The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-19
TIE DANGER IN A MONOPOLY
or NEWS.
The PublSC's Great lnterest IN TIRE Gem.
PLANT Against the Associated Press.

The PubiiC's Great anteress IN tire Gem.
plant Against the Associated Press.
Prom Ms Cincinnati American.
That complaint OF THE Sum In which II
asks an investigation by the United States
the ev dencs Il presents IL sufficient to
warrant prosecution Of the Associated
Press under the Sherman law 10 OF great
importance to the people at large as we'll
as to newspapers.
The Associated Press 10 engaged in the
collection and Transmission OF news and
supplies q great many of the newspapers
OF the United States. Membership il re-
stricted In each city, however. and the
Associated Press refuses to sell It's news
to any newspapers except those which
have been elected to membership N It.
Franchises are granted such papers. and
because OF the limitation Of membership
a franchise is an asset valued at hundreds
Of thousands Of dollars In some cases.
Control Of these franchises by one man
or a few men can work great harm In .
community and enable the possessors to
hold UP the reader and the advertiser as
they have been held up In Cincinnati for
years. With q newspaper monopoly In
control OF the English morning paper field
In Cincinnati prices Of papers were kept
up. prices OF advertising were made ex-
orbitant. and circulation, which Is what
the advertiser must have to sell his goods,
was kept down. Men who saw the OPP
portunity to do q public service by start
Ing one cent morning newspaper. en-
abling the reader to get news Of the world
at a fair price and enabling the advertiser
to get what had been so long denied him.
circulation. were deferred by inability TO
get Associated Press news. The same
news can be obtalned independently. but
the collection Of II 10 costly. 10 men
bowed to the news monopoly In Cincinnati
until the American decided TO begin the
night and. regardless OF the expense. pro-
cure that news without the consent or
assistance of the Associated Press.
But the Americans fight Ia Of impor-
lance to a smaller number of persons than
that Just begun to determine whether
the Associated Press IL a monopoly In
violation OF tho antitrust law. This Ia
patent to the reader who stops TO think
what harm a news monopoly OF national
proportions might do.
Such a monopoly. for instance. con-
trolling the privilege OF purveying news
t. u great many papers might also con-
troll the views of readers OF those papers
by color.ng the news in the interests OF
great financial powers or great political
parties.
Such a monopoly Nigh. suppress news
Of vast Importance TO the people IN the
interest OF a favored few.
Such a monopoly. using Is news dis
tributng power as a club. might control
the conduct OF men in public once. from
the highest to the lowest. and compel
them TO violate their oaths OF obligation
TO the people.
These are just few suggestions OF the
power FOR evil nationwide news mo-
nopoiy might exert. They are cited 10
show that the prevention of such mo-
| nopoly Is Of great Importance 10 you.
They will serve to make II plain that you
should be greatly interested In seeing
the Associated Press restrictions removed
II II is monopoly with such power and
AN offender against the Sherman law. as
| charged by TIE SrS.
Prom the Bridgeport Post
The action Of The SUN In asking for a
Federal inquiry into the Associated Press.
under the Sherman trust law, will arouse
marked interest all over the country
THE Sun, It will be remembered, has a
service OF It's own. and there ls none
better in the land. THE SuN was forced
to establish this service because Il was
deprived OF the service OF the older asso-
citation through the objections OF some OF
It's New York rivals, as We understand H.
/ Having started the news gathering TIN
4 SUN sought to expand its delivery News
papers all over the country. recognizing
| the value OF The SUNS signature upon
news, tried 10 employ Il IN company with
! the Associated Press service.
/ Here It was that the "A. p" as II Is
} called for short. made the moves OF which
THE Sun now complains and which are
to be Investigated by the Government
/ Letters ara published to show that when
a newspaper using both services was dis
covered It was notified that It must dis
( continue THE SuS service or lose the
- T." The complaint charges that this
is violation OF the Sherman anti-trus,
law. and Il will invite inquiry by the
Federal law officers. II It Is found tina,
evidence warrants procedure. actions will
be begun against the Associated Press.
/ The outcome OF these proceedings Will
/ be Of general public interest. also OF
special Importance TO tho newspapers
OF all elements In the land the newspaper
or any OF it's affiliations. ought to be free
from trust influence and OF restraint OF
honest competition.
IT'S the Voice " the SCOOTER.
To THE EDITOR or THE suN-Str: Is
Assemblyman Stoddard's bill 10 make
presence at the polls compulsory a stat
B In tho ia rk "A the