The daily sentinel., 1913-06-19
ASSOCIATED
PRESS IS
CLEARED
NJ. {. Stone on Stand Tells Why
RdmIin Did Not Get Public
lily for His Statement.
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
Washington, June Melville f.
Stone, general manager of the Asso-
ciatod Press. testified at his own re-
quest today before the senate lobby
investigating committee regarding
claims contained in the correspond
encc Of Clarence c. Hamlin relative
to the publicity which the beet sugar
men hoped to obtain through the AS
sociated Press.
Stone presented all his letters and
records bearing on the demands of
the beet suger interests for publicity.
lie testified that, on October Il,
1911, John X. Arbuckle, on leaving
Tor Europe, gave out a statement ia
yoring free raw sugar. This state
ment was carried by the Associated
Press On October Is, Hamlin gave
out statement in response at Colo
RADIO Springs, and this was also car
ried by the Associated Press. The
AIbuckle statement was 1000 words
in length, and Hamlin's answer was
$50. Hamlin then wrote Stone ask
ing that the beet sugar interests be
given as good treatment as the sugar
rCfiners, and declaring that the Colo
radC Springs representative of the
Associated Press had assured him
that IL would handle 500 words.
Stone read his letter in reply to Ham
lin, in which he said: The Arbuclle
statement was carried not because il
was the statement of sugar refiner
but because of its bearing on the gem
eral cost OF living, which, as you
know, has been the subject OF Keen
interest in the United States. When
your statement in answer to Arbuckle
was presented II happened TO be a
very buay day and night the presi-
dent of the United States was at San
Francisco, plans for Justice Harlan
funeral were on, the Mcnamara trial
was before the country, the worlds
series of baseball was in progress, a
critical situation in China existed
and there was an acute political stu
alton In Mexico. All of these things
crowded our one wire running from
Kansas City to San Francisco, and |
suppose the Denver office was forced
to abbreviate your statement. am
writing to the chief of our office
there asking him to make an explain
alton regarding the matter; but !
can well anticipate that this is what
he would say"
Stone thus explained the statement
that the local Associated Press cor
respondent at Colorado Springs had
agreed to handle $50 words. THE
local correspondent has no power
whatever to commit the Associated
Press to any policy or agreement OF
this sort. His entire duty and re-
sponsibility is to send any dispatch
he might have to the Denver office.
There it would fall into the hands OF
q salaried correspondent and he
would determine how much was to be
used"
Stone gave the committee letter
he wrote to c. ID. IIagerty, in charge
of the Denver office of the Associated
Press, October 23. II asked for in
formation about the handling of the
Hamlin statement.
The reply from Hagerty stated that
a 5OO-word Hamlin statement was
received at Denver from Colorado
Springs; that, owing to the crowded
condition of the Associated Press
wires, 200 words were sent east and
81 words were cut out at relay points
before reaching New York.
Hamlin then wrote to Stone on Oc-
tcber q, expressing appreciation OF
your position" and saying: 81 read
lily understand how the situation
arose and know that the Associated
Press desires to do full justice to all
interests with entire impartiality.
Hamlin stated that there would be
meeting of the beet sugar interests
in Chicago on November / 3. at which
time a statement will probably be
issued concerning this industry and
the reasons for the high price of su-
gar"
On October 80, Stone wrote to J.
p. Gavit, then superintendent of the
Associated Press at Chicago. relative
to the beet sugar meeting and closing
with PLEASE use your judgment re-
specting the beet sugar statement ana
handle it upon its news merits
Copies OF all the dispatches that
were carried from Chicago by the As
sCcfated Press at the time of the Chi
cago conference were furnished to
the committee by Stone, and also a
letter from Hamlin thanking him for
the accuracy of the Associated Press
reports.
The committee did not question
Mr.. Stone today, but Chairman Over
man asked him to hold himself in
readiness to appear later II desired.
H., .,,J NI,S Nav Leave Tnnipht