The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-04
TIE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Another Singing Rebuke to It's Dis
honest Managers - This Time From
One Of Its Own Leading Members.

OnS OF 4bS own Leading Mem DerS.
From the New York Sun of Dec. ?
The sandusky Register is an Associated
Press paper, and its editor, Mr.. L F.
Mack. was for years the president of the
Western Associated Press. There is no one
whose name in journalism stands higher
than Mr.. Mack's does when it is a ques-
ton of integrity backed by a fair spirit and
manly independence We md the following
article in his paper of the 18th ult:
on the 26th instant the Southern Asso-
ciated Press dissolved all connection with
the Associated Press and Joined forces
with the United Press. The following
formal notice was sent to the president of
the Associated Press:
New York, Nov g. 1S94-To Victor F.
Lawson, President of the Associated Press
of Illinois-Dear Sir: The Associated Press
of Illinois having deliberately violated its
contract with the Southern Associated
Press, this is to give you official notice
that from this date we will hold no rela-
tons of any kind whatsoever with your
organization. Yours respectfully,
J. II. Estill,
Vice President Southern Associated Press.
This action brings into alliance with the
United Press all the leading daily papers
Of the south, and deprives the Associated
Press of a considerable revenue, and com
pels it to put agents in the southern states
to collect the news. It is a severe blow to
the Associated Press, but most richly de-
served.
Some three years ago William Henry
Smith, then general manager of the As
ISOLATED Press, and acting also as the con-
fdential agent of the Southern Associated
Press, arranged contract between the
United Press, the Southern Associated
Press and the Associated Press of Illi-
nOig nv the of WI Oh
be an interchange of news between the
United Press and the Associated Press on
the one side and the Southern Associated
Press on the other and by which the
southern Associated Press was to pay
$4,000 per annum, one-half of it to go to
the United Press and the other half to go
to the Associated Press, all news to be ex-
changed. 1t was recognized in this con-
tract that the Southern Associated Press
was to be left in control of the newspapers
within its territory, to wit, south of the
Potomac and east of the Mississippi river,
not including Nashville and Memphis, nor
papers in Kentucky.
This arrangement was entirely satisfac-
tory at the time to all parties. The money
was paid regularly by the Southern As
ISOLATED Press to the treasurer of the
Western Association for the Joint account
OF the United Press. and thyL Associated
Press. The Associated Press paid one
nan OF tne amount from time TO time to
the United Press, and there was no dispute
as to the agreement. For some mysteri-
Gus reason, never satisfactorily explained
to the members of the Associated Press.
the payment of one-half of this amount
to the United Press was suddenly stopped
a few months ago. and the United Press
has been compelled to bring suit against
the Associated Press for its share of the
money. This was one violation of the con-
tract Meantime William Henry Smith
having retired from the management. the
new managers thought it would be cum
ming to slip into the territory of the South
ern Associated Press, it's ally, and steal
some OF its papers. 1t proceeded to seduce
from allegiance to the Southern Associ-
ated Press the papers of New Orleans.
1t was this breach of good faith on the
part of the Associated Press which has
finally led to the disruption mentioned
above and the abandonment of all rela-
lions with the Associated Press of Illinois
by the Southern Association. The result
OF this will be not only a loss of money.
and a loss of news to the Associated Press
OF Illinois, but it means additional expense
to the members of the Associated Press.
II never pays to violate a contract 1t
never pays to commit a breach of faith
1t never pays to play an underhand game
with friend and the Southern Associated
Press was the friend of the Associated
Press of Illinois. These are simple lessons
in moral philosophy which ought to be
impressed upon the managers of the AS
ISOLATED Press of Illinois by the members
of that association