Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-02
GIANT NEWSGA.rHERER
PAST AND PRESENT OF THE AS
ISOLATED PRESS.
Some of the Enterprises of the Old
Concern-Mr. Gladstone's
Speech.

Referring to the marvellous expansion or
news reports in the leading newspapers of
the western continent, a man who has
watched thoughtfully the wonderful devel-
opment of modern news gathering had
something to say of the absolute system
that pervades from center to circumference
the wonderful machine called the Associ-
ated Press. THE casual newspaper reader
who is edited and startled every day in the
week. he said to a Star reporter, prob
ably doesn't know much if anything at all.
about the great institution that furnishes
the bulk of the worlds news. 1t comes
from the Associated Press. 1t is the giant
of news cullers, and there is no part of the
inhabitabie globe inaccessible to it's tireles5
and brainy servants. 1t has it's rivals. it is
true. but they are as Lilliputs among a
harmonious host of Brobdingnagians.
1.-The Associated Press always was a
great and enterprsing concern. Even when
1t was organized, far back in the fortieS. by
prominent New York city papers, mainly
for the purpose of collecting ship news, it
was a great enterpriSe-great for those
dayS-but the acorn planted then has de-
veloped oak with such wide-spreading
branches as to amaze those who give any
thought to it.
Its present management is as perfect as
far as divine power will allow man 10
reach perfection, and while not abiding to
any one of its great officers in particular,
all of which hold record for industry, ca
pacity, and that nose for news instinct We
hear so much about, I will affirm that the
operations of the vast machine as directed
by its chief at the New York headquarters
have never before been paralleled. During
the Franco-Prussian war the daily records
given by the ola association of that strife,
down to the defeat at Sedan, astounded all
readers of news by their completeness and
detail. Compare these with the marvellous
array of news coming almost hourly
from the orient, and the enterprise seems
insignificant.
The Old Association.
THE old Associated Press had it's allies
in Reuters Telegraph Company at London,
Wolff at Berlin, and De Havas at Paris,
and depended much on them. The present
association probably has such allies as well,
out they are side issues. 1t could probe
the depths of all news centers without their
aid, having reliable agents in every impor-
tant capital. Its leading agents have been,
in former as well as present days, men of
brains and culture, and it is no detriment
to It's past when it is said that it's repre-
SentativeS of the present period cover a
much wider field of enterprise than the old
fellows did Under the guidance of it's
leading officers and directors, the master
hand at the helm sees that the news field
is harvested clean. The reapers gather all
the wheat.
There is a greater volume of news pub
ished in papers like The Star nowadays in
ago in a month Without torturing you
any longer" said the observer of news
progress, II want to mention one great
piece of enterprise that characterized the
work of the old Associated Press as far
back as the month of June, 1866 At that
time the late William Henry Smith of Ohio.
VINO was not only a journalist of high
standing, but a statesman in addition
thereto, was general manager of the Asso-
ciated Press, and a sagacious and progress
slVe manager was he. On the 18th of the
month L have indicated, on the evening of
that date, Mr.. Gladstone launched forth in
the British parliament his majestic and no.
Die speech IN support of his Irish BILL and
or that speech the Associated Press by MIR.
Smiths direction, cabled a report of nearly
l4,0JO words 1t was the most extensive
single dispatch that up to that time had
ever come over the Atlantic There were
other great events recorded by the old AS
sociated Press that are now part of the
worlds history. The compiled tons which
might have led thic country into war with
germany about the anioan question was
hrst heard of through it's agencies. 1t
recorded the terrible tempest at Apia, Civ
ing the first authentic details; the Johns
town MOOD, of which it gave reports in
fuII and justified the confidence placed it
II and thousand other big affairs
Its worthy successor in its more extend
cd neld eclipses everything in the shape of
news gathering under the sun. [ believe if
an ocean liner should go to the bottom in
the middle of the Atlantic ocean there
would be one of General Manager Melville
stones men somewhere around who would
capture piece of wTeckage and from il
write graphic and correct story of the
catastrophe and telegraph it to the four
quarters of The globe at the earliest pos
Sible second 80