The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-01
BLAIR STILL WOUND UP.
HE WANTS TO FILL THE PAPERS
WITH LONG SPEECHES..

| day Mr. BAR called the attention of the
Senate once more TO the action of the press
Of the country in not giving sufficient atten-
ton to the proceedings in the Senate, and
particularly to the important facts spread
by him before the Senate in his speech on
the educational bill. He charged particu-
larry that the Associated Press and its re-
porters failed to perform their duties in the
matter.
Mr.. Hawley made explanation sh owing
that the Associated Press did its whole dat V
and supplied to the newspapers throughout
the country full abstracts of the proceed-
| ings of both houses.
Mr.. Hale directed attention to the differ
ence between the American press in relation
to congressional debates, and the English
press in relation to parliamentary debates,
and Mr.. Hoar found excuse for the press
in the habit of the senators and representa-
tives Of preparing long written speeches and
| delivering them to empty benches
MIR. Blair treated Mr.. Hoar's remark as a
personal allusion to himself, and declared
his disregard of the senator's innuendoes or
''other endoes." The discussion was quite
interesting.
Notice of his intended absence was re-
ceived from the Vice President, and Mr.
ingalls, was elected president of the Senate
pro tenn.
BLAIR FINDS A BACKER.
Mr.. Blair said that he had received this
| morning letter lone of many SUCH, COM
planning that the Associated Press and
| newspapers of the country failed to give
| such reports of important matters of debate
| in the Senate as would properly inform the
people touching affairs in progress. He
| read the letter in question, which came from
RltEShnTU IN fn cd
dress on the educational bill, and stating
| that there were hundreds of thousands
of people who would be glad to read the
| debate, but who had no means of
| knowing what has been said. "This," said
Mr.. Blair, lis but specimen OF the general
complaint throughout the country that the
press, to which the Senate furnishes privi-
| leges, and that the Associated Press, whose
| reporter has the privilege of the floor, fail
| in the discharge of their important duty in
connection with legislation. | have had oc-
caslon to advert to this in relation to matter
| which /, and others, had collected with
great effort as bearing on the merits of the
| important matter known as the education
| bill, and was so unfortunate or fortunate
| las the case may bel to receive pretty liberal
| newspaper cudgeling in consequence Of so
| doing.
WANTED THE FACTS CIRCULATED.
'But l have not observed that the press
has taken any interest in the circulation of
the facts. The press has constantly init
| mated that the reason of its alleged delin-
quency in not publishing such important
matter rather than reports of prize fights
and dog fights is that my speech was not
entertaining. | did not ask the publication
of the speech, but of the facts bearing on
the merits of the question. l am not rich
enough to distribute them generally
| throughout the country, although l have
spent many thousands of dollars in SO doing:
and this would have been unnecessary
had the press not been, as | believe, muz-
zled and intimidated, and false to its trust
IN that regard. | have been told by a re-
sponslble newspaper man that the Asso-
| ciated Press representative on this floor
| does not transmit and has 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 before the people in order
to affect its Judgment in regard to this
great question.
FILLED WITH FALSEHooDs.
"On the contrary the papers have been
filed with falsehoods and lies and misrep-
resentations of a grave character, bearing
on the merits of the question. That cannot
be accident. That cannot be excusable. The
press, which is our only medium of inter
course with the people, owes it to
the people to disseminate informa-
ton which is brought forward here.
1t does not do so. OF that complain, and
| produce this letter, which could follow I'D
with many Others to show that the press
fails in answering the wants of the Ameri-
can public i'll that regard. 1t is not COM
plmentary TO the American people to tell
them that the great mass of unimportant,
oftentlmes deleterious matter with which
the homes of the country are,fooded is the
sort of pabulum which the Ameri-
can people desire. The press should
not cater, 1t seems TO me, to the worst
side of humanity, even if it sup
1t owes something to the country. That
those who have access to the floor of the
Senate for the purpose of enlightening the
people on matters OF general interest should
fail so egregiously in that regard, is, |
think, proper matter of complaint, and |
insist upon it that l am rendering great
public service in calling attention to this
Shortcomings
HAwLEY DEFENDS THE PRESS
Mr.. Hawley admitted that there was cor
siderable justice in Mr.. Blair's criticism.
but he knew that, as regarded the Asso-
ciated Press, it performed its duty lust
about as Mr.. Blair would like it to do. It
sent from Washington every day quite
tull abstract of the proceedings of congress
in both houses, That abstract went to New
York and was forwarded from there either
entirely or still further reduced in
volume to New England. 1t was also
sent to the west and south, and it was
known to all the senators that the New
England and western papers published the
proceedings of congress much fuller than
the metropolitan papers did The New
England and western papers kept up the
old-fashioned way of publishing the pro-
ceedings Of congress under regular head
ing; but that had gone out of fashion
in the journals of certain great
cities. He had no personal
complaint to make of that He thought
that there was a desire on the part of the
country to know what was done in con-
gress; and he, himself, wondered why the
newspapers did not give more attention to
questions of such magnitude. But he re-
peated, from his own knowledge, that the
Associated Press performed its whole duty
in the matter.
AN ALLEGED OMISSION.
Mr.. Dawes said he had observed for
number Of years that some particular name
was omitted in the reports, and he asked
Mr.. Hawley how that happened
Mr.. Hawley replied that il such a thing
were done it was the act of individual news.
papers and not of the Associated Press.
which considered itself mere Photographic
machine