The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-30
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
what's Wrong With Il,

Prom az ''''e'' ey VIZ Ior's I" Hsrs~'
Tho country has been feeling recently
that there IL something wrong with the
Associated Press. our great and domi-
nant bureau OF general Information.
In the early years OF the association
several newcomers attempted TO break
in nIt the power Of protest. barred
them. The Inevitable happened the Chi
cage Inter ocean, denied a franchise, pre-
pared 10 prosecute under the law. sud
denly the Associated Press. hitherto an
Illinois corporation. dissolved and reor-
ganized In New York with a new consti-
tuition drawn UP by expert corporation
lawyers. And they framed II wonder
fully To keep 1t within the law. The
right OF protest remained. But It was
provided that any man denied 4 fran
chise by the right Of protest could appeal
to the annual meeting of the association
II four-iifths of the members voted for
his application he could receive a fran
chise In spite OF the protest! OF course
this was merely legal subterfuge. To
the best OF my knowledge only two or
three new franchises have ever been
granted over the right OF protest--and
those after a terrible fight. Few, indeed.
have had the hardihood to apply. When
such an application comes up In the
laughter AS they shout out "A unanimous
NO For. owing To the exclusive terms
OF the charter, an Associated Press fran
chise TO a metropolitan newspaper Is now
worth from $4,000 To $2OO, 900. Abolish
the exclusive feature. throw the associa-
ton open 20 ali, and YOU wipe out these
values. The publishers are taking no
chances with precedent so dangerous.
When the association recognized IN
New York State the management took
advantage of the law In another manner.
Their charter was issued not under that
section OF tho corporation law which
licenses business associations, but under
the section permitting mutual companies"
literary. social and fish and game clubs.
a joke at first. this turned out to be- "A
serious matter. stakeholder In bust
ness corporation chartered In the usual
form Is restrained only by the laws
against SANDER and libel from saying
anything he may please against the cor
porstion or its management His publicly
expressed opinions do not affect his legal
standing ms member Of the corporation.
II IL different with q mutual association.
member may b. expelled for an act de-
rogatory 10 the interests OF the organize
ton. This completed the "cinch." From
that time forth the old ring OF forty zone
vote papers In control might expel any
one who protested publicly against the
manner In which things were done. The
directors, I believe, have never exercised
this power, but the fear OF II hangs like
sword over the heads Of all potential
insurgents on the Associated Press. Let
them appeal to the public and they may
lose their franchises. Two or three lib
eral publishers have expressed TO me.
after mutual pledges OF confidence, their
opinion OF the "a. r. cinch," And they
have all finished by saying something
like this:
But for heavens sake don't quote me
in print. and don't tell any one I've said
this The fine for such an offence runs
from $4,000 up"
do not deny that tho Associated
Press now has rivals. Were II not for
one OF these rivals tho United Press
we never should have accomplished that
great political change of 1912, which
set our rearguard where ten years ago
our vanguard stood. But for reasons
which ] have no room to consider here
II is still the dominant bureau. The
agents of this dominant bureau, owing
to their point OF view, select from the
events Of the day such news AZ squares
with their conservative picture OF our
world; and their organization binders or
prevents the rise Of publishers who might
present the other side. And, Including
though II does a few newspapers of most
radical tendencies, the Associated Prese
Is In hulk powerful force Of reaction.