the cost OF
delivering the report and nothing
ia received towards paying the
cost of original collection, handling
and editing the news. UNDER
no other system would this
be possible. The government charges
The Associated Press discriminstes In ia
voring the poor"