The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-08
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
General-Manager Smith, Before the Senate
subcommittee, Gives Some Interesting
Information.

information.
IBy telegraph to the Dispatch.J
WASHINGTON. March 7.-WiIliam Henry
Smith, general manager OF the Associated
Press, was examined by the subcommittee
of the Senate Committee on Post-Ofices
and POst-Roads to-day. This committee
is considering the subject of Government
control OF telegraphs. and statements have
been made bv various witnesses heretofore
examined regarding the management OF
the Associated Press and its alleged rela-
tons with the telegraph companies, which
MIR. Smith to-day refuted. He made for
NAL statement Of the principles upon
which, and the purposes for which, the
Associated Press was organized. His eX-
animation lasted several hours. Taking
up the statement of Gardiner G. Hubbard,
that the Associated Press and the West
ern Union Telegraph Company consti-
tute close corporation, and that
the Associated Press is monopoly,
MFR. Smith said the Associated Press is a
private business conducted for the benefit
of papers concerned 1t has no exclusive
contracts, and enjoys no privileges not
freely open to any newspaper or aSsocla-
ton OF newspapers. Its system OF collect
ing and distributing news is the 0utgrowth
OF experience and the known wants OF
those who are served. 1t is thorough and
satisfactory to those associated together,
and should be to the public, as the news OF
the world is placed III the hands OF every
one who cares to read every day at
triflinp cost. But for this cooperative sys-
tenn this would be impossible. The Asso-
ciated Press is not therefore, as has
been repeatedly asserted, o monopoly. IL
does not own the sources OF news, ana
Il has never received a special priyi-
leee from any authority. 1t Is evident
that the use OF the word monopoly is due
10 misiniormation. Many people suppose
that because the Associated Press uses the
wires OF the telegraph company freely,
therefore there Is a mutually OF interests.
The merchant who conducts his business
largely by Geographic correspondence
bears precisely the same relation as me
press to he telegraph company. Inc iat-
Ter is a common carrier, and businesses
conducted over the wires by both the mer-
chant and the press are strictly private
The news is free to all; but while the
sources Of news are free, the skill ana
ability in giving It form the agencies en-
ployed in its distribution, and the capitai,
that makes all available. come under the
head OF private enterprise ana pri'ate
property. There Is no power to make
these free without the consent OF those
who own and control them.
Traversipg the testimony OF another
witness, Mr.. Smith said: In short, The
question is asked, Why should not the AS
sociated Press serve all papers at the same
price? To the credit OF the wealthy mem
beers OF the Associated Press be 1t said,
they have voluntarily taken upon them
selves the largest payments-thus, take
what is called the Western Press report,
which Is delivered TO fourteen OF the prih-
cipal cities lying between the Alleghenies
aud the plains OF Kansas, the service Is the
same to all; yet. except the cities OF en-
clnnati, st. Louis, and Chicago, no TWO
cities pay the same. Their assessments are
m proportion 10 their population and abiii-
Nv 10 pay. The same rule applies to cities
taking condensed reports. In number OF
these places the money paid by the paper
does not equal the cost OF delivering the
report. and nothing Is received towards
having the cost OF original collection, ham
ding, and editing Of the news. Under no