Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-27
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
That Organization Fighting for Its Honor
Its Principal Error in Reporting
the Election.

NEW 1 ORks NOV. 70
meeting of the joint executive committee
OF the New York associated press and the
Western associated press was called in New
York today TO investigate the published
charges IF partisanship in their dispatches
during the campaign, and their collections of
election returns. After thorough investiga-
ton OF the work, VIM. n. Haldeman of the
Louisville Courier journal and Richard
Smith Of the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette,
were appointed a subcommittee to summarize
the conclusions reached bv members. They
presented the following report, which was
unanimously adopted:
To the members and clients of the associated
press
The joint executive committee did not
deem it advisable during the sharply contested
campaien to take public notice of the misrep-
resentatlons and unwarranted criticisms pub
lished against the associated press. Observ-
alton 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
to make public the following statement:
meeting of the committee was called for
the 28th inst, to which David NJ. Stone.
Esq, president of the New York associated
press, and Hon. Joseph Pulitzer, of the
latter was, unfortunately, out of the city, but
Mr.. Stone attended and gave the committee
his counsel and experience. A careful review
Of the work done and of the official records,
warrant the high character and bipartisan
fairness that have given the associated press
its hold on public confidence in the past have
been firmly maintained, and no improper
influence, political or otherwise, has been
permitted TO enter into the management of
the work, strictly confined within the limits
prescribed by rules which experience has
proved to be safe and just to all parties. end
which has been larger than in any previous
campaign. This was due to greater number
OF party divisions, and the demand of the
press tor urther service. The conventions
of all political organizations were reported
with thorJughDess and rapidity, surprising
anything ever before attempted. The subse-
quent official action of the party, the commit
tees letters, the addresses and movements of
the candidates. were carefully provided for
under instructions similar in language and
spirit 1t has never been considered as
within the legitimate functions of this non
partisan association to report ordinary cam
paign meetings or to transmit scandals that
spring up during such heated periods. All
such have been vigorously excluded from
u
election returns in the State of New York
were withheld is disproved by the fact that
out of the 1899 wards and towns in the State
the associated press received on election
night the returns from $50; whereas, in 1876,
returns were received from only 254, and in
1880 from only 293 The extent rapdlty
and substantial accuracy of this service were
never equalled before in this State, the total
vote of which in 1884 reached the enormous
number of |, l67 ,003, so nearly divided be-
tween the two great parties as to leave to the
victor only about 100 plurality Investiga
ton shows that while there were some serious
errors in the telegraphiug of our reports,
especially from remote points, due in part to
their being transmitted over different lines Of
telegraph, and while these errors in main
diminished the apparent strength of Cleve-
land, there Was but one error of Importance
in the office of the associated press. This
was in bulletin issued Nov. 9th. two days
after the election. In making this up, one of
the mathematicans employed, in tine absence
of full returns from the districts, instead of
continuing to estimate the per cent of the
democratic gains as had been done before,
undertook to estimate the actual pluralities,
and by this process figured out a plurality OF
473 for Mr.. Blaine. The sub-agent in charge
of the office sent this out without sufficient
scrutiny, but it was corrected as soon as its
inaccuracy was positively ascertained. In
regard to this error the committee find no
egidence of any intentional wrong doing on
the part of the sub-agent From first to last
there was no effort to control or affect the
returns by any member of the committee in
anv interest or any interference of any sort,
aud the general instructions under which the
work done were strictly fair, non-par.
tisan and more thorough and minute than
ever before.
CHAs. A. DANA,
Chairman.
WaITELAw REID,