The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-03-08
ONE KIND OF ADVERTISING.

n
Il senate by a partisan vote. only
one Republican dissenting. which was
introduced and urged for passage sole
~ for the benefit of Reed Smoot.
George Sutherland, William Spry and
others in control of the Republican
machinery. 1t asks the state of Utah
to assume the expense of an effort to
compel the Associated Press TO supply
its news to anybody who asks for it
and offers 10 pay the cost on the same
basis as present members of the or
ganization.
The facts in the case are easily I'M
derstood: Reed Smoot and his asso-
ciates in control of the Republican
party are dissatisfied with the attitude
Of the Republican newspaper having
the Associated Press service. They
wish to start a newspaper of their
own, but they are not willing to pay
for any press service except the Asso-
ciated Press. Knowing the association
is a purely voluntary and mutual or
ganization. that it attempts no mo-
nOpOiy OF any kind. makes no profits
facts, Mr.. smoot. through Mr.. Spry,
his political agent. has introduced \
bill declaring the Associated Press a
trust and providing that it shall fur
nish its news service to anybody who
shall apply for it and offer to pay the
price
There is no pretense that the asso-
oil. 4 Ia.
that it prevents anybody else from
handling news service. or that it re-
sembles an any particular the obnox-
ious. piratical monopolies commonly
called trusts
For at least forty years the Assoc
ciated Press and it's forerunners have
been building up an organization for
the purpose Of securing and furnishing
news to the members of the associa-
ton. Every newspaper in the orgahi-
zation is furnishing its news service
to every other member outside its own
local field on purely mutual basis.
To crafty his personal spite and per-
sonal ambition. Mr.. Smoot wishes to
break into this purely mutual arrange
news service without any Of the ex-
pense which has been borne by all the
newspapers belonging during the years
gone by. He doesn't even propose to
spend any money in litigation in this
attempt to bleak in. as have Mr.. Hearst
and the St Louis Star and other pub
fishers who were not fortunate enough
-
a jimmy in the brea king.
Mr.. Shoots plan is to pass a law
which will enable him and his friends
to make the state bear all the cost of
testing their Law. If the state wins.
all right; if>the state loses, all right;
Smoot and his partners are all right,
anyway. since they. have nothing to
lose. and everything to gain in the ex-
pertinent.
Possibly the business men of the
state, and the honest citizen generally,
like this sort of legislation. Possibly
they regard it as good advertising for
Utah TO notify every newspaper be-
longing to the Associated Press that
equity, common decency and regard
for the rights of publishers are. not en-
titled to any consideration in this
state.
Under this law, if it could possibly be
sustained, the board of trade of Chica-
go. the stock exchanges of every city
in the country, could be compelled TO
furnish their quotations to anybody
who applied. Fortunately, the federal
courts have more regard for law and
justice than have the men who
planned this raid on the Associated
Press. The contention has been up
held numerous times that these organf-
cations have the right to say who shall
have their quotations, and for that
matter. the Associated Fress has so far
successfully upheld the right to limit
IT'S service to its own members.
No parallel for the legislation pro-
posed here has been before the courts.
1t is quite possible the Smoot combina-
ton might succeed in annoying the
Salt Lake dailies and the Associated
Press If the bill became a law. but it
is not possible for them 70 compel a
voluntary, mutual association to fur
nish them news at any price
ri, s...~.,.,--