The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-02
PERSONAL LEGISLATION.


Is one introduced in the Utah senate
by Lawrence at the request of some
unnamed person or persons. Its in
tent. concealed in language. is to COM
pei the Associated Press to furnish it's
news service 10 an organ" whose
publication is contemplated by SEN
! aterf Smoot Senator Sutherland and
4 other political associates. and its
method of getting at this purpose is
curious as it is amusing.
Briefly stated, this bill requires ali
4 persons, associates and corporations
engaged in gathering news by any
system, TO furnish its service to any
newspaper desiring to publish the
game, at the same price as charged TO
the members of any such association"
The bill further provides that amy
combination OF persons having for its
q object TO effect the controlling Of in
4 formation or news shall be deemed a
trust and hostile to the public welfare,
Z and is prohibited and unlawful.
Tt is still further provided that it
shall be sufficient to prove that trust
or combination as defined exists and
that the defendant belonged TO it,
i without producing any written evil
dence- The character of the trust
Or combination alleged may be estab-
lished by proof Of its general reputa-
ton as such Telegraph or telephone
companies transmitting such news are
inoluded in the bill.
The Associated Press. the greatest
newsgathering organization ia the
world. is an association of newspapers
5 which unite 70 get the news Of the
aworld. It is purely mutual in its op-
aeratiOns, pays no dividends, assesses
8 Its members on the basis or the cost
.eOf service and makes no attempt 81
$prevent any other association or IN
diyidual from securing the news and
distributing it. In its nature, the As
associated Press cannot control news.
hits extended facilities and per-
organization give it great adj
8 Vintage over any other press assocIa-
81 zion.
To attempt by law 10 conhscate the
news secured by the association
8 would be as dishonest as the confisca-
ion of any other property. For in
tance, under this law, the Associated
Pres would be compelled 20 give out
. o any applicant its full reports of exc
= elusive news, though it has taken
PEARS of work and large sums OF money
o secure the organization which makes
he scoop possible.
s. Under the rules of the Associated
zPress, newspapers holding member
ships are obligated to cover the news
Sin their respective territories and fur
nish it to the association. but exclu-
9sive news in Salt Lake. for instance.
(which is furnished 10 the Associated
8 Press by The Herald, is not permitted
20 come back to any other newspaper
I'm salt Lake. Under this law. no news
paper in this city could afford 10
n scoop" its competitors or would be
permitted to do so on penalty of being
s ralled a trust" The BungtOwn Ba-
Zoo and a New York Herald would be
pm exactly the Same pIane-in Utah,
since neither could afford to show any
enterprise without giving its neighbor
81 he benefit. To send correspondent
out on a special mission would be en-
tirely unnecessary and unprOfessional,
and would be rewarded by punish
Enent Of the paper which spent the
+ money and the telegraph company
3 (which should transmit the special
matter. unless both the newspaper
land the telegraph company handed
over the special" to any newspaper
demanding it.
The federal courts have passed up
on the questions at issue deliberately
Enough TO prevent any undue anxiety
on the part Of the Associated Press
papers, because of this bill. but the
& pressure is interesting as showing the
extent and variety OF mental and NOR
al alteration which can come TO light
n legislature. The telegraph Offices
are open to all newspapers on exactly
the same footing. A ten-word special
: from any point at press rates costs no
more per word than 8 fve-ceIumn dis
Z patch. There are other press associa-
lions which viii serve the Smoot-
Sutherland combination gladly at so
much day a week or month. as In
numerable newspapers throughout the
country prove. One thing the Asso-
kciated Press has. however. and that
Is the command of the best news
gathering brains all over the world:
. and the new publication may possibly
be excused for trying to secure It on
8 the ground that it can only get brains
3 that way.
So much for the business aspect and
legal phases Of the bill. There is an
! 7thqr side TO the matter, however.
4 which is much more serious than its
purely commercial and Legal status. 1t
IS the effort OF politicians 20 prostitute
he law-making power Of the state to
s,tIrely personal ends. Anybody has a
-iEhf to publish newspaper. and any
body has right to expect telegraph
tolls at the lowest rate given any. COM