The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-03-01
MR.. BLAIR GETS ANGRY.
Because His Speeches are Not
Printed in Full in the Papers.
HE is POLITELY REMINDED
Tint 1t IA Probably Owing to the Fact
That They arc Very Tlrcsomc..Tho
H. Associated Press Attacked and
Dcfendcd-Capitai News. z

WASHINGTON, D. e., Feb. 2S.-Aiter q
number OF petitions had been presented
In the Senate a note from Vice President
Morton was received in which he stated
that he was about TO leave Washington
for an absence Of two weeks. Mr..
Ingalls, was therefore elected President
pro tenn and Immediately took the oath.
Mr.. Blair then made IN attack upon the
Associated Press for not reporting moro
fully his speeches. Mr.. Hawley defend.
cd the Associated Press and stated that
organization had done It's whole
duty and intimated tbat it was the fault
oi the Senator's speeches that no was
not reported more fully. Mr.. Blair re-.
piled and was quite entertaining.
Mr.. Blair said that ho had received this
morning u letter (ono Of many such) com
planning that the Associated Press and
the newspapers OF the country failed to
give such reports Of important matters
OF debate in the Senate as would proper
ly inform the people touching affairs in
progress. He read the letter In question.
which came from Pittsburgh, asking him
to forward his address on the educational
bill, and stating that there werc hun.
dreds OF thousands Of people who would
be glad to read the debate, but had no
means Of knowing what he said.
This, said MI. Blair, is but specimen
OF general complaint throughout the
country that the press, to which the Sem
ate furnishes privileges, and that the AS,
sociated Press, whose reporter has the
privilege Of the floor, fail in tho discharge
OF their important duty in connection
with legislation. The press has constant.
ly intlmated that the reason Of this al.
legged delinquency in not publishing
such important matter rather than re-.
ports OF prize fights and dog fights is
that my speech was not entertaining, /
have spent many thousands Of dollars
in distributing my speeches, and this
would have been unnecessary had the
press not been, as believe, muzzlcd
and intimidated and false to its trust
in that regard. I have been told by a
responsible newspaper man that the As.
sociated Press representative on this
floor does not transmit and las not
transmitted to the press generally any,
or scarcely any, OF the facts which day
after day have been placed before the
Senate, and which should have gone be-
fore the people in order to affect its
Judgment in regard to this great cues.
ton. On the contrary, the papers have
been filled with falsehoods and lies and
Misrepresentation Of grave character,
bearing on the merits Of the question.
That cannot be by accident. That can.
not be excusable. The press should not
cater to the worst side Of humanity, even
il it supplies its owners with . little
more cash. [8T
Nh. HAwLEY's DEFENSE.
Mr.. Hawley said he knew that, as re-
CARDS the Associated Press, it performed
its duty just about as Mr.. Blair would
like tito do. It sent from Washington
every day quite q full abstract Of the
proceedings Of Congress in both Houses.
The New England and Western papers
published the proceedings Of Congress
much fuller than the metropolitan pa
pers did. The New England and West
ern papers kept up the old fashioned
way OF publishing tho proceedings Of
Congress under regular heading; but
that had gone out Of fashion in the Jour
nals OF certain great cities. Tho Aseo.
clated Press performed its whole duty in
the matter.
MIR. Hale directed attention to the diff.
ference between the American press in
relation 10 congressional debates and the
English press in relation to parliamen-
tary debates, and Mr.. Hoar found an ex-
cuse for the press in the habit OF Sena.
Tors and Representatives preparing long
written speeches and delivering them to
empty benches.
Mr.. Blair said that the remark OF the
Senator from Massachusetts (slr. Hoar)
might or might not have been intended
to have personal application.
NOT AT ALL PERSONAL.
Ar. Hoar-Pardon me. Ithad no per-
sonal application. sc
Mr.. Blair-I will pardon the Senator;
but I will proceed. His inuendoes, or
his "otherwise endoes" [laughter], have
nothing whatever to do with the case
which am making. That Is, that there
is q demand lol information which
tho press does not satisfy. There might
be provisions made for the general cheap
circulation OF the Congressional Record.
That provision has not been made. With
regard to the Associated Press, ! am glad
to near what the Senator from Connectl-
Nj Ia I.
toiu M by responsible newspaper man
glad to know it. But II it be not true,
then, considering the special privileges
that the representative OF the Associated
Press has here, the thing should be
remedied. Mn 49,, u.
a -. II.tstg PENSION BILL. Va. III
The Senate then proceeded to the con
sideration Of the bill reported from the