The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-21


personal audience with the Gar At that
time Mr. Stone gave assurances that the
Associated Press would be unbiased in Its
reports in the event of hostilities between
Russia and Japan, and in return RECEIVED
assurances that the st. Petersburg bureau
would be made the medium of transmitting
official news from the Russian capital to
the United States
This compact has been kept, Mr.. Thomp-
son being permitted to cable the full report
of Admiral Alexieffs description of the
Russian defeat at Port Arthur. Though
this report was damaging TO the prestige
of Russian arms and Russian credits the
Car saw to it that his agreement with Mr..
Stone was kept to the letter.
From Toxic Mr. Egan sent in advance
the full text of the official statement re-
garding the causes leading up to the war
given out by the Japanese government
This was sent to Chee-Foo and was cabled
from there to the New York office at a
cost OF 5000. After 1t had reached this
country few papers were found that gave
space sufficient TO publish the report In Its
entirety.
1t is said that Mr.. Stone himself does
not know how many correspondents the
Associated Press is now employing for
the purpose Of reporting the progress OF
the war. The more trusted of the repre-
sentatives in the far East have authority
to employ such assistants they may sec
fit. Identification of these unknown agents
probable that the Associated Press is rep
resented in Japan, Korea, China, Man
churia and Siberia by more than 10t
special and resident correspondents. II
is possible that a future means will be
found for obtaining logical results from
this corps of workers. At the present time
the results do not warrant the outlay that
has been made.
During the last three months of the year
1903 the great newspapers of Europe and
the United States employed the time in
organizing syndicates by means of which
they might the better report the war that
was then approaching in the far East
All recognized the great obstacles that
would have to be overcome in getting the
most ordinary report from Asia into the
West few determined to take the mat
ter of reporting the war into their own
the service furnished by the Associated
Press and other we'll equipped news
bureaus. Others regarded the expense as
too great and satisfied themselves with
purchasing the results of the labor of those
showing greater enterprise.
Until just before the actual outbreak OF
hostilities it had been the intention of the
New York Times TO have its own corps OF
war correspondents in the East. But al
the last moment combination was made
with the London Times, which engaged tc
furnish its New York namesake its full
war service. The London Times for many
decades has given employment to mer
trained in the science of war corresponds
ence. 1t more than any other newspaper
in England, or the United States perhaps
confident of being able to meet the
situation with success in the East. But
like all others, the Times has found its
correspondents so hampered that il has
been much disappointed with the results
achieved
MANY SERVICES.
Though regarded as a conservative organ
for conservative people, the London Times
has been absolutely radical in it's support
of the japanese government in the present
war. For that reason it mas been able tc
obtain few concessions from Russia. Its
service in the far East is said to be main.
tanned at an enormous cost, and such re-
suits as it has been able to achieve have
been for the equal benefit of the New York
Times, which in turn has syndicated the
this country.
The same course followed by the Time:
has been pursued by the New York Tribune
which, maintaining a corps of representa-
tives in the great capitals of Europe. de
ponds on such cable service as it can Obtain
from London and Europe and on the Asso
ciated Press reports for its news of the
war The Tribune has taken the view thai
1t is impossible to cover the field of wal
between Russia and Japan in an adequat,
manner even IL hundreds of staff CORE
spondents were maintained in the theatel
of hostilities.
The New York Sun, having no connec
ton directly or indirectly with the Asso
clated Press, has been compelled to depend
upon its own exertioDs for obtaining tn,
news of the war. 1t has been the opinion
OF those In control of the Sun that thi:
war is to be one i'm which diplomacy will
have fully as much to do with the fina
outcome as will the burning of powder
Consequently attention has been paid [,
the capitals of the great nations of tn,
world. The correspondents for the Sur
been instructed clio
relations as possible with the controllins
powers wherever they may be located
For that reason 1t was deemed best tina
no exact information concerning the per
sonnet of the Sun correspondents Shout,
be made public. Speaking for that paper
one who was in position of authorit,
says:
Never before has the gathering of new
been so costly an undertaking as it is nov
In the far East, and never have the re
suits been so disappointing. The theate
ordinary prudence demanded the CORE
spondents should be scattered one beini
placed in each of the larger cities In thi
way the Sun has been able to obtain tn
news of what has happened. IL is unfor
tunate that the home Office cannot keel
in closer touch with its employees, but tn
best of bad situation is being made
What the result will be if the hostilitie
continue for a year or more cannot b
foretold. All of the great American news
papers are pouring money into Asia, am
1t has the same effect that water woul,
have IL poured into the ocean,"
The New York Herald had a correspond
ent on the steamer Columbia, at Por
Arthur, when the first Japanese attack wa
made and scored a clear beat in its repor
of this fight. In Toxic there is a residen
correspondent. and a special correspondent
has been waiting there for more than tw
months for a chance 10 accompany tn
| Japanese army 10 the field The pape
| has correspondents in Port Arthur, Seoul
Che-FoO, Shanghai and Peking Core
| spondents have been assigned for dut
| with headquarters of the Japanese an
| Russian armies. and there are Herald mer
| special or resident. in a large number O
other towns. The London Daily Tee
graph has large corps of correspondent