The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-24
Will sMIsH THE MONOPOLY.
Deeturos q the Trust on which the Law
Just Getting . First Grip.

Dsetarss Of the Trust on which the Law 10
Just Getting . First Grip.
Tho decision Of the Federal Court Of Appeals
against tho Minneapolis Tribune Company
means practically the overthrow of tho Grim.
inal monopoly for the suppression of the news
known throughout tho country rs the Associat-
cd Press. This monopoly was organized by a
set Of mon who operated Q news trust In the
city of Chicago. by which all the newspapers of
that city were banded together for abuse and
plumber. The members Of the trust held meet
ings and decided what news to print and what
to suppress. what measures to advocate: and
what measures and what people to attack.
Whatever they decided to do they did in con-
cert, and: there was.no opposing voice, except
that of the people. who had no organ.
The criminal monopoly for the suppression Of
news was formed and spread over tho country.
In this city Joseph Pulitzer and 4. L. Godkin
Joined hands and became its chief agents. 1t
subdued. James Gordon Benefits paper. the
Herald, Whitelaw Reds newspaper d~erolict.
the Tribune, the Times, and the Journal, but
while the Journal was subdued Pulitzer hated
1t 10 that before he would permit 1t to get any
news from the monopoly he made its proprietor
go TO ono Of tho gang and pay something like
$25o,00o for o wreck called tho Aduertiser.
The Adverttser had what was known as an
AoBOCl9tcQ fTeBb ITanCnlEO, winch ID merely q
permit to buy news of the monopoly.
The conspiracy, thus generally successful. tho
monopoly put the screws on every where as
made what is known as exclusive contracts.
That is, It contracted to sell its news to a paper
fha Rsa disg Gould ,o I r bay t an %it hS S1h tho n eonssnt OF al III
the JournaI in this city viii Illustrate. While
having a franchise, Pulitzer had. There was
then an'2 that was to buy one from one Of the gang
Of franchise holders. The Adpertiser might
have been bought for a song at any time before
been subdued and must have a franchise the
price Of the Adrertiser went up. IT was pur-
chased at about the figure before stated.
The case of the Journal in Minneapolis was
similar to this. The 7rIGun. there had an OK
elusive franchise; The Journal had been sub
dued by the criminal monopoly. The only fran
chise that could be bought was that OF the Times,
an evening paper.
couldn't even be honest with its own members.
In this instance II thought 1t saw an advan-
tage IN violating its contract, so on an evening
morning news rerort. The 7ribnne sought to
enjoin It. The Court saw at once the nature
saw their mistake then in lighting; but 1t was
too late. They appealed to the Court not to
touch tSii1 s on Tie m0nop @nstior 6ea az Ri, They Gsf,s care o.
was SO glaring that the Court could not refrain
iiOn EXPERIMENTATION VI ~, ~ dpIiodib VI tuo
monopolists were useless. Yesterdays denun.
citation was the second that the Court had
nopoly and denounced 1t when tho case was
frat argued.
This.feature of the'monopoly which the Court
got q look at and promptly denounced Is not the
worst part of the monopoly by any means.
Not satisfied with its exclusive contract bust
ness, the Associated Press assumed a dictator.
ship over its franchise holders. and IL has for.
hidden their buying news from any source that 1t
does not itself control. For instance, II the
Associated Press suppresseS an tom of news
and withholds It from Its custorners. those Gus.
elsewhere on pain OF having their other news
held back. Thus this monopoly controls a6so.
question was being asked last night by some
OF the victims: "What would happen II the
Judges had got a look at that provision of tho
contractf"
The denunciation OF one feature Of tho con.
tract, however, carries with 1t the denuncia.
ton of the others, and II means the overthrow
Of the criminal monopoly for the suppression of
the news.