Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-04-24
AFTER \ MONOPOLY.

One of the most impOfldn1 hiedoui eo introduced into the General Assembly for the benefit of the publishers and the public generally, is the Patterson bill to require all news associations to furnish their service to all news papers that will subscribe and pay for if The bill has been passed in the Senate and is now pending In the House.
 This bill is aimed at the Associated Press one of the most exclusive monopolies in the United States. The policy of this association has been to furnish it's service only to one morn ing newspaper and one afternoon newspaper in each town.
 There are a number of other news gathering associations of equal merit and value but the Associated Press seems to enjoy some sort of excus- i've privilege with the telegraph com panies by and through which it can furnish larger service, or more words, for given sum of money than any other news gathering associa- tion. It is this exclusive advantage that the Associated Press enjoys with the telegraph companies that make it's so-eaued "franchses desirable on the part of publishers.
 If the telegraph companies were re- quired by national to treat all news gathering associations alike, there would he no demand for such legisla- ton as that now before the legisla- ture in session now in Little Rock
 As a result of this special privilege with the telegraph companies the cost of the Associated Press service is greater 10 each individual member than it otherwise Wonld be for this service could be supplied to two or more newspapers in the same city for a little more than the cost of the ser vice to one. thereby decreasing the exz nense for telegraph tolls to each newspaper, which in turn would re- suit in a reduction in cost to the pub lie. Tn other words two or more newspapers can he supplied in the same town with the same service practically as cheap as one, for the same tick of the telegraph instrument would answer for as many papers as it was necessary to furnish, and in stead of one newspaper having to pay the entire cost of the service, said cash could he equally divided among all, thereby serving many instead Cf one.
 The fact that the profits of the Western Union Telegraph Company for the year of 1905 are given at over seven million dollars. and the further fact that the Associated Press is one of the most arrogant and exclusive monopolies in this country, gives am pie warrant for the passage of such bills as the Patterson bill now pend ing in the House
 Such legislation is not without pre- cedent. Several years ago, if memory serves us alright. several Associated Press newspapers in Chicago undee- took to shut ont new publication whereupon the Illinois Legislature passed law similar in effect to the one now pending in the Arkansa; Legislature.
 It is understood that the Pattersos bill has for it's object the publication of another morning newspaper in Lit tie Rock, where the Arkansas Gazett' holds the exclusive morning fran chise of the Associated Press.
 As far as the Graphic is concerned it has no direct interest in the out come of this bill, for the Graphic i of the opinion that small pony Asso ciated Press service of five hundreI words is not worth it's cost. and tn Graphic is by no means alone in tba opinion. The proper field for snal