The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-05
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Special Meeting Of the Members Of
...-~-.--sr +
the Worlds Great Newsgather-
ing Association.
The Capital Stock Increased and
the Scope of 1ts Operations
Extended.
The Independenrs News Service Will he
Improved and Dsnefittsd BY the
Procesdings at Chicago.

CHICAGO. OCT. 4.-Ths members of the
Associated press held special meeting at
the Grand Pacific hotel in this city to-day.
It is tho first time In the history OF the or
ganization that the newspapers embraced
in the Associated press mom beYship were
aver called together in extraordinary ses-
sion. ns II has never before been deemed
necessary to call tho owners Of the great
newspapers of the country together outside
OF the regular annual session.
The special purpose Of tho meeting was
to provide for an increase In the capital
stock of the organization. to enable the
management to widen the field OF its oper-
ations. so as TO include the entire country.
Hitherto this association has confined it's
membership to the territory west Of the
Allegheny nountsins. although it's news
has embraced the information Of the entire
globe, and IL has had working alliances
with all the leading news gathering organ
izations of the world.
The attendance was larger than at any
previous meeting Of . press association ever
held in this country. This was largely due
to the fact that deep interest had been
aroused by the Vaccinations of these men,
under the leadership Of Chicago banker,
looking to the seizure of the business of
gathering and distribution OF the news. and
the conversion of it into private trust.
The menace alike to tho newspaper profes-
sion and the general public involved in this
attempt was so great as to create general
alarm. and call for prompt and heroic
| measures. Representatives Of the follow
ing papors were In attendance: Sentinel.
Milwaukee. Wis.,; Derrick. Oil City. Pa;
Herold. Milwaukee. Wis; Pittsburgh Post;
Dispatch. Columbus, o.; Dispatch, Pitts.
| burg, Pa; Evening Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Wis. Tho Sentinel, Indianapolis; 81. Paul
Pioneer Press. Indianapolis News. Chicago
Gazette. Chicago Daily News and Chicago
Record. St. Louis Republic. Chicago
Inter Ocean, Chicago Times. Toledo
Commercial. Pittsburg Chronicle Tele-
graph. Minneapolis Journal, Dem
ver Times. Minnsapolis Tribune
st. Paul Globe, Terre Hause Gazette.
Nashville American. Wheeling Regis
ter. Denver Republican, Rocky Noun
tain News. at. Paul Dispatch. Cinein-
natl Volksblats, Ohio State Journal,
Toledo Blade. Cincinnati Volksfreund
Wheeling Intelligencer, Detroit Tribune
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette. sandusky
Registsr. Kansas City Times Kansas City
Journal, Cleveland Leader. Cincinnati
Times-Star, Detroit Free Press. Dayton
journal. Terrs Haute Express. Omaha Bse.
Cleveland Plaindeale'. Galveston News,
st. Louis Amerika. st. Louis Globe Demo-
orat, ST. Louis Anzeaer. ST. Louis Post
Dispatch. Memphis Appeal and Memphis
Avalanche. Indianapolis journal.
| -Four papers only, members OF the ssso-
oiation, were reported as having nc repre-
sentatives present. and three of these who
were unable to reach here from the Pacific
coast telegraphed their loyal adhesion to
approval Of the most vigorous measures 10
insure the purity and integrity of the news
service. They gave positive expression in
favor of the co operative plan of news
gathering which has been the policy
Of the Associated press for more
in their condemnation of all schemes for
making the collection and distribution of
news private enterprise and subject to the
irres ponsible control of designing mon.
The dangers OF such . system were
made manifest, involving IS they DO the
ports. the coloring of political or other i'm.
portant information. and all absence OF
restraint or censorship on the part of the
papers themselves. So alarming was the
bhreat that it was felt by every one to reach
entirely beyond the limos of the newspaper
and touch. In q vital way, the interests of
every oitizen.
Two OF thu ee attempts OF such charac.
ter had been made in the past. one of them
notably by Jay Gould, bat all came to grief
because of the natural refusal of any of the
newspapers of the country to print theil
news. The present effort. oloaked under
the inviting name Of the United Press. ~
and posing as mn association has succeeded
in securing patronage from q numbs. oi
important journals, chiefly In the east, and
1t was this fact that attracted the attention
and aroused the spirit OF the members OF
the Associated press who assembled to-day.
/ Besides tho members proper, there Were
also present. and quito rs desply interested,
the representatives of the allied associe-
tions of the Associated press. all of which
are upon the Same co-operatlve plan and
represent an aggregate membership running
into the hundreds. 1t was the unanimous
I opinion Of those assembled that tho time
was ripe for grent national ASSOCIATED
press organization, such as has never ex-
listed in this country. and which should ex
tend from the Atlantic to the Pacific. en-
bracine in its membe ship all OF the leading
daily newspapers. while preserving the au
tonomy of the various sectional association
for local pu poses. The plan Of orRaniza
tion provides for an absolutely equal stock
holding right for each member. This in
sures the most pc tect equality among
the members. The ndministl alton il
placed in the hands of board O.
directors representing every section of th'
country and every considerable interes
and elected annually. The executive ofh
Ger, the general manager, is also elected
annually. This policy throws about ths
news service the best possible snfeRusrd'
and necesaitRtes the most thorough nc-
countability by the management for IT.
every act.
In response TO urgent applications from
leading newspapers in the cast II was fount
necessary to increase the onritel stock O
the Associated prass to $1,000 600. TO th'
end of nationalizinR the proprietofship o
the association by the admission of leading
newspapers in all sectionB OF the country
Although a number OF tho gentlemen pres
ent foit thoy we're not authorized to affi1
their siaustures without action by theI
oorporate authorities the immediate guar
snty reaches the Large total OF S3lo, ,0O0.
Both sides Bent on Wnr.