The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-04-24
JuocE-ALLEcED UNFAIR RE.
PORTS" or THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS

PRESS
II Judge @. Dayton of the United
states Court for the Northen Dis
trict OF West Virginia Is correctly
quoted In the newspapers. he belongs
10 the very dangerous type of judges
who are content TO base judicial ac-
ton on personal prejudice or on unin-
vestigated statements from one side
in interest.
he Is credited with having made on
April Sth. In charging the federal
grand jury. the following statement:
The Associated Press is the largest
and most influential news agency in
the world. This gigantic monopoly is
selling the news 10 thousands of news
papers, and this service. instead OF
being news In a fair and impartial
manner. Is made To serve personal
and selfish purposes.
n Judge Dalton had made even
casual inquiry be would have found
the Associated Press not only does
not sell news. but is not permitted
by its charter to do so, or to make
any profit from conduct of its bust
ness.
II Is permitted only to collect for
and distribute to its own members
the news OF the world, and to appor-
ton the expenses incurred to those
members on an agreed assessment
plan.
The same casual inquiry would
have convinced him that the news
report of the Associated Press, be-
cause of its method of organization,
cannot be used ito serve personal and
selfish purposes" and must necessari-
ly be as fair and impartial as is pos
sible TO obtain under human condi-
tions.
The Associated Press is composed
of over 500 members, representing
the most diverse opinions and inter-
ests in all matters handled by the re-
port, each one watching it daily to
see that those interests are not I'M
fairly presented, and prompt to COM
plain If, through the carelessness or
disloyalty of an employe they are.
Ard 80 anf0roa ir,nartio1 handling
of the news, each member has the
benefit of his own full vote, the
machinery of his circuit, the Advis-
DRY Board of his division and the
power of the directors, one or more
of whom will come from his division.
The news report of the Associated
Press is fair and impartial because
II is to the interest of every member
to have it so, and because the mem
bership has the power and the organi-
cation to make it so.
All other large news agencies are
private ventures, run by their owners
for profit and with no responsibility
to their customers as to the character
of news furnished.
This plain statement of facts suf-
ficiently indicates why the Associated
Press report is always looked to for
accuracy in important matters, and
why most newspapers publishers pre-
fer it.
1t also suggests a cause for the
very bitter attacks made upon the
Associated Press by and through the
agency of newspapers which have
not been admitted to membership and
cannot therefore secure its news until
after publication of others.
1t will be a sorry day for the free
institutions of this country when
general news agency conducted on
the lines of the Associated Press
ceases to exist and the public forced
to base it's opinion of all important
matters entirely on the news reports
prepared by private interests.
If Judge Dayton is a good citizen
he will recognize the force of this sug-
gestion and cease to use his position
to denounce the Associated Press I'M
til he learns something of the facts
San Francisco Call.