Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-10

state in the interest OF Blaine. The feel
ing aroused by this was so intense In NV
York city it came near leading to danger
to Jay Gould; and even in Jacksonville,
where the speaker publishes al Associkt-
ed Press newspaper, indignation ran so
high ss for time to endspger
THE VALUE OF TEE FRANCHISE. 90
WHAT value would the public attach to
news in emergencies of this kind If they
knew that its transmission was through
the medium OF government employees
which under existing political methods
means the employees OK that party In
power? 1t is no argument to say that
there is no complaint against the govern
ment mail service in this respect. The
contents of letters cannot be made known
without violation Of law, and without Sc
rious risk OF detection. On the other
hand, with the telegraph system under its
control, the government Cfflclsls would
hive every opportunity 20 become Sc
q1atnted with every detail Of the BUSINESS
u firms and corporations, and Inc
SECRETS OF POLITICAL PARTIES
and party leaders. To say that the Of
flcials would Dot utilize this opportunity,
even though they possessed it is to ex-
hibit the guileless innocence Of the heather
Chinee, and moreover It c0ntradicted
by the facts experienced in other coun-
tries where the telegraph is under GOV.
eminent control. IL continental Europe
this espionage is so notorious that every
man who sends telegrem assumes as 8
matter Of course that il will be scruti-
MID by govern ment officials il its con-
tents are important or in the least sus-
plcicus. Even in England the same con-
dition of affairs exists in modified sen G.
An inference from these facts Ia that
when part OF the most valuable news had
been obtained By the newspaper pub
Usher or editor the supply
WOULD BE CUT OFF.
That 1t would enormously compllcate
the difficulties Of running s political
campzign in this county no one can doubt.
ThEt it would put an enormous advantage
IN the hands Of the party in power no
one will question.
In conc usion Colonel Jones said:
"That 1t would put into the hands of the
politicians deadly weapon against the
Press which they would be constantly
tempted to use, is too indisputsbly true to
oe denied. Public confidence IN the trust
worthy character of that news is perhaps
the chief element Of its value. Anything
that would tend to impair that confidence
would SO much impair the commercial
value OF the case. Speaking for mvself
as vendor Ct news, 1 say uDqusliisdly
that want no news that has been sub
jected to even the suspicion Of govern
nent supervision or partisan espionsge.p
The papec was commented upon by
Mr.. Roeewater Of the Omaha Bee. He
favored tie idea OF the government tax
ing control and thought political consid-
eration would not enter into the trans
action of business as hsd been suggested.
Messrs. Prescott, Brownell and others
slso participated in the discussion.
]. a. Butler of Buffalo read a paper on
"AdVertiaiRg Directories" He deemed
Them burden to the publisher, ana
thought the association might issue one
of its OWL, calling attention to the valu.
able medium at its disposal.
The report Of tn New York office was
read by j. S. Metcalie, secretary, and the
general report Of the association by W.
II. Barley of the Detroit Journal.
Officers were elected az 10 l"ws: Will
ism NJ. Siugerlf, pre- sident; c. 81 Jones,
ice-president; L i No gsn, secretary;
William BrYsnt, treasurer. Executive
committee: S, \. Kauff nan, J. II. Far
reD, W. J. R;chSrds, eacn for three years;
E. P. Call, Colonel Scott, for one year.
The meeting closed tonight with s
banquet.