Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-18

Treasurer-H. A. Shorey.
Executive Committee-The President ez
Of, Nelson Dingley, Jr., VIM. Noyes, L. b
Brown.
communication was received from th
Senate, through S. w. Lane, Esq, Sec'y.
informing the Association that the use Of tn,
Senate chamber had been granted for the af
ternoon session. a vote of thanks was re
turned.
The matter ofadvertising agencies was ia
ken up, and opened BY Rev. G. w. Quinby
of the Gospel Banner. He said that if W!
unite in our business we can accomplish
much. The business of foreign advertising il
great. We pay out from $4,000 to $1,000
annually to agents. They are not really oul
agents, but We are theirs. They will take
advertisements for papers that they car
make the most money out Of, showing thai
they do not always work for our interests
He thought it a good idea for the Maine pa
pers to combine and employ a man in Boston
and perhaps one in New York, whose specia
duty it shall be to solicit advertisements fol
their papers. man going out from US witt
a salary, interested in our newspapers, would
labor for our interests, and we could save
one half of the present expense of soliciting
advertising.
Mr.. Dingley of the Lewiston Journal said
that 20 per cent. commission to agents il
altogether too high. The proposition of Mr.
Quinby for the establishment Of an independ.
ent agency of the Maine press struck
him very tavorably. He alluded to "farm-
ing out space he never permitted
agents to DO that in his paper. Such a plar
is ruinous TO newspaper publishers. Advar.
tisers by this plan obtain the use Of the space
in some newspapers at much less than usual
rates lie had taken stand against this
plan Of Charming" and as a consequence the
amount of his advertising had increased and
at his full rates. Hoped the publishers OF
the State would fix fair scale of prices, and
stick to il.
Mr.. Owen Of the Journal made a few re-
marks on the piratical practices Of some ad-
yertising agencies.
Mr.. Butler hoped the COED work would &C
on. Would have the New York agent tc
whom reference have been made, read out Of
the fraternity. Paid 20 per cent. commission
and thought that enough.
Mr.. Uoman of the Maine Farmer. though,
that discussion Of the subject was profitable,
and hoped it would 60 on. Great imposition
is practiced upon newspapers BY advertising
agents.
The President, Mr.. Shaw, stated that he
paid 20 per cent. commission.
Mr.. Shorey of the Bridgton News, said the
city papers might defy the advertising agents
and dictate terms, but the country press is al
most completely in the hands of the agents.
| They have so much space to fill up ard they
cannot afford to use reading matter, and
are therefore obliged to take advertisements
at cheap rate.
Mr.. Dingley gave some figures OF vital in
| terest to the craft
Mr.. Pullen of the Portland Press. believed
that newspapers would not find decrease in
the amount Of their advertising by maintain
ing good rates. 1t was the practice in his
office to send back advertisements that were
sent at q less rate than his established prices,
and they were always returned for insertion
at the office rates. Thought that the smaller
papers would be much benefited by being
stiff in their rates.
The subject was then laid upon the table
Greetings were sent by telegraph to the
New Hampshire Association, assembled in
convention.
Adjourned to afternoon.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The association met in the Senate Cham.
Der at two O'Clock in the afternoon, quite a
number of ladies and gentlemen outside OF
the fraternity being present.
| Mr.. Davis of the Pennington Chronicle,
| from the committee on constitution, made re-
port, containing several amendments defining
more clearly the qualifications of member
ship.
| Mr.. Thurston of Portland, from the com
mittee on job work, made partial report,
recommending that no change be made in the
prices of job work.
Mr. Callahan of Lewiston, thought we
ought to have established rates for job work
and then strive to abide by them as much as
possible. He thought there would be no
trouble in getting fair prices.
| The Association then listened to very in
teresting address by the veteran printer, Jo-
seph Griffin of Brunswick, on the History OF
the Press in Maine. We hope to publish the
entire address in day or two.
On motion of Mr.. Dingley, the thanks OF
the Association were extended to MIR. Griffin
for his able address.
Mr.. Quinby, from the Committee on Ad-
vertising, reported as follows:
lst. That in the opinion of the committee
! it would be well for the publishers of our
| Maine papers to take into serious considera-
ton the adoption of measures at no distant
day which shall result in the establishment of
an agency in Boston and New York that shall
operate in the line of advertising specially
for the business interests of the Maine press.
ID. We believe that the discussion Of the
subject has been of decided advantage to the
| puUllSUcTS Ol our III tHtlT advertising
business and that it would have been of vast
ly greater benefit if all the members of the
craft in our State had been active, practical
members of this Association.
Sd. The committee recommend that just
price be paid to our agents, viz IL per cent,
for business furnished; and that we combine
our influence, as far as may be, to establish
this as a uniform price.
4th. We would also deem it well to reiter-
ate the resolution passed at the last years
session of this Association, viz. That when
ever any member of this body shall ascertain
that any person doing business as an adver-
Using agent is irresponsible, that he imme-
diately notify his brethren of the fact through
his paper.
The report was accepted.
Mr.. Dingley opened the subject of the mu-
tual relations of the printers of Maine in a
very eloquent and satisfactory address. He
said the editors and publishers of Maine be-
long to profession that is entitled to and re-
ceives a respect that would not have been ex-
tended to it a few years since. Newspaper
men are not rivals, but brothers and co-labor-
ers in the same good field. The starting up
of new newspapers does not hurt the business
of the old ones; the field is wide one, and
readers are constantly increasing. He looked
upon the Association work with feelings of
| Just pride. With all due Difference to other