The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-05-15
Final Exercises.
business observation-disclosures Enter.
iainment by Prof. StarR's Pupils
President Kirby's Closing Address
Grafton by Col. John a.. Burch-
Poem by Mrs. Lide Merriweather.

mes at 8 O'clock A. NJ, President KIRBY In
the chair, and the following named mem
| bcrs present, Messrs. Albert Roberts, Of the
Nashville Banner, and Il. e. Stone, of tho
Nashville Journal Of Commerce, having re.
turned home on the morning train: L. b.
Kirby, Chattanooga Times, President; T,
Boyers, Gsllatin Examiner; N. b. Buck,
Murfreesboro Monitor; j. q. Burch, UNION
AND AMERICAN; II. NJ. Doak, Clarksville
Tobacco Leaf; j.. o. Griffith, Rural Sun; |.
p. Jones, UNION AND AMERICAN; l.. W.
McCord, Pulaski Citizen; Il. w. Neal,
Dyersburg Gazette; W.. j. Slater, Win.
chester Home Journal; A. Thomas, Spring.
field Record; w. |. Westbrook, Brownsville
Bee; r. l.. q. White, Lebanon Herald; Col.
Baker, West Tennessee Democrat; Mrs.
Lide Merriwether, Mrs, L. Virginia French,
honorary members.
The minutes of the last meeting were
read by the Secretary, Il. L. g. White, and
upon motion Of Mr.. Griffith were SO amend
ed as to show that those who had been ap.
pointed at the preceding meeting, to pre-.
pare and deliver o~rations, read a poem, etc ,
had performed that duty. The minutes
were then adopted
NEW MEMBERS.
The following named persons were pro-
posed and admitted active members Of the
Associate ion:
Il. Z. Winters, Nashville Bulletin; e. a.
Mathes, SomervilIe Falcon; j. G. Cook,
Woodbury. Press; A. G.. Cox, RurdL Sun;
ard John NJ. Fleming, Knoxville Press dnd
Herald, John Il. Bell, Nashville UNION
AND AMERICAN being elected an honorary
member.
REPORTS.
The report of the committee appointed
to secure stock subscriptions to the Paper
Manufacturing Company, not being forth.
coming, the committee was discharged.
Mr.. Jones, of the committee appointed
10 memorabilia the Legislature in rcl'tiOn
to legal advertising, reported that q bill it,
troduced in the Legislature last winter, in
that regard, had not met with much favor
On motion of Col. Baker, the committee
was discharged.
COMMUNICATIONS.
Several communications from newspaper
editors in various parts of the State, rela-
tive to the intentions of said editors TO join
the association al al early date, were read
by the Secretary.
ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT.
President Kirby then addressel the assc-
citation, as follows
Gentlemen Of tie association In pursuance of
the duty imposed upon me by the Constitution, |
had prepared an address to read to you upon re-
firing from the Office with which you had hon
orcd me, but after | had completed it | received
a Kt,t atY,na Atsp ia nt.nf ~ vat "a MAJ t. n M ma
that the distinguished gentleman elected to de
liver the public address had failed to
come TO time and that therefore | must ill the
brecch. Accordingly | prepared a brief address
which | shall eudrayOr to deliver ON that Occa-
sion to the public; but | thought it would be too
bad to waste ailthe labor had bestowed upon the
remarks intended for the private ears Of the As
sOciation, and therefore with your permission |
shall proceed to intlict them upon you now.
The work of our Association begins with CO.
operation in our business interests, but 1t il not
organized upon the proper basis to do this. We
come here not as tho combined newspapers of
Tennessee, with power TO bind each uember OF
the association to such action rs may be for the
good Of all, but simply as an association OF gen
UlsmUn Interested IN the newspaper business.
After an experience OF two years and a careful
consideration OF the subject, l am convinced
that in order to accomp isli any thing, the plan
OF our association should be changed. Our rep
rcsontation should be by newspapers upon an
equitable basis Of circulation and influence.
Only an association so organized can act upon
the practical questions which we are called upon
to meet.
