New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-27
JOINING THE UNITED PRESS.
AN IMPORTANT STEP TAKEN BY THE
SOUTHERN ASSOCIATED PRESS.


AND CONTRACT BREAKING BY THE
WESTERN CoNcERN-TTIE CHANGE
HEAVY BLOW TO THE
LATTER ASSOCIATION
The Southern Associated Press severed at mid
night last night all relations with the Associated
Press Of Illinois 1t has assumed relations with
the United Press which will go into effect to-
day. 1t will enter the field as an aggressive
ally Of the United Press and an uncompromsing
enemy Of the Western organization Bad faith
and broken contract furnish the cause for this
determination of the Southern newspaper men.
These few sentences summarize the events Of the
last three days in this city and the conditions
which must be confronted by the Chicago mana
gers Of the Western Associated Press when they
meet in this city on December 5.
The following letter is the formal notice Of re-
pudiation Of all relations between the South and
the West
New-York. November &C. 1894.
To Victor + Lawson. President of the Associated
Dear Sir: The Associated Press of Illinois having
that from this date we viii hold no relations OF
any kind whatsoever with your organization.
Vice-Prcsident Southern Associated Press
The history of the breach of contract by the
Western organization which has led this
rupture is neither long nor involved
that it obscures single fact which has been
growing in the minds of newspaper men all
the country since the ambitious Chi
cago managers planned fifteen months ago, in
their vcrnacular. "to mop the floor with
the Eastern newspapers and their ally the
United Press. That fact is this: Any contract
made by the Associated Press of Illinois is
do tn la. In. Xyh Of
It's managers to break it.
Such contract was made by II with the
Southern Associated Press. one Of it's features
related 10 an agreement that the two New
Orleans newspapers. THE Picayune" and THE
Times Democrat" should be recognized as
members Of the Southern Associated Press.
That agreement was satisfactory To all con-
cerned Unbeknown to the Southern Associated
Press. the Western managers entered into "A
secret contract with the two newspapers In
question which. In effect, was calculated to
deprive the Southern Associated Press of its
revenues from those newspapers This Of itself
was violation OF the spirit Of the contract
between the South and the West. other acts
II the latter followed which made II clear
to the Southern newspaper men that they were
In relations with tolcrably tricky set. and the
whole subject has been receiving their thought
ful attention for some months.
The Southern Associated Press held meet
INK In Norfolk Va. last week and Immediately
| thereafter It's Executive Committee came to this
lily To ascertain from President Lawson. who
g. n the Windsor the exact attitude ~ the
Western association upon the New-Orleans qu"s-
ilon There were present at the interview United
States senator Patrick Walsh Of the Augusta
| OaJ "Chronicle': J. II Estill OF The Savan-
nah News. +. T stockton. Of the Jacksonville
| 'Times- Union: J. G Hemphill OF the Charles
Alnlpn =.
/ The Chattanooga Times" President lawson
and his assistant general manager C. :. Diehl.
Tho cvaslve answers and the shifty ground ~ the
| Western representatives, confirmed the sus-
plclons - the Southerners that double dealing
| WAS going on. Their indignation was intensified
| yesterday when they saw circular which had
! Just been sent out by the Western association
stating that members ought To- b. informed
| that the Southern Associated Press had been
/ guilty II a violation OF its contract with the
W,st
This was adding insult to injury and the
Southcrucrs determined 20 cut loose from the
Western Association They were fortified in their
| determination by the forcblr kilograms received
from their southern associates To whom they
| had communicated the condition # affairs. BY
them they were assured that their action would
~ heartily approved hy the association as a
whole and that equal approval would he
given any alliance which they might make with
/ the United Press. Captain Evan i. Howell Of
THE Atlanta Constitution" was especially en-
phatic IN his view that a dscontnuancc OF all FUR
/ Their relations with the Vest and the beginning
~ a fight FOR the integrity ~ the southern AS
ISOLATED Press were demanded
General Manager Walter T. Phillips ~ The
! United Press had been kecnly alive 10 the cond-
ton ~ affairs and through him negotiations were
| opened with tn" United Press. These eliminated
yesterday afternoon AZ "A meeting held in the
Office ~ "The New-York Sun" where an alliance
| offensive and defensive between the two news as
| socations was formed. THE New-York Herald, ~
/ The Tribune THE sun and The Nrw-York
Times were each represented at this meeting ana
| unanimously approved the negotiations Of Gen
| eral Manager Phillips. The four members OF the
| Southern Executive Committee already mentioned
! and Daniel A. Tompkins. of The charlotte 'N.
| e. Observer" attended the meeting. An agree
/ mcnt which gives the Southern Associated fres5
! additional privileges az "A news-gh her"r ana
which will enable it to broaden It's field OF opera-
! lions was signed and sealed upon the spot lheh
! the Executive Committee prepared the letter 10
/ President Lawson and gave the Instructions nee
essary H. a prompt severance OF all relations with
rhe West al midnight
/ There arr. upward Of forty Southern news
/ papers that will thus be brought into exclusive
/ relationship with the United Press. AsSoc'at'u
! already with the United Press In It's llSht WIN
| the Western Associated Pres are the Ncw-EnS-
| land Associated Press. including the strongest
and best newspapers OF New .Emgianu, si' =. ~.
,.rtiser" Post" and "Transcript. The Spring
field Republican," The Providence journal
THE Hartford Courant." the Associated lIess
| Of the state OF New-York. which comprises
| every leading newspaper In every city or inns
! state. upward Of thirty In number The Phila.
dcpha Record" "I.edger ana IeleG ,,,,..
The WASHINGTON fo't, Nv -
| 81 cadcr' and Press" and in addition to the
| foregoing array upward of $50 newspapers IN
| ~ Iycst Add 10 these n, wspapcrs the news
apers OF the South. and the combination OF
| ncwspapers with which the hoor Is 10 pc
I "mopped up" represents an Aggregation winch
will require the combined activities. intellectu-
atty and financial resources OF the western
! association to overcome II presents TO thelr
earnest consideration a problem as serious a.
Tho onc afforded the gentleman who undertook
! =" uf, himself over the fence 10y pulling on his
| boostraps ,,, r,ross nv,
A. ,vost ,e irreparabe The latter Will I'M
| doubtedly invade the Southern territory Just as
! II invaded New England and New-io rk STATE
! last spring a newspaper may ne picked OH mere
| and there and the effort will be made 10 sa-
| vanizc into life with Western news service
the few newspapers scattered throushout tne
| south which have been Unable to obtain recos-