The chronicle=news., 1914-07-31

1
aid; it was an effort to destroy d
COMPETITOR. For 1t must be borne
4 in mind that the New York Sun has
q news collecting ana distributing
agency OF its own, and has had such
an agency for over 20 years.
hut you say 'ithe time will come
Il when newspapers will be recognized
as having the qualities OF public
utility, and will be subject to in
quiry ana regulation by commissions
| similar to those who have arisen in
many states during the past few
years to supervise railroads.. tele-
phone and lighting corporations.
Well, then we shall have turned back
the clock three hundred years, and
John Milton and his plea for unli-
censed printing" We're all in vain.
The first amendment to the federal
constitution will be accounted mis-
take, and we shall be face to face
with a method of governmental ad-
ministration once delighted in by the
Stationcrs' company and the Star
Chamber. I..H -'
Az long ago as March, 1867, a
writer in Harper's magazine said;
"The American public are little su-
perstitious about The Associated
j Press, and the feeling results from
that common and natural cause OF
all snperst stitions-ipnorance. 1t That
1 such ignorance exists now. as it did
then, is undeniably true. hut ii
would be altogether unfair to sus-
pect that this lack OF knowledge on
tho part of the public is due to any
effort by the association. or It's
method of operation. Anyone who
tieate It will find no obstacle. Neither
the membership nor the management
has any apology to offer for the
work. Instead. it is believed that
the association is engaged in a dis
tinctly meritorious endeavor.
Does the Associated Press receive
or distribute to its members all OF
the news OF the day? by no means.
Nor is 1t intended that 1t shall. There
are news fields which, however i'm
pOrtant. It is forbidden to enter.
These are the fields which, by the
rroprieties, are left for exploration
to the enterprise OF the individual
newspapers. What may it do and
what may 1t net do? 1t may and
should report the consequential
events fairly, or as nearly as Is pos-
sibIe for human beings to do so. II
may not go further. And herein
lies in large measure the misunder-
standing of the weIl-intentioned
public.
AS an illustration: ''lf q pro
gram" occurs in n Russian town. The
Associated Press should tell dispas-
sionately the story OF the event. But
1t is not permitted to even say
whether the thing is right or wrong.
II President Wilson goes to the cap
itol and urges repeal OF the statute
cxempting American coastwise YES
seis from, the payment OF the Pan
ana canal tolls. ana n Senator
OGorman or Republican House
Leader Mann or Democratic House
leader Underwood takes issue with
President Wilson, The Associated
Press calmly reports both sides and
must give no hint that either side is
right or wrong.
But, says some one. this sort of
, negative work has no value. 1t sees
a movement for the hetterment OF
mankind. which Is OF the highest
momen. and does not lend n hand tn
help the thing along. Let us sec,
There is an. underlying belief that
the American people are capable OF
eif-gOvernment. II so, they must
: needs he able to form Judgment
And we conceive 1t to be OF very
great Importance that the people he
gwen the iacts. free from the slight
est bias, leaving to them the bust
, ness OF forming their own judgment.
, Let us see what any other method
, of dealing with the nows or the day
mast mean If a news agency is to
, present somebody's view OF the
! right or wrong OF the worlds hap
peninEs. whose view Is II to he?
And what assurance are We to have
that the somebody's Wow Is the right
; view? And II 1t is the wrong view,
what then
II was out or all this that there
grew n cooperative Associated Press.
The business of news-gathering In n
dominant way was in the hands OF
three men. They were responsible to
no one They could send out to the
newspapers anything they chose and
no one could call them to account.
a large number of newspaper pro-
prietors revolted. They felt that.
far beyond their own interests. there
was great public question involved.
They set about the development of Il
plan which should insure an honest.
| truthful and impartial reporting OF