Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-29
PEN; SCISSORS AND TYPE.
Second Days Proceedings of the Maine
Editors, and Publtshers' AsxociatiOn.-
Business Transactcd.-Essayh ny William
IL. SIMPSON.

Business Transacscd.-Essayh by William
IL. simpson.
The Maine Editors and Publishes Associatio
met at the judiciary room, according TO adjourn
ment, at $50 Yesterday morning. Vice Presiden
Moves in the chair
I.P. Warren ofthc Christian Mirror, Lewiston
and d. VI. Hal of,he Drigo Rural, Bangor, wer
elected to membership
1t was voted that, if suit able arrangements Gel
be made, the summer excursion for 1876 be mad
to Philadelphia, to attend the centennial exhlbl
ton, and Geo. w. Quinby, Joseph A. Holman AM
Alden Spraguc all of Augusta, were appointed
a committee OF arrangements
The committee Job Printing, through Mr.
Spraguc of Rockand, reported revised list o
prices, which was adopted.
Mr. Wood from committee appointed last yeal
to arrange for National Press Association, made
a verbal report stating that committee for thai
purpose had been appointed by the associations Of
Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The com
mittee was then discharged and the whole matter
referred to the secretary, with Instructions tC
gather information concerning the movements il
progress and report to the association.
The Executive committee were directed to dia"
up memorial TO tie Maine delegation in Con
l.lcss ask ing fol peal Of the law ob.iging pub
fishers to prepay postage upon newspapers.
4 general discussion Of business matters fol
lowed, and at twelve o'clock the meeting aa
} Il. " '"''' 81 ''' "N
AFTERNOON.
The Senate chamber was well filed al two
o'clock, the principal feature Of the occasion being
the annual essay.
The Chairman, Mr. Moves, called to order, and
introduced Mr.. William H. Simpson of the Repub-
lean Journal, Belfast, who proceeded to address
the association.
The subject Of Mr. simpsons essay was the
! Press. its relations TO its patrons and the Public
/ lie said he aware that he was to addess an
audience of critics, and that made his task a
delicate one. 1t is no light matter to face the &C.
cupants of seventy editorial sanctums, and We may
forget Sir Walter SCOTS maxim that "hawks
should not pick out other hawks eyes.
Most Of lis know that large proportion Ct the
public are by means patrons of the newspaper,
in the sense OF contributing anything to the sup
port OF the press, although they are its reentess
critics. The importance and growth OF the news
paper profession considered. 1t is recorded
that when a printer Of the last century had a
hanketing for young woman OF Philadelphia,
and called so often as 10 indicate that he meant
ness, the prospective INV huuesseu
him on the subject. benjamin Franklin" said
she, Il have doubts about your marrying my
daughter. You can't support her. There are two
printing Offices already in this country" II the
proyident old lady could have looked a little way
into the future, she would have discovered that II
the aspiring young lover could not succeed IN the
newspaper line, he might at least do something as
an experienced philosopher, inventor, an author,
patriot, ambassador, statesman, and workman
10 the laboratory that turned out new nation. In
] Lvt IF he p
were in the United States SSH newspapers, with
an aggregate circulation OF twenty one million
copies. And still it is doubtful whether any
mother who refuses her daughter to an editor has
| not better reason than an excess of supply over
demanded newspapers, not daughters.
The press has wonderful power and influence
The idea may be realized BY visit to the office Of
of one ofthe great metropolitan dailies, which was
fully described, together with the enterprise and
wonderful feats OF editors and reporters. To COLI
troll and successfully conduct such newspaper re-
quires as much executive ability as to administer
the affairs of realm. None other than man OF
resources, readiness and unerrng judgment can
/ succeed. His opportunities for good are great,
MS rowe, for evil i, extensive, and he who so
rule his spirits not TO misuse the advantages OF
the position, IS greater than he who taketh city.
He then turned to the humble country news
paper which supplies public want and fills an
houo.ed place in the great world of letters. A
vivid descriptive of lis several departments was
! given. In the editors sanctum may be found the
hugcst egg Of the most ambitious hen; the largest
trace of maize of the great corn year; the taii OF
the raccoon that fated on that same corn, and was
butchered TO make Roman hoday-on a moon
| light night; there are specimens of the gold ore
| that was TO make Sam Jones farm worth mil
lion, and which the editor proved to be pyrtes,
wheIeupon Sam stopped his paper; an ancient
! flint tomahawk, found in the creek; deliberately
wrought slippers, the gift Of the young ladies
whose charity fair was so handsomely noticed !;
and lastly, the village artists ambitious photo
graph of the editor himself.
| To the privileges of the sanctum the real friends
and patrons of the paper may expect warm
greeting.on their calls. And thrice welcome is be
who comes with items of interesting news; the
editorial benediction goes out TO him in fullest
measure. But for the loafer, the bore. the long
minded reciter of his own apochryphal songs, the
retailer of stale yarns for shams and frauds of
every kind and degree, there is no tolerance. And
when the reversed rules of his paper tell that its
editor has passed beyond the dark curtain that
shrouds the illimi'abe future, the sympathetic
tear that springs in the eyes Of the many house
holds where he was known and appreciated, will
be the tribute of respect to the memory OF a
friend and good man, and testify that the world
is better for his having lived in it.
lie traced the history Of the newspaper from its
first appearance, about 250 years ago. We find,
, indeed, lodgings for the newspaper in the Bible.
In Proverbs it is sad "as cold water to thirsty
soul, is good news from a far country" There
were bits OF information even then that they de-
i: not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of
Askelon." JOB wished that his adversary had
written lookout fthe long suffering patriarch
had really wished TO get his adversary at a disad-
vantage, he should have wished him TO be a news
paper man, with large list Of non-paying sub
scnbers. Job might then have looked on in
satisfied revenge totally indifferent to boils.
The work OF starting newspaper was next con-
sidered, and the increased expense demanded by
the age in which we live. The great secret of
/ in no hus if
| in one word is-labor. The successful editor
doesn't take long maps in the editorial chair. He
will succeed best, other conditions being equal,
who is most enterprising in news, candid and just
in comment, and honorable in dealing. OF course
there are other conditions of success, and these
were stated
In its relations to the public, the most impor-
tant function of the newspaper is, to furnish the
news. This must be well DONE and the public
must have all the news, too. Some papers have
started with the idea that they must exclude GER
tain classes of news, such as murders, suicides
and hangngs. You not long in determining