The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-08-29
TRUTH DISSEMINATION, IMPARTIALlTY
IN ITS PRESENTATION IS SAID MISSION
OF ASSOCIATED PRESS IN MODERN LIFE

thousands on either side who have
their own following and who have
their right to be heard.
"One Of the most satisfying things
an Assoc lated Press official or edi-
tor encounters at the end of some
political or partisan campaign, is to
have the leaders Of both sides say:
You have been fair. And that is
our great desire. to be fair. Gener-
ally speaking, we are succeeding IN
our purpose notwithstanding the fact
that there are advocates Of both sides
Of any problem who consider that un-
less we are biased in their favor We
are partial to the other side.
"And because it is impartial. The
associated Press serves its country
best. Can you think Of anything
more harmful to the people at large
than for a news source to be in the
hands Of designing men who place
faint upon the news, or color 1t to
meet their own ends? On the other
hand. will you agree with me that in
placing before the sixty or seventy
millions Of peope who daily read our
dispatches, the truth, cleanly stated,
! is one Of the most potent influences
! in our country in safeguarding It
/ against destructive element? l
tn ink you will. for some Of the great
est publishers and public women and
men have said as much.
But while The Associated Press
may not be partisan in it's handling
of public events, it can exercise Il
healthy supervision over the charac-
ter Of news it shall handle. More
than 25 years ago Mr.. Melville +
Stone, its former general manager
declared it to be an iEdefensible act
to print news simply to sell news.
papers. Succeeding administrations
have followed Mr.. Stones lead and al
down the line managers and editor:
: have worked to keep filth from Asso
ciated Press dispatches. As Mr.. Ken
Cooper, the present genera! man
ager, has said, We will handle an!
news that is decent.
"The Lansing tMich.) State Jour
nal, in an editorial on the Browning
case, put it this way: The point W
wish to emphasize just here is tn
: studied decency of The Associates
t Press. No member of the great As
$ sociated Press organization has t
\ apologize for what it sends. 1t get
t the news but it treats it decently.'
: Works For Clean News
: "The Associated Press has consist
emily worked TOR clean and construe
tive news and hundreds of individus
newspapers have labored along tn
same line.
- Newspaper publishers and the
). are among the greatest thinkers q
;. our times, and the most responsible
). men of our times-feel they mu:
: place before these people wortl
- while news. They do eliminate
Il great deal that is harmful. More ar
:. more they are eliminating news thu
"a heretofore has been considered legit
N mate.
!. within the last 10 years the new
papers have printed 25 per cent mol
n religious news, news c0ncernll
20 spiritual things, there has been ca
IL for more, and there have been ed
10 torials favoring that class of news.
ar "But remember that the newspap
it reaches all classes and conditions
m people and to be y successful mediu
;s it must carry something Of intere
a. to each class. Yet in that very IA
a. lies its great value as q channel +
40 reaching all the varied race como
e. tions that 60 to make up our wonde
l. full country.
Tells of Constructive Activities
ou "Along with the news happening
ed The Associated Press has attempt
of to supply accurately, the construct
". activities as developed in church &C
Sc yentions. women's clubs. farm orgs
d. ixations, civic societies. etc., and I
ng inventions and discoveries that ma
ey for progress and bettsrment.
ed AS news gatherers We are not u
SIX ing whether or not prohibition
of liquor licensing 10 good or bad. II
he il not our busienss. We are
he chroniclers Of daily history. My 81
vs.. gestion of either side H.: make
lie good history, SO when it is .viewed
20 hundred years hence It may be view
lat with satisfaction ~ thing Il
helped in world progress.
whatever you do know It will be
U. corded by an Impartial press that
ny l,only concerned In making an accur
VS. picture Of your times. our times.
til "When agreement cones on Z
be subject, the newspaper will be one
lat the most potent factors In bring
IRIS it about. This will he 30 beca
m--the newspapers will have provi'
md the medium through which mtlli
not on either side fought Il out. 70
~, / understanding, Aa1eenasat Will
but como BY. berating the leuspgpess
sof BY one aide b5xatiAG to ethsf.
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