St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-21
THE CHICAGO VIEW.
No Fears Felt as to the Effect of
the Split,

tliC - DtIt.
CHICAGO. Oct. 20.-Ihe report of the
disagreement in the New York Associ-
ated Press which resulted in the Sun
and Tribune withdrawing from that as
ISOLATION and organizing new one of
which they are 10 lie the principal
members. occasioned quite stir in
newspaper circles all over the coun-
try. The intimate relations existing
between the New York Associated Press
and the Western Associated Press
caused many to fear that the quarrel lii
the former organization might in some
way affect the latter. but the president
and executive committee of the West
ern Associated Press assured all corners
that the services of that organization
will be in no wise impaired. For eight
years, up to the present rupture
III The New York association, the
business of the two organiza-
ions has been under the management Of
joint committee composed of Charles
a. Dana, Whitelaw Reid and James
GoodOn Bennett OIL the part of the New
York Associated Press and Richard
Smith and w. n. Haldeman, on the part
of the Western Associated Press.
MeSsrs. Reid and Dana having taken
their papers out OF the New York asso-
SiOblOiIs tiCIl NOuloC lilCln IlcGSS-
sarily out of this joint committee.
But the New York Associated Press
remains intact, and it is only necessary
to reorganiZe the joint committee.
Judging by the conversation of the
members of the executive committee of
the Western Associated Press to-day,
there will probably be no difficulty in
doing this to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned, and as the newspapers remain
ing in the New York association are all
wealthy concerns. it is hardly probable
that the withdrawal of the Sun and
Tribune will seriously cripple the or
ganiZation.
Said one of the members of the West
ern association to-day, i'll conversation
with reporter: suppose these two
newspapers should accomplish their
purpose and coax the papers of the
country generally TO come into their
scheme, it Is easy to see what absolute
power they would soon have over the
news service. 1t would give power
such as never has been welded
by any newspaper or newSpa-
per organization in this country;
but | am quite assured that the news
papers who refused to make themselves
slaves of the seven great newspapers of
New York when they were much richer
and more powerful in proportion to the
press OF the country at large than they
are now, will not put themselves under
the yoke Of two such rich and autocratic
concerns as the New York Tribune and
the New York Sun. They evidently
have gone into this business with the
intention to make money out of gather
ing news.
Mr.. Laffen, of the Sun, who is MI.
Dana'S business representative, is
very shrewd man, and has organized a
news bureau of his own. from which. it
is said, he is drawing an income of $780,
600 OF $4,000 a year. His success in
this venture has whetted his appetite,
and probably given Mr.. Dana and Mr..
Reid an idea that they can go into
the business OH much larg-
er scale, with even larger proper
tionate profits; but | do not be-
lieye that they will find that the
press of the country are willing to trust
them or any other two men or single Or
CARNATIONS with the complete control
of the news. Any ordinary business
men can see the vital Importance to the
press Of the country, and, in fact, to the
people of the country of the issue that
is now being forced on the publishers
by the action of these two great papers.
They doubtless would not have gone in
to the venture simply for the purpose of
making money; but both Mr.. Dana and
Mr.. Reid have been very successful
and they dislike anything like restraint
or criticism, and some of their actions
since they have been Oh the Joint eXecu-
tive committee has called forth very
severe criticisms from their joint mem
bers in New York, which have found
echo, to some extent, in the West. This
has, doubtless, seriously irritated them,
and moved them to take the action that
they have.
Unless [ misjudge the press of the
country, it is going to be very expen-
Siye venture OH their part. and may re-
suit in serious damage to their newSpa-
per properties. l hope, however. that
there will be some way found to COM
promise and settle the whole question.
Otherwise it looks 10 me as if there
would be a newspaper war that
will be expensive to all concerned; but
in that case the Western Associated
Press is in the most favorable position
to secure benefits of any other press Or
ganization in the country. Whatever
may happen to other organizations, |
prophecy that the Western Associated
Press will come out stronger and more
perfect i'll its organization at the end of
such a contest than it ever was before