We
invite the attention of the
Southern press to the circular of the
President of the
Mutual Press Association formed in this city.
The simplicity and equality of its system commends it to the press generally.
Its advantages are so concisely and plainly stated in the circular, that we need add nothing to what it says:
To the Press of the Southern Confederacy:
Because of the dissatisfaction generally existing with the telegraphic news of the "Southern Press Association," and the unnecessarily heavy expenditures thereby entailed on the proprietors of the various newspapers, four of the daily press of this city — the
Enquirer, Sentinel, Examiner and
Dispatch--have dissolved their connection with the same and formed a "Mutual Benefit Press Association," in which they invite their brethren of the
Southern press to join them.
The plan of this new organization is designed to be an economical one; and as its members are to be the News Reporters, its reports are expected to be not only reliable, but unencumbered with useless verbiage and unimportant intelligence.
By the request of our Directory, I have opened a correspondence with
Dr. W. S.
Morris, the
President of the
Southern Telegraph Company, as to what will be the charges made against the members of this Association for "
news over the wires;" and with his usual promptness, as well as liberality to the Press, he responds,
that "after this month I will send all Press communications, wherever they may emanate on our lines, to any Editor or Proprietor of a Daily Paper, intended for publication, on our lines, at half the usual rates."
Thus it will be seen, that while the entire press of the
South is put upon the same footing by
Dr. Morris, as regards
wire rent, the "Mutual Association" will be enabled to save the enormous expense of traveling agents, reporters, horses, circular printing, and other incidentals, which form part and parcel of the cumbrous machine which all have heretofore sustained.
The press of
Richmond, as a contribution to the general cause, have appointed an intelligent, energetic and efficient agent, at
their own expense, to collect official and other news for them, an intelligible synopsis of which he will send regularly to all members of this Association, without charge for his labors.
In cities, where two or more papers are published, the editors can readily appoint one of their number to receive and forward news — and thus the entire Association can work harmoniously and economically, and at the same time relieve the telegraph wires (which are often heavily pressed with Government work) of a vast quantity of superfluous labor.
Having thus briefly stated the object of the new Association, and the reasons which actuated its organization, we now cordially invite our brethren of the Press throughout the Southern Confederacy to join us, assuring them that we will spare no efforts to make it what it purports to be, a "
Mutual Benefit Press Association."
