The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-06-30

1 SOiLOI OI Clc 0iCSh A'J 1AuFoOdlC.
John A. Brown, editor of the Por-
tage City Badger State, and ]. r.
Briggs, jun, editor of the Beloit
Journal. then a State Senator, were
the vice-presidents. Rinaldo A.
Bird, editor of the Port Washing
ington Blade, and Henry D. Barron,
editor of the Waukesha Democrat,
| afterwards the Waukesha Chrome
type were secretaries. Thirty-one
editors were present, and only two
of these are now connected with
the press of the State,-David At
wood, of the Madison Journal, and
Charles D. Robinson, of the Green
Bay Advocate. George A. Paul,
then of the Kenosha Democrat.
who still occasionally writes for the
press, was also there.
Twenty years ago to these men.
And yet, who met and knew them
then and knows them now, observe
the change? To me the kind and
fatherly face of Gen. Atwood ap-
pears to-day as it did then. Charley
Robinson bears the mark of a little
more time, and yet his editorials are
as fresh and as gossipy as were his
neat and bright and short editorials
of the Advocate of 1853. He OF the
Christian orators name, brother
Paul, has a shade more of the con-
tented Englishman about his per-
sonal appearance than he had in
that day of starved printers and
poor editors. But aside from this
evidence of good fare, he seems the
same "to all intents aud purposes. F"
Committees were appointed on
organizations, on resolutions, on
tariff of prices for advertising and
| jobwork, and on memoralizing the
| legislature for an increase of rates
of legal advertising, which were
then forty cents per folio for the
first insertion and twenty cents for
each subsequent insertion. Tax
lists were not as numerous then as
now. Recalling the names of the
| fourteen members who constituted
these committees brings before me
the full realization between the then
and this now. OF the committee on
organization, but one is living. Of
| the committee on resolutions, the
chairman went from the cares and
troubles of this life years ago. OF
hn ,ol n 70
Legislature, but one remains. OF
the committee on tariff of prices, two
are dead. The vice presidents are
deceased-Mr. Brown not long af-
ter the convention, and Mr.. Briggs,
the husband of the newspaper lady
"Olivia," of Washington, about two
years ago.
During the session, local rival
of jim Densmore, of the Oshkosh
Democrat, an uneducated, original
character of our day, got up spir-
tied little row with Jim, because the
latter insisted upon the floor Of the
convention upon pronouncing bona
.fde boenee .fedee. Aside from this,
the convention was harmonious and
adjourned until evening to a res
taurant located opposite the Old
United States Hotel, where the "Si-
neon Mills Bank' was afterwards
situated. A supper was served
there at the expense of Madison
friends, and speeches were made
call round" Beriah Brown, one of
the most original characters of early
Wisconsin editors and printers, who
learned his trade by the side of
Horace Greeley, was the ruling
spirit present. Among the names
of the newspapers of that day were
the Burr Oak, and the Pick and
Cad, edited and published in the
mineral region by Sam. Bugh,
whose name but few have forgotten !;
"The Ozaukee Blade" edited by a
son of one of the first settlers of
Madison, Colonel Bird "The
Badger State," "The Old Oaken
Bucket" and "The Emigrantine. !"
No Wisconsin editorial convention
was ever held before this. 1t was
the first gathering of the brother
hood in this State. 1t was the be-
ginning of an organization of men
who then and since have done more
to make and unmake the political
and public fortunes of parties and
OF aspirants to public position in this
State, than all other men-of those
who have had to do with the fame
and reputation of a young Common
wealth that to-day stands grandly
ont in the constellation of States.
These men gathering in annual con-
vention, no one knows better than |
do, are the men who have labored
for others as much as for themselves,
and to them are those of Us who
have been elevated to public position
indebted greatly. | am not here to
hatter you with these words, but to
say this from the standpoint of one
who has been of you ard one of
you, and who has adopted and now
follows another profession.
[ have often felt that in your edi-
torial meetings some brief reference
should be made to the first editorial
convention of Wisconsin, ana thank
you for the honor conferred in in
vitlng me to say these few words.
sTur YAucac DArTCrc,,