Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-17

ticipation in the great exposition OF
1915.
/ While here he was much feted and
was regarded by all who met him as
broker gets a still further reduction.
| Far from receiving discriminatory
favors, the Associated Press feels that
| it is being distinctly and heavily dis
eliminated against.
In these DAYS when all transactions
on large scale are being subjected
| to so rigid a scrutiny ii is natural that
so conspicuous mark of public atten-
| ton as is the Associated Press should
not ipd itself immune from critical in
spection.
From time to time some voice is
raised denouncing the Associated
Press in the same breath both as a
monopoly and because it is not a
monopoly. and insisting that it become
monopoly by admitting to its MEM
bership all desiring its service; the
theory being that in some way the
activities of the association impress 1t
with a public use and subject it to the
obligation of a common carrier to
serve all corners.
To compel the Associated Press to
assume an entity of its own and to
serve all~eomers would, in my judg-
ment, bring about condition fraught
with the gravest dangers to the free
dom of the press and in turn to the
freedom of the people.
At present about one-third of the
daily newspapers of the country are
represented by membership in the As
sociated Press.
There are number of concerns en-
gagged in the collection and sale OF
general news to non-members of the
Associated Press, and in one way or
another they supply their customers
with what are declared to, be salts
factory services.
In no way desiring to become any
thing approaching monopoly, the
Associated Press has avoided even
the appearance of any competitive
price rivalry, admitting additional
members solely on the ground Of a
common benefit to the members of
a cooperative institution.
L Dy OCCulC lAC
Associated Press could be held as a
common carrier, these news-selling
organizations would be wiped out and
the Associated Press would, if the |
end sought for was accomplished, be-,
come real NJ saopoly and the in
centive for cooperation no longer ex-
listing, it would naturally drift into a
concern for pecuniary profit, in priv
ate ownership and subject to private
control
No more dangerous situations can
we'll be imagined than the passing of
the control of the greatest news
gathering and. Notwithstanding
agency of the world from the hands
of cooperating newspapers to the
control of some. individual interested
in manipulating the news-the master
and not the servant of the news
papers.
Because this danger would be so
grave it will not come, but for an
other reason also, very basic |
reason.
There can be no monopoly in news. |
The day that it becomes apparent !
that a monopoly in collecting and |
news exists. that day, in
or groups of newspapers |
will take up the work of establishing |
a service for themselves, Independent |
of outside control.
The news of the world is open to |
him who will go for it. Any one
willing to expend the energy. the
time and the money to approach it |
may dip from the we'll of truth.
The news service of the Associated |
Press does not consist of it's leased !
wires or its offices. It's soul is in
the personal service of human men,
of men with eyes to see, with ears to |
hear, with hands to write, and with
brains to understand, of men who /
arc proud when they succeed, humili- I
ated when they fail and resentful |
when maligned The telegraph wires
are but the blind instruments of this !,
service, though the wire has brought /
the uttermost parts of the world +
close. These human en- |
titles are ranging the world to send |
word of its doings, of its ,rejoicings,
and its Borrowings to satisfy the (
thirst of the people for intelligence
of the march of events.
The news service of the Associated t
Press of the horror of Martinique
was not the event itself. 1t was the
personal service of man who at
first hint of the disaster that had I
wiped ont a population took his
orders. chartered boat, and went to
where no correspondent
still lived, and sent a story, his story
Of the great tragedy, wrecking his
health by the effort required.
To get this report, this news"
was open to any one.
To get ii cost the members of the
Associated Press more than $4,000 |.
in addition to the human wastage and
prodigious effort.
1t was part of the days work
And as today devoted men labor