The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-04-09
SECOND DAY.

CAIOOAND /
SENATE CHAMBER,
New Orleans, March 2, 1881.
The Association met at 1925 a. M,
President McCranie in the chair.
The Secretary called the roll; 81 men,
bers present, ii absent.
The Executive Committee, through it's
chairman, reported favorably upon the
applications of Messrs. A. J. Padron, Of
the St. Bernard Eagle, and Drayton B.
Hayes, Of the Claiborne Guardian, and
those gentlemen were unanimously
elected members Of the Association.
The President stated that the Associa-
ton, being without order Of business or
rules of procedure, he would be obliged
to the members for any suggestions or
counsel relative thereto.
On motion of Gen. Jastremski it was
resolved that the order Of business be
left entirely to the judgment Of the
President.
The Chair then asked for report from
Mr.. H. J. Hyams, who had been desig-
mated the historian Of the session. Mr..
Hyams excused himself by saying that
he was unequal to the task, and that
some one should be selected from New
Orleans, which was the central point of
State affairs, historical and otherwise,
and suggested the appointment Of Judge
Alexander Walker in hts stead as his
torian.
The President then introduced Mrs.
NJ. r. Field, Of the New Orleans Times,
who read the following:
ESSAY ON PROGRESS IN JOURNALISM.
Our honored President, himself a
veteran and thorough journalist, has
seen fit to call upon the youngest and
most inexperienced member Of the Asso-
citation to discuss the livest question In
the literature Of the day" Progress in
Journalism"
My own experience in the profession
warns me at the threshold Of the magni-
tude of the task assigned me. Standing
as do upon the verge Of the realm OF
journalism, my inspirations are not
unlike those of child beholding for the
first time a half.explained, half-under.
stood pageant. In this moment Of intel.
lectual doubt, not to say fOrgetfulness,
scarcely know in what direction to cast
nv eyes. mall emergencies Of thought
we instinctively retrospect; we seek the
instruction of precedent; we look to SEE
what has been, hoping to prospect there
from what is to be. This retrospect
, while it can claim no recital from me OF
J this occasion, nevertheless glides with
an unseen force into all my thoughts
: From the receding past Journalistic
. giants, like christopher North" Addi
son and Steele come into view as thu
highest types of English classic writer's
along with tho more modern men, s0ml
of them scarcely less renowned, such a.
Greeley, Leggett, Mansfield, Emerson
Curtis, GALLAGHER, Shreve and Prentice
But it is. not in the line Of my argu
( ment to discuss these men, howeve
: much they may have contributed to fl
the quality and method OF moder1
journalism.
. In all this + cannot adhere to the tex
Q given me, and il I assume the pros
a pective, I find myself quite as much q
fault, and SO for want Of better counsel
must content myself without the philoso
: phical deductions that might be draw
3 1rom the history of our profession.
1 Renan, somewhere In his works, say
. cit is only the sceptic who writes histor
ad narrandum;" that "the authority 9
lchronicles must give place to medals
1maps or authentic letters" II there
truth in these propositions the writer
conclusion is irresistible that the mos
important doctrines Of history are thos
e which possess in the least degree tn
historic form.
It has often occurred to me that, apa1
from medals, maps and authenti
!. letters" there Is very little authent
:. history prior to the rise Of the printin
press and the newspaper. II these hav
too frequently given place to mere SUI
picions, andAWhat Renan calls carpin
and defiant criticism, there has Away
been found in the multiplicity I
, journals an ample field of contradfctio
" to prevent any extended mis-statemel
q of facts, or Incubation OF erroneol
ideas in respect to morals.
MISUNDERSTANDING CAo ACssA A!n6 esAN ~
, perience of our honored President, ] fe.
" he did not duly'consider the mpossibilit
:. in q brief address Of portraying the pr
J. gress which has been made In journalism
10 do so would carry me back full to-
hundred years to find the first substal
70 tial initial Of this grand movemen
!. Looking across these long centuri'
4 there appears, what would now be 10
~ to recollection except for journalism, IL
musty and repulsive recesses Of Yves
ID minister, as described by DR.. Callie
le where stood q crazy building Of wood al
~ plaster, three stories high. Its point'
% roof and wooden balcony were seldo
y free from poor Tutoring rags Of clet
+ ing. hung out to dry BY the wretch'
tenants. The very sunlight grew sick
when it fell into the poverty strtek'
v street, where slipshod women. pzsaave
lounging men and pale stunted childr'
80 skunk hopelessly abohl. Foulnes
Y. gloom and Wretchednes5 were the prom
le nent features Of the place, around Il
n frail timbers of the house In which Il
first English printer Is said to have liv'
q and wrought There, amid such dism
- and repulsive surroundings appear
10 Caxton. the Father Of the Englii
It. press. "Who combined In himself all t
Qualities and duties OF author, ink-mak'
at oompositor, pressn1an, colrector, o1no'
" publisher and bookseller.
u It would be interesting on this oct
IL sion, II tins allowed, to ramble throu