The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-16

Press became 10 oppressive to news
papers In the interior Of the coun.
try that the Western Associated Press
withdrew from Its connection with the
Associated Press and undertook to main.
tain an Independent and rival news
gathering and distributing business, and
for n time there was sharp and active
competition between the two associa-
lions. After a short period Of COMPETE
ton the two said associations compro-
missed their differences, and the West
ern Associated Press was admitted to q
partnership In the direction of the bus1-
ness Of the Associated Press, and The
entire business was conducted ~ an
executive committee of five.
From time to time, however. new
newspapers were founded In different
cities Of the United States which, under
the rules Of the Associated Press, could
not obtain or purchase its news service
Rival telegraph companies in COMPETE
tion with the said Western Union Tele-
graph Company thereupon attempted ia
establish a news service in competition
with the Associated Press, and gradu-
ally grew in importance until there were
enough newspapers which had been
unable to secure the service of the As
ISOLATED Press and enough telegraph
companies contesting the field with the
Western Union Telegraph Company to
organize one formidable competitor of
the Associated Press called the United
Press.
In order to destroy the competition
Of the United Press the Associated
Press adopted q rule that no newspaper
served with the Associated Press news
reports should traffic with any rival
association. but IN spite of this rule.
which was then ineffec,ively enforced,
the United Press continued to gain in
revenue and Importance until II men
aced tho supremacy OF the Associated
Press.
Thereupon and In order to prevent
the continuance OF active competition
OF the United Press the controlling in
terests in the Associated Press privately
purchased a controlling Interest in the
stock Of the United Press, and a secret
agreement was made between the two
associations providing that thenceforth
they should work In harmony and re-
frain from competing with one another
in the business Of news gathering and
distribution.
The existence OF this secret contract
was disclosed in 1892. whereupon the
said Western Associated Press. whose
aforesaid agreement not to compete with
the Associated Press had been made for
the period Of ten years and expired In
1892, refused to continue its said agree
ment with the Associated Press. and
again undertook to carry on the busl-
10 hop nd ri ffr,tt
Independently.
which was then known as the New
York Associated Press. was absorbed
by the United Press. and from that time
on. and until the events hereinafter
set forth. the said business Of news
gathering and distribution was carried
on in competition between the United
Press and the Western Associated
Press. which divided the field OF the
United States between them.
During this period OF competition,
however. the said Reuter- News Agency
was supplying its news reports Of Eu-
ropean news TO both the United Press
and the Western Associated Press. The
between the United Press
and the Western Associated Press in
said business was genuine and became
very keen. The United Press had the
support OF almost all the newspapers
east OF the Allegheny Mountains. some
in the West and the news
papers Of the South. The Western
Associated Press had the support OF a
majority OF the newspapers in the West
The competition between the United
Press and the Western Associated Press
In said business continued for four
years. and in the course OF this COM
petition the Western Associated Press
in negotiating an alliance
with said Reuter- News Agency which
cut the United Press of from the i'm
portant service OF this great European
agency and threatened the disruption
and ruin OF the United Press.
Immediately following the making OF
said exclusive contract with the Reuter-
News Agency the management OF the
Western Associated Press set to work
actively to disrupt further and COM
pletely the business OF the United Press
and vest in the Western Associated
Press monopoly OF said business, and
In pursuance Of said plan procured
the New York Erenin1 Post. the New
A"'h ""'o' tHe view iOTk COmmcTCS0t
Advertiser. the New York Stoats-Zej-
fun0 and the Brooklyn Eagle to aban.
don the United Press, join the Western
Associated Press and effect a reorgani-
zation thereof into a new associated
press as a national institution.
In 1892, at the time when the West
ern Associated Press refused to con-
tinue Its agreement not to compete with
the New York Associated Press as
aforesaid and when the New York
Associated Press was absorbed by the
United Press as aforesaid, the said
Western Associated Press organized
and formed under the laws OF the
State OF Illinois corporation on the
stock plan under the name OF the Asso.
ciated Press.
The object OF it's creation was, as
stated In Its charter.
ito buy. gather and accumulate in
formation and news to vend, sup
ply, distribute and publish the
same; to purchase, erect. lease and
operate and sell telegraph and teie-
phone lines and other means OF
transmitting news; to publish peri
odicals; to make and deal In peri
odicals and other goods, wares and
merchandise"
In 1898 the charter OF said CORPORA
ton was changed In such manner that
its objects wera rastrL,taa a.