New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-23

remained unchanged. In the same year the
telegraph, a now indispensable coadjutor, was
first brought to general practical efficiency. The
available lines then measured only 1000 miles.
To day the Western Union system alone EN-
braces CSC, 900 miles In 1860 the Geographic
renorts from Chicago and Cincinnati scarcely
exceeded 1900 words day The New-fo
office of the Associated Press now handles from
75. 900 to 100000 words daily, the equivalent
of fifty or seventy newspaper columns. In one
wear the association delivered to newspapers an
aggregate OF 1900, 600, 900 words This, OF
course, takes no note of the vast number Oh
speca dispatches ordered by newspapers for
their own private use and in some cases carried
over their own wires.
Illustrations of what may be called the
romance of newsgathering abound in Mr.. Smith
survey. To the Civil War; breeder of many
Innovations the birth OF the daily newspaper
habit" is also ascribable, the War having hfst
engendeled popular craving for intelligence az
white heat. The Associated Press first adapted
the typewriter to receiving" directly from the
Morse telegraph instrument. 1t began to make
verbatim reports of the National political con-
yentions in 1872. Within fifteen minutes after
the close of each session of 1880, 1854 anu
1888 the last sentence uttered was delivered 10
it's subscribers al over the country. Wheh
President Cleveland was nominated at 'St. Louis
the fact was "bulletinedn in San Francisco III
less than two minutes. The result OF the Tx
ford and Cambridge boat-raoe has been ele-
graphed to New-York by way Of the EneiiSh
land lines, the Atlantic cable and the American
land lines in ten seconds The Associated Press
report of Mr.. Gladstone's famous speech on Ills
Irish bill contained 1900 words, ana was
probably the largest single cable dispatch ever
sent under the Atlantic. Mr.. Gladstone stopper
speaking at 10 o'clock, London time. y" by ohe
same hour Ncw-York time" says Mr.. smith,
"ten columns Of his speech and OF Description
of scenes and incidents were in every lmpor-
tant newspaper office in the United states
During the great blizzard of 1888 the "aSn-
igton report was sent to Philadelphia thrOugn
New-Orleans, and the NewYork report TO Dos
ton, by way of London and New Hampshire
To the charge that newspapers are utrust-
worthy, Mr. Smith offers cogent, and' as 10
seems TO us, conclusive rebuttal. The rule OF
the Associated Press. to sacrifice the story
to the facts, would unfortunately be tolerated
by no readers in the case of all newspaper dis
patches But, whatever the reproach' Mr.
Smith Justly urges that the responsibility Tor
newspaper misinformation should be shared
with those who deny or mislead reporters. For
eign criticisms of American remissness should
also be effectively senced by 1.-The London
TimessD singular hospitality to " faxed DIS
matches, which within few months betrayed
it into groundlessy assailing our State Depart
ment and picturing Prince Bismarck, on his
knees before the Empress Frederick, suing to
be retained in office The weightiest reJonder
to all imputations of newspaper inaccuracy hes
however, in the direct reference to example
after example of scrupuous exactitude' that Is
not only implicitly accepted, but is acted on
daily with the best results. In Mr. Smith
words, the one or two Objectionable articles are
the dead flies in the ointment An editor
aim is TO inspire confidence, not to ALLEVIATE IT..
The occasional lapses are purely accidental, and
are nowhere more keenly regretted than within
newspaper walls and Mr.. Smith renders sig
nal service in making this clear. His Jealous
championship of the guild he so cOnspicuously
adorns is indeed creditabe and gratifying, and
will 90 far toward correcting popular miscon-