The times., 1897-11-25

NeS York, Nov. 24.-Ih commenting upon
the recent decision of the Federal court
Of appeals against the Minneapolis Til
JUDe Company, tie sun says that it is
virtually d disruption Of the inlquitous
policy OF the Associated Press The sun
says:
The criminal monopoly for the sup
preston OF news was formed and spread
over the country. IN this city
Joseph Pulitzer and E. L. Godkin joined
hands and became It's chief agents. 1t
subdaed lanes Gordon Bennett's paper, the
Herald, Wntelaw Reds newspaper dere
nct, tie Tnhune, the Times, and the
journal. but while the Journal was sub
dUed Pulitzer hated it So that befole
he would permit it TO get any news fnoIa
the mOuopiy he made its proprietor 20 to
one OF the gang and pay something like
S250,00O FOR a wreck called the Adver-
User. The Advertiser had what was
known as an Associated Press franchise.
which is merely permit to buy news
OF tue moBoply.
The conspiracy thus generally successful,
the monopoly put the sore ws on everywhere
Of AA4ats-t-4 i-cAA put AE4Eill ON III AEW nFk
II made what is known as exclusive con
tracts. That is, ii contracted to sell its
news 70 paper Or papers in a cicy. and no
other newspapers in that city could tug
1t without the consent Of al the franchise
holders in that city. The case Of the
JOurnal m this city VIII illustrate. While
none of the subdued ones had spirit enough
left after their subjection to Oh iect TO the
Journal having q franchise. Pulitzer ha I.
There Was only one way for the Journal
70 get a franchise then, that was TO buy one
OF :he gang OF franchise holders The A,l-
vertiSer might have been bought for a
song 1T any time before this. When il was
seen that the Journal had been suhiued and
must have d franchise, the price OF the
Advertiser went up. Ii was purchased Ut
about the figure before stated
The case Of the Journal in MINNEAPOLIS
was similar 20 tlis The Tribune there
had al exclusive franchise The Journal
had been subdued By the criminal monop-
oily. The only franchise that could be
boScht 1aS that Of the Times, an even
ing paper. The Journal bought it. The
monopoly ccaldn't even be honest with
lts own members. In this instance, 70
Thought il saw an advantage in violating
ITS contract, so, on an evening franchise,
1t let the Journal purchase the morning
news report The Tribune sought to en-.
loiE it. The court saw at once tie nature
OF the criminal monopoly. The monupc-
lists saw teiI mistak he then in fighting.
bUt - vas too late. They appealed To
the court not 80 touch ON the monopolfsi!c
fcatare- They carefully avoided any men
tion ot his feature in their briefs. hut
theiilegaiity Of the monopoly was so clar-
ing that the court could not refrain from
denunciations Of 1t, and the appeals OF the
monopulists " ere useless. Yesterdays de-
nunciatinn was the second that the court
had made. The court called attention
10 the monopoly and denounced il when
the case was first argued.
Tbis feature of the monopoly which the
court got look at and promptly denounced
is 9ot the wurst part Of the monopoly. bv
any mems.
The denmnciation Of one feature Of the
contract however, carries with Il the Ia
nunciation OF the others. ana 10 means
the overthrow Of the criminal fuoDonol,
for the suppression of the news.