Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-31
SAYS PRESS is TRUTHFvL


SAYS PRESS IS TRUTHFUL
Manager Of Leading News Gathering
Association Tells Of 9upsrvision.
Madison, Wis. July 31.-Speakers
before the national newspaper confer
ence turned their attention to the
question: "Is the newspaper reading
public getting all the truth it 10 en-
titled to? Problems of escaping out
side influence and avoiding distor-
ton Of truth were presented. Mel
Vile E. Stone, general manager OF the
Associated Press. was one Of the
| speakers last night.
II am asked" said Mr. Stone, ITO
; answer the question: Can imparti-
Atty Of the news gathering and news
supplying agencies be fairly chal-
lenged?" To me. OF course as to any
right minded person. such an inquiry
is about as courteous as II you should
meet me with the salutation: Are you
burglar" or, DO you belong in the
nen,tentiary? But we shall not quar-
rel.
~ am quite ready. to waive all sense
Of propriety as to the form you have
given to the topic and to recognise
that the institution represent has
public chare cter-a large responsible
ity-and is fairly subject to inquiry.
/ 81 should be very glad II the AS
ISOLATED Press, its purposes and its
practices were better understood;
mean better understood by. both reader
and editor The institution bears
very important relation to American
| life and is. am sure. well worth your
study. It's kilograms are printed
primarily in over 500 daily newspapers
and are copied or rewritten In unnum-
i,-,.ii thousands cf other daily. weekly
| or monthly publications. 1t is doubts
| less safe to say they are read by over
| three fourths of the people Of the land
"I am sure that you will all agree
! that 1t is important. to use no stronger
! word. that your market reports. for ex-
ample, re trustworthy. Well, what as
surance have you. not only that the
| reports of the Associated Press are
honest. but that out of the necessitles
OF the case they, must be. more certain
f! OF accuracy than any other market
reports?
zone good reason grows out OF enc
macnitude Of the associations WORK.
81 insist that no smaller agency can
! possibly give as great guaranty LOT
accuracy or impartiality. First tnere
are the traditions Of half a century
which must be lived up to. This spirit
| which an!mates every one In the ser
vice is a coed deal. but naturally II -
not all More important Is the iac,
! that every telegram OF the Assoclateu
Press is subjected TO such degree VI
! censorship as to make untrutn1ui VI
biased reports practically impossiDi..
Every one familiar with our "orA
knows that 1t is utterly impossiple ioi
| anv one in the service, from the gen.
eral manager to the least mportant
agent at the most remote point. 70
send out an untruthful d1spatch anu
escape detection. You may "fne
| biased or inaccurate statement 10. a
newspaper and get away with H. ou.
Won can not do it with the arsus-eseu
millions who read the dispatches OF 'ne
| Associated Press
obviously then. the very mashi'uue
OF the Associated Press work tenas ~
make truthfulness and importantly ~
tho service imperative. It can not be
used to grind any ones ak, 70 serve
any special interest. or to help any po-
litical party or faction or propaganua
.If YOU hear a man whining that the
Associated Press is run in the interest
~ this party or that you may put II
down that what he wants Is not 1aii
play. but a leaning his way.
"Rut the Associated Press is some
thing more than a mere town gossip. II
is the great forum in which the Vita
questions arising in our democratic
form of government are debated. TAX
ling no mart in any controversy. neither
advocating nor opposing the view o.
the contestants for public approval, y
furnishes them an avenue thru whicf
they NAV reach the people, with the
assurance that they shall have abso
lutely fair treatmept-that it is case
of a free field and no favor.
at is. worth noting that at the Close
Of each presidential campaign FOL
wears both candidates have borne pub
lie testimony to the impartial treat
ment they have received at the hands
Of the Associated Press.
"In this way the report Of the asso
citation becomes the melting pot
American public opinion.
"Finally, the business OF news gath
erine has distinct moral value Tn
} association has an enormous influenc
1
IN American life. Adopting the term
inolosy OF our medical friends. w
cure diseases uponsthe body polite b.
the aseptic and not by the antisepti
method
"Given q correct environment, W
leave nature to do the rest. II witt
! the truth before them the peopl
) choose to go wrong that is their at
fair. not ours. We furnish an atmos
phere Of truth which necessarily puri
fies the cesspool Of corruption. w
, furnish the light which flames out in
3 to the dark places and makes impos
l sible treason, stratagem and spoils.'
IF eternal vigilance IL the price 9
E liberty, then the ceaseless- vigil OF tn
D Associated Press must have very hig
] value In our republic"
!, BRYAN SENDS WILSON $1,000.