Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-04-21
GREATEST Of ALL
N[WSGATHER|NC
BODIES MEETS
The Associated Press Elects
e officers and Listens to Ad-
dress by Former Solicitor
General of Government

Victor T. Lawson, NHieaso 49,
- u cowles, Spokane Spokesman
n W. CIV d. +. Town, Louisville Her
he s.p NJ Johnston, Houston Post;
a sic Rilder, New York CITY stats
2eiung, H. association
aniroonslv voted to rescind the by
,ar- Giving the board of directors the
NV IA order a member TO discoh-
iinwe the service of a competing asso-
citation. ~ ..,, IN m to.
.,rn., vnen announcement Will DC
n.s1e on the vote to change the ny
i laN relating TO hours of publication.
20" Western Advisory Board.
Members of the western division
.,,.isorv hoard were elected for the
ensuing year as follows:
NJ Fl. DeYoung, San Francisco
rhrnnicle. S. A. Perkins, Tacoma
ledger: A. ]. Blethen, Seattle Times;
n MeNay. Salt Lake Tribune; !. N
stevens. pueblo Chieftain.
Nominating committee. +. Con-
nerg. oakland Tribune; $. c. Bone, Sc
attic Post Intelligencer.
Auditing committee-John f. Car
roll Portland Telegram.
Al the afternoon session the MEM
hers we're addressed by Frederick w.
Lehman. former solicitor general OF
the United States. Mr.. Lehman in his
address said:
Public Opinion Changed.
"The original attitude of the law
toward the press was one OF repres-
sion II was a governor of Virginia
a "a thaH ha1
printng press in the colony, and
would not have for a hundred years.
II was the general court of Massa-
ehusetts which suppressed, upon It's
first appearance, the first newspaper
attempted to be published in what is
now the United States.
"The eighteenth century brought
with II an increasing sense of individ-
ual worth and dignity which insisted
upon finding expression for its
thought OF course that freedom was
accompanied with responsibility for
is due exercise. We have laws which
punish the publication of matter Of
fensiye 10 public decency.
How News Is Gathered.
There are two possible systems of
news gathering; one is to deal with II
as a purely commercial enterprise for
profit, and the other by a co-opera-
tive institution like the Associated
Press in which any element of imme-
diate profit to the association itself
is left out of the account.
-''in "a cooperative institution like
the Associated Press YOU have not
only the better restraints of men, but
even the baser forces work in coun.
ter pOise against each other. With a
membership like yours, distributed
through all the states of the union
representing every shade of religious
and political belief and every variety
Of commercial and industrial interest
there is but one tenure of office pos
slble to those who manage its affairs
and that is good conduct approved by
substantially all of the members OF
the association.
Only One Libel Suit.
News cannot be reported without
every day something being said in
dlsparagement of some individual
and libelous If untrue. In the fifteen
years history of the present Associat-
ca Press 1t has not been mulcted in
damages for single dollar, and yet
II is subject to prosecution for libel
Tor every word libelous that its. re-
port may have contained because Its
transmission of its news reports to its
members is just as much q publica-
uoh as the printing of the same news
py the newspaper afterward. And to-
Jay there stands against it but a sin
sie suit for libel, and that predicated
upon report made by 1t of what one
public man said of another public
man, and not upon the ground OF
hllsfepfesenting what was said.
NO Monopoly of News.
;, IL IS objected that the Associated
rress Is monopoly If so, ii has not
succeeded as monopolies usually do,
III restricting output. We publish more
newspapers In the United States than
IN an the rest of the world beside.
But 1t is said that the members
nnVhopolize their news for their own
voiuihns and do not open them to
snose VINO are not members. What is
aeNs Roughly speaking, news is the
nist report of an event of public and
current interest. News signifies moth
vice.
Rights of Individuals.
man has as much right to say
"htN snail be done with O. scoop as
sdfuso has to the use of his voice. Tt
receive everybody who'publishes pa.
per TO membership would be to de.
stfoy the association itself, because
WINE there is much that may go into
a newspaper that may be mere rou.
me- as market reports, still every
tlidn WlShng IN l..
,,, 'Ne publication and if there il
no'ning distinctive in its general news
a,lport a newspaper will become in
,r;nereht and undertake to gain a dis
motive quality of something altogeth.
81 aside from the budget of news fur.
i.'shed by the Associated Press ant
d II seems to me that an essential con
nh OF maintaining q cooperative
Tvs gathering association is that tina
association shall have the right t.
'e.eIilllne its own membership.
WHile the Associated Press hal
a.mays had very large prepondcr
a ,Le OF the leading newspapers o
ny country. it has never had then
In II II had them all, or substantial
al, then the objection that ii Il
a monopoly in the very nature of tn,
ise' passes out of view. The genera
p,an Of the organization has been ap
prosed by the attorney general. al
aoMing the association to discriminat,
ship
81 blt the attorney general founs
MA. IN one respect, namely in thu
,toNef given to the board of direc
sols TO require members to desis
an nm purchasing news from any othel
seney you had perhaps trenchet
Ipoh me law. The effect OF that opin
in ana your action here this morn
rs N amending your bylaws t,
hilorm to that opinion has been I,
stihg your professions up to til,
ahaard of your practice. And nov
rsolessien and practice are in har
fa unS with the law and you have be
esr CO.. you. | hope, long and unbrokei
saIeer Of usefulness to the public ant
FtOSperlty for voursaIvac