There are questions Of local importance which
can be met only by an organization Of newhpa-
pGrs. Chief among these IL the matter OF lcga
advertising. ! take II that the result of this last
session Of the Legislature has decided that we
can expect no action from this body in our inter-
est. With a thorough organization of the news
papCrS Of the State our remedy ~ in ON own
hands. There are certain classes of legal ad-
vCrtising which the law cOmpcls to be published
in the ncWspapeTs. Let us simply refuse to &C
cent this advertising at less rates than our reg
ular customers pay. and the parties Mt interest
will either compel Il change IN the law, or VIII
compelled to accept the same prices which
other people pay.
1t is true Of oar business as Of all others, that
competition is the life Oftrade, but our COMPETE
ton with one another should not lead us to cut
down prices below Il fair profit, but TO strive 10
excel in freshness CT news, Typographical exc
CutiUn and other features calculated 10 WIN ana
retain the good will and support of the public.
When competitors come as they Will come, soon
CT or later TO all of ls, we ought not 10 uetry
them in order to built ourselves up. The better
plan is to acknowledge their merits and welcome
them to our guild, if found worthy. OF course
this need not hinder rs from inilmatlng that,
with all their good qualities We are II little ahead
OF our rivals, but we should not forget that the
public, after all, are the ultimate judges Ill mat
ters of this kind, and IL viii take something
more than words to make our prctcnsiOns good.
Tnc question OF advertising agencies is enc
frequently discussed by the Press Associations
of other States, though We have never cOEsid-
cred il. It seems TO me that advertising agents
are Az niece sSary TO Our business IA jubbcrs and
middle men generally are 10 other trades. Ti!ty
are 4 convenience, in fart n necessity to INTRO
duCC the consumer to the producer, and kcfYc u
similar purpose TO that performed by the circu-
lating medium OF exchange. 1t is very common
for Press Associations 10 indulge In indiSCrlmi-
nate dcnunCiatiOn Of advertising agencies. 1t
frequently occurs that editors fly into . printed
passion because some agent has 0iicrHd them an
Advertisement at Il lower rate than they are VIII
ing to accept. This arises from Il niscOhccptlon
OF the business Of an advertising agent. lie Is
the agent of the press in 50 far rs he agrees to
be responsible for the business he may
furnish, for which he receives his com
mission, lie il also the agent OF the adycr-
tiser, for whom H. contracts TO do II certain
amount Cf work ut the lowest attainablC price.
II the price offered any paper Tor a c'rtall
amount OF work il not considered sufficient, II
should be cOurteOusly declined and the matter
should end there. Because Il man controls a
newspaper he has no more right TO abuse lnOttl-
er person in print for Offering TO buy three inches
of space at a reduced rate, than john Dos has
to publicly dcnOunCe Richard Roe for wanting
to purchaac ,hrce yards ofcalico for fifteen cents
or ten pOunds Of A sugar for a dollar. IL he
does il, he only makes himself ridiculous and as
sist, in degrading the popular conception OF a
most honorable profession. 1t IL a safe rue Ia
WDIk UNt lililI lllt HlAI IL ' 'NhiiN' ~ W.
OF his pu' chascs will either fail in business or
never Intends to pay. The advertising agents
who never haggle over prices are usually nor 10
he found when pay day comes around. When
an agent OF II travelling show does not try
to heat down your price for advertising and
job work, event he knows 1t to be ju.t, you may
rest assured that your only chance to collect yOtI
bill is to attach the show and you will generally
find that il has nothing out Of which the money
can be made. II you permit yourself to he pre-
vailed upon to Ito printing OF any kind for less
than lis worth, the agents smile at your vCrdan'
cy and pocket the profits, If You are insensihi'
to persuasion, they respect you for your KNOW,
| cdgc of the business, and If they really need
your services they never fail to pay your price
Of course no prudent man will make a business
contract of any kind without good assurance al
the certainty of the pay for his labor.
have thus tried to suggest a few themes FOL
| your consideration and discussion. | claim
no 0riginality tfOr tho ideas, and no iniallibilitl
| for my views, but il is certain that our AsSocla
| ton can only succeed by discussing and acting
| upon these and similar practical questions,
NEW BUSINESS.
The resignation of II. 5. Thomas, Spring