Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-04-25
ASSOCIATED PRESS ACCURACY.


1t would be we'll if the Associated
Press, its purposes and practices were
better understood alike by reader and
editor The institution bears very
important relation to American life
and is we'll worth studying. Its tele-
grams are printed primarily in $50
newspapers and are copied or re-writ-
ten in unnumbered thousands of other
daily, weekly or monthly publications.
1t Is safe to say that they are read by
over three-fourths of the people of the
country, and from the intelligence they
convey practically everyone gathers
his information respecting current
events.
All will agree that it is important
to use no stronger word, that the mar
ket reports be trustworthy. What as
surance is there, not only that the re-
ports of The Associated Press are
honest, but that out of the necessities
of the case, they must be more certain
of accuracy than any other market
reports? One good reason arises out
of the magnitude Of the Associations
work. There are persons who think
it would be better to have half-dozen
small agencies acting IN sharp COM
petition, but this Is mistake. Such
rivalry would doubtless tend to the
greatest celebrity in gathering the news.
But such rivalry would not, from any
point Of view, tend to greater accur-
acy. And 1t is far less important
that the citizen gets prompt news than
that he gets true news. However de-
sirable it may be to be first in the field
in the presentation of news, and this
feature of the work is not to be under
valued, still its reputation for truth
and strict impartiality Is the best as
set of The Associated Press. And no
smaller agency can possibly give as
great a guarantee for accuracy or Inn
Partially.
First, there are the traditions of half
Q century which must be lived up to-
This spirit which animates every one
In the service Is good deal, but 1T is
not all. More important is the fact
that every telegram of The Associated
Press is subjected to such a degree Of
censorship as to make untruthful or
biased reports practically impossible.
Every one familiar with the work
knows 1t Is impossible for any one In
the service, from the general manager
to the least important agent at the
most remote point, to send out an un-
truthful dispatch and escape detection.
One may write biased or inaccurate
statement for single newspaper and
succeed with 1t, but this cannot be
done with the argus-eyed millions who
read the dispatches of The Associated
Press. obviously then, the very mag
nitude of The Associated Press work
tends to make truthfulness and i'm
partially in the service imperative
1t cannot be used to grind any ones
AK" to serve any special interest. or
to help any political party or faction
or propaganda.
This is not laying claim to any
great virtue. It Is saying that, under
its system of operation and in view
of the millions of critics passing upon
It's work, The Associated Press is auto.
matically truthful and fair. II a man
complains that The Associated Press
Is run In the interest of this party. or
that It is perfectly clear that what he
wants is not fair play, but leaning
his way. AS one evidence of the truth
fitness of The Associated Press re-
ports, it is significant that, during the
existence of the present organization
damages have never been paid in any
action for libel.