Omaha daily bee., 1897-05-20
ASSOCIATED PRESS MEETS
Annual Gathering is Held in the
Auditorium, Chicago.
DIRECTORS REPORT A PROSPEROUS YEA
Nearly All the Leading Journals of the
Country Now Take Its News
Standardization of
Directors.

CHICAGO. May 19.-The annual meeting
OF the Associated press was held in Re
cital hall, Auditorium today. The attend
ance was very large. In calling the members
to order President Lawson congratulated
them on the outcome OF the contest with the
United press, saying that they should con-
tinue to demonstrate by their wisdom that
they were worthy OF the high estate to which
they had come.
The board OF directors in their report
stated that year ago they declared the
Associated press had made great progress
toward the accomplishment of it's original
and proper purpose-'the control and ad-
mlnistration OF the news gathering and dis
trbuting business of the country by the
newspapers of the country" 1t was their
privilege and pleasure now to justify the
claim that the progress OF the preceding
year had it's complement In the achieve
ments of the past twelve months, and to
announce that the idea had been accom-
plished, the Associated press now including
in its loyal membership all the established
newspapers of the country, with compare
tive few exceptions. 1t was matter for
mutual congratulation that the contest which
had for nearly four years divided the press
of the country had been brought to con-
cusion which commanded general accept
ance as permanently assuring the best in
terests of the whole American press The
Associated press met it's enlarged responsi-
bility with a membership of 6S1, yearly
income of about $1,70O,000, leased wire
system of q, ,2S4 miles and the daily receipt
and delivery at each of the more important
offices of over 50,0 600 words
The following directors were unanimously
re-eected:
CLAYTON MeMicheel, philadelphia North
American. II nn
Star; Frederick Driscoll, st. Paul Pioneer
Press; John Norris Nav York World.
Tho following advisory boards were elected:
Eastern Division-J, S. Seymour, New
field Union: Charles Emory Smith, ,Phila-
aspha Pr'ss ovIs b M MWhi1sy Boston
Globe -Demq%rs5; $: i; Wider, GinSinnatl
John Hicks, Oshkosh Northwestern.
Western Division--James ID; Hodge. Sc
Denver Rocky Mountain News; w. II. Mills,
Sacramento Record Union; II: w. Scott,
Portland 0regonian: Hugh Hume, San
Southern Dvison-H. H. Cabaniss, At
agd Journal" oac,s r. Pickett Msmphs
G. H. Baskette Nashville Banner; Page M.
Baker New Orleans Times Democrat.
On motion it was declared the sense of
the gathering that the board of directors
see If remedy cannot be found to prevent
the Western Union Telegraph company from
furnishing news bulletins to saloons aud
individuals who do not publish a newspaper,
or if they do, get no regular telegraphic
news service.
The association then adjourned.
| The fourth annual banquet of the Asso-
! ciated press was given at Kinseys this
| evening. There were 140 members present.
| Just before the coffee St. Clair McKelvey of
/ the Brooklyn Eagle, on behalf of the old
| guard presented President Lawson with a
silver service, General Manager Stone sill
| yer loving cup, Assistant General Manager
Dehl gold watch and each of the present
and former directors a silver medal, all Of
f, the gifts containing appropriate inscriptions
| acknowledging services rendered President
| Lawson, General Manager Stone and Assist
| ant General Manager Diehl made brief ac-
Acknowledgements Henry Watterson spoke for
the directors The following gentlemen also
spoke: Colonel Haskell, Boston Herald
Colonel Singerly, Philadelphia Record
| Colonel Taylor, Boston Globe; Clark Howell,
| Atlanta Constitution; Charles Emory Smith,
Philadelphia Press; Colonel Cowardin, Rich
mond Dispatch; Stephen O'Meara, Boston.
The banquet closed by all singing "Auld
Lang Syne."