Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-09-21

despatch to his paper from Malta on his
way back after the war was over His
news was forwarded by post. The Srpoy
rebellion in 1851 was not reported by cable
at all. because at that time the Eastern
company's cables did not extend east Of
Alexandria. The Civil War in this coun.
try was fairly reported by wire, but the
bulk of the printed matter was carried
10y the correspondents from the battle
field to their newspaper Offices. The story
of The battle of Antirtam was written by
George Alfred Townsend, who witnessed
it, in II newspaper office in New York
The only reporter who saw the Monitor
and Mcrrmac fight. Ellington Fulton OF
the Baltimore American and Philadelphia
Inquirer Travelled from Fortress Monroe
to Baltimore and wrote his story in Bal
tmorc. Richardson of the Tribune. Swim
ton Of the Times. Hendrix of the Herald.
all Travelled frequently to New York to
write their big stories. The Franco-Ger-
man War dated n new method. The tec-
graph was freely used, but not exclusive
Ily. Then followed the Ausso-Turkish
| War. and then after that the telegraph
became the method of transmission. 1t
was II fearful charge to the papers that
accepted it. In the Egyptian campaigns
from 1SS2 to 1854 the cost of word by
wire to London from Alexandria was
eight shillngs Ucary two dollars).
Nevertheless as many as 10000 words were
filed daily. and to report events like tho
bombardmcnt OF Alexandria or the battle
of Tel I'll kcbir one paper the Stanard,
alone received more than 5000 words.
| AS illustrating the relation of war and
newspapers this one may be taken. Its
first campaign began in July and ended in
September. 1t was therefore too short to
pay the newspapers for their outlay. It
IS true that they obtained an increased
temporary circulation, but it was spas
modc. And the same was true Of thu
Greek War. The cost of sending corrc-
spondents and artists into the field was
not rewarded by duration of public in
tercst-the events that called them there
soon closed.
Coming down to the period of the Span.
ish War, there was at the first "A reckless
expenditure Of money for news. At that
time the method of ccntralizing the col
lection Of special news was not thor
oughly understood The Herald had
stood in with the London Telegraph and
afterward with the Standard. but the sys-
paper gathering the special news and dis
tributinE it to a selected group. which
shared the cost had not been developed.
1t did not take long to discover it's value,
however. The Herald had it's corterie, tina
| World had its associates. the Journal and
the Sun had theirs. But it was not until
the Chinese War began that Western
papers assumed this distinction. 1t was
not. however. an individual effort, and
the independent newspapers OF the coun-
try sought with success that has already
been commented upon to secure exclusive
int llgencc
They soon found that because of condi-
tons in the East it was useless, that thu
| Associated Press covered the field, and
that. moreover it had special and cxclu-
sive sources of official information. For
example. when news was given out in
Tokio which was seldom, it was by ar
rangement furnished to the Associated
Press several hours in advance of being
given to correspondents. The same Gus.
tom prevailed in st. Petersburg. The spe-
cial correspondents were therefore in
competition and at Il disadvantage, with
the sources Of information which supplied
their own papers. So they withdrew, and
after the general retreat of the Russians
from Lao-Yang, which began last Sep
TENDER. the force OF correspondents in
the East was greatly reduced. Neverthe-
less, Il considerable number of specials
were maintained, but the burden of the
work remained with the Associated
Press. 1t could not relax its efforts and
indeed it did not. Still it can congratulate
itself on peace. as doubtless it does.
1t is entirely probable that the matter
of newspaper correspondence in war will
be made the subject of international con-
vention in the near future. Hitherto in
ldvidual government have made theis
own rules. In the TurkO-Russo the Turks
did no. permit any foreign correspon-
dents. Nor were correspondents welcome
with the French forces in the war with
Germany. England issued for her recent
war four licenses to London and four tn
provincial papers. but admitted scores of
additional correspondents and artists on
permit OF the commander-in-chicf OF
forces. With American armies corrcspon-
dents have always been pcrsonae gratae,
hut not by matter OF right. General But
Ter during the Civil War ordered Swinton
of the Times shot for cavesdrOpping on a
conversation with General Grant. He
was only saved by the promptcst meas
urcs in his behalf.
The great objection that the public has
TO intelligence that only flows in one
channel it Is not necessarily reliable.
The news from Japanese sources was fire.
ouently untrue and generally exaggerated
The same was true of Russian official
news. 1t was right enough because every
Thing goes in war, but that does not meet
the public demand 1t Is interested in
facts AS they are not as they are stated
The only way they can be had is from
observation of II body of unprecedented OBJ
servers. but il unprejudiced observers are
not to be permitted on the scenes of ac-
ton. or their reports are to be severely
censured, of what value can they be?-
Printers Ink.
The readers Of the Free Press will re-
call that they had the benefit Of the Lon
don Times war news.
.vv MIN, NgOnERN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.