Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-18
Ioral ann State N1ems,
Meeting of the Maine Editors are. Fuh
lishers' Association.

tors and Publishers Association of this State
met in convention yesterday forenoon, at the
Judiciary room in the State House The
convention was called to order by the Presi-
dent. F. E. Shaw Of Paris and on calling the
roll the following members were found to be
present:
Messrs. Quinby Of the Gospel Banner, Ho-
man of the Maine Farmer, Shorey of the
Bridgton News, +. G. Rich, M. n. Rich,
Shaw of the Oxford Democrat, Dngley of the
Lewiston Journal, Emery of the Ellsworth
American, Sprague, Owen & Nash of the Ken
nebec Journal, Pullen of the Portland Press,
Butler of the Bidieford Union and Journal,
Noyes Of the Saco Independent, Davis of the
Pennington Chronicle, Brown of the Maine
Standard, Brown Thurston, Geo. A. Jones,
Lane of the Young Folks Paper, Hoyt and
Dow of the Riverside Echo, Joseph Griffin,
Geo. A. Callahan of Lewiston, S. s. Smith of
Bangor, Morrell of the Gardiner Journal.
Several newspaper reporters were also
present.
The President then delivered the opening
address, as follows:
Gentlemen of the Associations
Convened in winter session, for business
rather than for pleasure, it is to be regretted
that so few are able to be present Our sum
mer trip to Mt. Desert the past season was
not SO generally participated in as was de-
sired, and some who were present were limit
ed in their stay-but the excursion was a very
enjoyable one. 1t will be for you to devise
something in that line, for recreation the
coming summer.
The practice of having pleasure trip or
excursion in the warm season, purely for rec
reation, and deferring all business to winter
seems to meet with doubtful favor. With but
one session in the year, in the summer, az
formerly, the business interests of the Asso
citation were sadlyneglected. If the mem
bers will but give their attendance at the win
ter sessions, subjects of great interest and inn
portance might be considered, TO the mutual
advantage of ALL
journalism is fast becoming a profession in
our land, and developing new fields of enter
prise continually. Its growth measures our
country's development in material wealth and
prosperity, and its advance in intelligence, re-
fnement and culture 1t may well be con-
sidered to have attained high standard,
when its servants, the reporters, feign insan-
ity and gain admission to Warehouses to
ascertain if abuses exist in the management
of them, or turn sailors and undergo the pri-
vations of a steerage passage in an emgrant
ship. to ferret out supposed evils. These are
certainly new phases Of journalism, and indi-
cate great enterprise, while they suggest the
enquiry if there be any possible limit 10 tie
fertile genius Of a live journalist
Of all the modern inventions of new spaper-
dom, for obtaining the first-cut, genuine arti-
Gle of news, commend me to the interview
er-male or female specially the latter.
Nothing second hand or stale here. If the
politicians views are wanted, interview him,
and he will empty himself of everything. The
assassin or murderer will give you the exact
facts SO much better than any lookcr-on. In
terviewing affords excellent opportunities for
ventilating private grievances. Government
officials and legislators consider it no imper-
Thence for men of the press to interview
them anywhere or everywhere Not to be
interviewed, in these times, argues an incon-
sequential character.
Journalists must also be ready, at the beck
OF employers, to hasten to distant lands, and
hazard life, in search of lost explorers, and
worst OF all, after undergoing untold hard
ships, on returning to civilized life again,
their stories are to be doubted, and they de-
nounced as imposters and turned over to the
merclless satire of some reporter of rival
press.
But it looks as if we had fallen among evil
times IN journalism, in one respect. News
papers and magazines seem to be largely en-
gagng in new Gift Enterprise sort of busi-
ness. Engravings, chromos, and all kinds OF
premiums are given for subscriptions, and
the papers or magazines thrown in. Sub
scribe to our beautiful chrome, and take our
newspaper as gltt-warranted to save $500
ayear in furnishing house. In fact, if one
only takes papers enough, in these days, he
can furnish house and support Il family by
the premiums offered
This may encourage art or manufactures,
but does it dignity the journal? If ii pays,
who can complain! But the question arises,
do present returns in this field compensate
for all losses of self-respect and independence
in the calling? But forbear.
The objection is made to our Association
that its members do not live up to their es-
tablished rates. Possibly not; but this is not
chargeable to the Association, and ought not
to exclude any one from fellowship and en-
joyment of the many social and other advan-
tages afforded by the society.
Some topics have been assigned for your
consideration and deliberation during the
present session, which it is hoped will elicit
ideas of value to us in our several fields of
labor. We ought to receive benefit by COM
pairing notes, and we should profit by each
others experience. Few of us are competi.
tors in the same fields, so we can afford to be
free and unrestricted in our utterances and
opinions.
Inasmuch as the annual fee of So 90, which
was intended to secure fund to print our
minutes, has not been devoted to that pur-
pose, it may be we'll to consider the propri-
ETY. of reducing the fee for admission to the
Society.
Expressing the hope that our sessions will be
characterized by that courtesy and amty
whichihave ever marked our nterv ews, and
that the social features of the occasion may
not be lost sight of in the routine of business,
will detain you no further.
The President stated that he had extended
invitations to distinguished members of the
press in other States.
Responses and warm greetings were read
from the following persons: Stephen n.
Stockwell of the Boston journal; Geo. S.
Merrill, Lowell, President of Mass. Associa-
tom p. b. Cogswell Nashua, N. H., Presi-
of the New Hampshire Association; Z. p
Walton, Montpelier, VT, President of the
Vermont Association; VIM. Elder, Editor Of
St. John Telegraph.
The following committees were appointed:
On Advertising and Agencies -Quinby,
Butler and Davis.
On job Prnting-Thurston, T. G. Rich,
Geo. A. Callahan.
On Resolutions-Bu Emery and
Brown.
On Summer Excursion Elwell, NJ. n.
Rich. Thurston.