Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-10-12

n comparatively Sildu nohooA VI
those composing the Wisconsin Editors
and Publishers Association met in the
Opera House at noon to-day, and were
called to order by President Jerome A.
Watrous. Owing to the lateness of the
hour and the desire for dinner an adj
journment was taken until o'clock.
The following members arrived on the
noon trains, many of whom brought
with them their wives: r. r. Proctor.
Depere; e. D. Coe, Whitewater; t. J.
Oliver, Waupun; Edwin Hurlbut, Fred
W. Coon, Oconomowoc; Houghman,
kesha; N. P. Rindlaub, Platte
vile; Samuel Ryan, Appleton;
B. f. Schwartz, Oshkosh: Henry
E. Legler, Ellis B. Usher, La
Crosse; P. M. Wright, Omro; E. T..
Schofield, Ripon; Garrett Veeder, James
vile; George l.. Phillips, Grand Rapids;
George M. Patchen, New London; E.
L. Urquhart, Medford George W.
Hungerford, FL. W. Lee, Stevens Point;
C. A. Leith, Arcadia; W. A. Hume, FL.
d. Wing, Chiffon; Thaddens K. Dunn.
Wonewoc: Howard M. Kutchin, Fond
du Lac; l.. J. Brayton, Marquette; ".
d. Hoard, Fort Atkinson; Irving p.
Lord, Waupaca.
Ellis B. Usher, of the La Crosse
Chronicle, then delivered the following:
the Wisconsin Editors and Publishers As
socldtion:
1t is characteristic of humanity to under
value the people and things brought into
daily and hourly contact with them. The great
man is never great in the eyes of his valet:
as they do over events, and the quiet unnOtjced
worker of to-day may be the historic hero of to-
morrow. No class of men know this better
than those who conduct and make newspapers.
No newspaper man has published SO good
paper that he has escaped the uncomp limentary
comparisons or suggestions of his unprofession-
al neighbOrs, and it Is only upon rare occasions
like the present that we of the craft can get to-
gether and unbosom ourselves and talk over, in
q fraternal spirit Of forbearance and sympathy,
our failures and successes. To this spirit OF
fraternal foIbearance shall trust myself IN an
attempt to discuss some of the practical pro-
ble1ns of our business. In this attempt I can
not hope to go beyond the bare statement of
some of these problems and, possibly. the occa-
sional suggestion of remedy.
| am not a reformer In the common used
sense but rather agree with Carlyle that - to re-
form world to reform nation, no wise man
will undertake: and ali but foolish men know
that the only solid, though far slower refor-
nation, is what each begins and perfects on
himself" If we can provoke discussion here
upon the topics in which we all have experience
and interest we may get the ground broken for
something in the line of this ''solid reforma-
ton.
Like few other pursuits which are not classed
among the learned professions, so-called, which
are supposed to demand stated and thorough
preparatory training, the editorial profession is
a lifelong undertaking. Few men get really
into the harness and escape alive. and few de-
sire to do SO. 1t is a pursuit whose true
deciples are drawn to it BY a power as indie
scribably strong rs that by which the load
stone attracts the metallic particle JournaliG;s
are not made, they are born and icing be a
they seldom either avoid or escape their vocc-
ton. 1t would be well for the craft If only
these born Journalists entered the field, but I'M
happily, as it seems, this can not be. As the
camp followers hang upon the rear of a victor
ious army SO do the camp followers of journal
ism fasten themselves to the craft. The men
who have failed IN every other pursuit they
have attempted in life. who could not succeed
at the bar or in the pulpit, undertake to
eletrify the public by building mighty columns
ofwords into editorials, and wear away miser-
able existence IN the unhappy belief that tEey
are unappreciated, probably the only correct
conclusion at which they ever arrive.
There is another class, also, Of callOw youths.
who go into the newspaper business laboring
under the impression that railway pass or an
occasional circus ticket is the great object of
journalism, and WHO lend what little weight
they possess to drag down then more hard
working and valuable brethren.
It is not so remarkable that newspaper read
ers seldom appreciate the labor and careful
good Judgment that every successful newspaper
worker must display II his journal People
read their daily newspapers as they travel upon
railways, and communicate by the aid of cleo
tricity without thought about their marvellous
construction. They do not stop 10 estimate the
wonders that Lave been brought into service to
produce this modern daily record Of the doings
Of all mankind. They pick up the daily paper
20 the making of which all the latest miracles of
invention contribute, and IN which they were
ali announced. and, after hasty glance at news
that has been gathered with electric speed from
every cline upon which the sun shines. from
the bowels of the earth, the depths of the seas,
and the worlds of the air, if they do not find the
report of their yesterdays sewing circle also,
they lay ii down with contemptuous "noth-
ing in the paper"
They pay paltry five cents for admission to
this great globe theater, whose scene-shi1ter
is Time and whose curtain Is rung down by
Death" and yet they find fanlt with it and cast
II aside without the least consideration when
ever it fails to accord with their particular
vhiIns or ventures to disturb their particular
vices.
But. as I have said, this is not to be won
dered at Newspapers are common and the
people who read them treat them as they do
other common things. Yet it sometimes seems
as if it was one of the pet affectanons of the
public to despise them and their opinions This
illusion is easily dispelled- however, if the i'm
portant and honorable Mr. WHAT'S his-name
happens to be mentioned unfavorably, by mis-
chance or otherwise. Then his ready statement
that he has been mlsrepresented to all the world
IS a reassltring notice Of the journals power
that the editor had well nigh given up Cor lost.
This very Indifference to the newspaper that
is manifested by the public makes it all the
more important that the editor should know the
mysteries and marvels of his production to the
minutest detail.
To know these things is something beyond
the mere ability to put words together gram
maticaIly, something above the mere mechani-
skill of type-setting, yet embracing these aud
more Taste for the work, an enthusiasm,
alert. tireless and balanced by keen good judg-
ment and intuitive knowledge of mankind, are
these requisites The true journalist must
know the public and know low to deal out his
criticisms and plaudits, and above all he must
know how to gather news and how to print it.
The newspaper readers of to-day depend less
upon their journal for their opinions than their