The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-03-18
waive interest on the bonds (article XII,

waive interest on the bondS taftlele Ali''
section 81.
"The affairs of the corporation are
managed by l5 directors, who are elect
ed by the members of the corporation
and must themselves be members (article
", sections l, 3 3, A..
s.The cost of maintaining the news
service of the corporation and all other
expenses Of the corporation are appor-
toned among the members by the board
of directors in such manner as it may
be deemed equitable (article TX, section
IL.
"Broadly stated, the news distributed
by the Associated Press comes to it IN
two ways First, from the reports made
to it by the various members OF happen
ings in their respective localities; and,
second, from correspondents, reporters
and other agencies employed by it direct
w. The news of the world thus brought
together is then distributed by the Asso-
ciated Press to its members principally.
of course, by telegraph. To that end It
leases and operates in the neighborhood
of 10000 miles of telegraph lines.
"The principal grounds of complaint
are:
81. That the members Of the Associat-
ed Press are prevented or at least serI-
ously hindered from obtaining news by
purchase or otherwise from any rival
agency.
-. That the members Of the Associat
cd Press are prohibited from furnishing
the news collected by them respectively
to any newspaper which is not mem
Der.
80. That through the operation OF the
right of protest above described news
paper in a given locality applying for
membership cannot be elected without
the consent Of the members in that To-
cality.
Assuming that the kind of service in
which the Associated Press is engaged is
interstate commerce "a question not tree
from Doubt, | am nevertheless OF the
opinion that it is no violation OF the
antitrust act for a group OF newspapers
to form an association 10 collect and dis.
tribute news for their common benefit,
and to that end to agree to furnish the
news collected BY them only to each 9TH
or or to the associations provided that
no attempt Il made TO prevent members
from purchasing or otherwise obtaining
news from rival agencies. And II that
is true. the corollary must be true, name
". that newspapers desiring to form and
maintain such an organization may de-
termne who shall be and who shall not
be their associates.
"This OF course is not to say that such
an association might not develop into an
unlawful monopoly. The facts adduced
however. in my opinion do not show that
that has happened ia the case Of the
Associated Press.
"This disposes Of the second and third
grounds Of complaint based ON the re-
quirement that members Of the associa-
ton shall not furnish the news collected
bv them 10 anyone outside the associa
ton. and on the restrictions as 70 mem
bership.
As regards the first ground Of com
pIaint assuming a. I do. that the col
lection and distribution Of news among
the several states Is interstate trade or
commerce. any bylaw or other regula-
ton adopted by the Associated Press
which would have the effect Of prevent
ing or seriously hindering its members
from purchasing or otherwise obtaining
news from a rival agency would be, /
think. restraint upon interstate trade
OF commerce and an attempt e. m0nopo.
lie. The contention that the Associated
Press has imposed such a regulation
upon is membership Or AZ least has The
power 10 DO 80. has a foundation in sec
ton Of article VIII Of the bylaws.
which reads ~ follows Experience hav-
ing shown that Il i very difficult, II not
impossible 20 avoid or prevent violation
81 TIE rules prescribed by the last pre-.
cediur section. ~ % detect on prove any
such violation e. The members are per-
mitted 10 pur hase news from ether as-
soeiafions and that such purchase may
- seriously rreiu3.eial 70 TIE interest
and welfare ~ this coronation ard &c
members thr board 81 directors NAV. in
their discretion forbid THE members % I
purchase intelligence from any Other I
su.h asagciatiqn