The Portland daily press., 1884-11-27
THE ELECTION RETURNs.
What iIe Associated Press Committees Say
About Them.

New YORK, Nov. 26.-The meeting of the
joint executive committee of the New York
Associated Press and the Western Associated
Press, called in New York to investigate the
published charges of partisanship in their des-
patches during the campaign and their ce!lsc-
tion of election returns, was largely attended
by the members. After thorough jnvestigs-
tion of the work, w. N. Haldeman of the
louisville Courier Journal aud Richard Smith
OF the Cincinnati Oommercial-Gazstts were
appointed su6-com nittee to summarize the
conclusions reached by the members. They
presented the following report, which was
unanimously adopted
70 Members and Clients Of the associated Press
The jJint executive committee did not deem it
adsisabie during the sharply contested campaign to
take pubic notice of the Misrepresentation and
unwarranted criticisms published against the Asso-
clated Press. Observation shows that during such
seasons OF excitement men are moved by passion
rather than By reason. Now that the party contest
Is closed the committee deem it their duty make
public the followi G statement:
A meeting of the committee was called for the
10Th inst. TO which David NJ. Stone Esq, Pres-
dent Of the New York Associated Press, and Hon.
1osepn p fuislzer OF US executive c9mmittee. We're
invited The latter was unfortunately out OF the
city, but Mr.. Stone attended ana gave the commit
tee the benefit of his counsel and experience. A
careful review of the done and of the official
records warrant the statement that the high char
aeser and nonpartisan fairness that have given the
Associated Press its hold upon public confidence
no improper influence, political otherwise, has
Dsen permitted TO enter into i g management, and
the work strictly confined within the limits pre-
scriDed by rules which experience has proved to be
safe and just to all parties, has been larger than in
any previous campaign. This was due to a greater
number of party divisions and to the demand of
the press for fuller service The conventions of all
political organizations reported with thorough
ness and Thpidity, surprising anything ever before
committees, letters addresses and Semens Of tho
candidates were carefully provided too uuder in
structions similar in language and in spirit. lL has
never been considered as within the legitimate
functions of this non-partsan association to report
orilnary campaign meetings or TO transmit scandals
that spring up during such heated periods. All
such have been rigor ,usly excluded from the AS
sociated Press reports.
The charge that election returns in the State Of
New York were withheld is dsproved of by the
fact that out of tie total of 1893 wards ami towns
Ia the State the Associated Press received on cleo
tion night returns from 630i whereas in 1876 re-
turns were received from only 254 and in 1880
from only 373. The extent, rapidity and substan-
tial accuracy of this service were never equaled
before in this State the total of which in 1884
reached the enormous number of / l67 ,O03 and
so nearly divided between the two great parties as
to leave to the viceor only about eleven hundred of
plurality. Investigation shows that while there
were some serious errvrs in the telegraphiug of
reports especially from remote points, due in part
70 thelr being transmitted over different lines Of
telegraph, and while these errors in the main
diminished the apparent strength of Cleveland
there was but one of Importance in the office
OF the Associated Press. This in bulletin is
sued on Nov. 9Th, two days after the election.
In making this up, one of the mathematician en-
poyed in the absence of full returns from districts,
instead of continuing to estimate the per cent
Democratic gains as had been dose before he
undertook to estimate the actual pluraties end by
this process figured out plurality OF 473 for Mr.
Blaine, and the subagent in charge of the office
sent this out without sufficient scrutiny. But it
was corrected as soon as its inaccuracy was posi-
lively ascertaned In regard to this error the com
mittee find no evidence Of any Intentional wrong
doing the part OF the $40 agent. From first 10
last there was no effort to control or affect The re-
turns by any member of the committee in any
interest, or any interference of anv sort and the
general instructions under which the work was
done were strictly fair, non-partisan and more
thorough and minute than ever before.
CHAs. q. DANA, Chairman.
WHIrELAw REID, Secretary.