Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-06-08
An Association Journal.

| DR.. j. Il. Packard, OF fhllaQelpnla, from the
committee on journalizing the transactions OF
the as ociation. made the folio wing report:
At the last meeting Of the association the under
sigue were appointed committee to digest and re-
port in detail early pokslble plan for the es
Adjustment of o weekly Journal by the association,
embracing the salary Of the editor, the time aud
place Of publication, the terms to outside subscTtb-
ers, aud such other particulars ss may ensble the
ASSOC alton arrive az just conc usion % to the
feasibility of the enterprise aud the lropriety Of
their undertaking 1t. Deeply impressed with the
gravity of the pecuniary and scientific Interests In
| volved, the COMMITTEES nave careluily consld-
cred the subject and beg to present the following
| report:
kind must be the securing to the association OF an
annual income much larger than the largest 1t has
ever had since its organization Your committee OF
last year, IN their report, gave an estimate OF the
| probable exp OF publishing journal; but Ia
that statement they iDcuded -impy the cost Of pa
| per and printing. aud tbs probabls cum for which
| the editing could be secured. To these two-ths
former 1850 aud the latter 5000 must be added,
however other incidental and unavoidable expens %,
which would scarcely be less than $4,000. Hence it
may readily be that 1t would not be safe to est-
mate the cost of the proposed undertaking at less
sou s To propos. to oaa a1
| association varying from year TO year
in numbers and membership a. our
present body hiss hitherto done. aud an annual In
come never above $1,000. falling sometimes a. low
$35O0, the assumption of expense such IS that
| just mentioned; would be evidently prsposterous.
Uuless the association can be made far more stable
and comprehensive In its character, with truly Yer.
manent membership, embracing and interest
ing vastly grester proportion Of the profession
is Idle to tax Of its establishing and maintaining
journal.
To this end the nrst step Is to adopt the changes
in the plan OF Organization, eto Of the association
proposed last year, BY virtue Of which the member
ship would be thrown open to all members OF stase
and county societies upon spplioa' oy
| The payment of al annual Zee OF 81
| such membership to constitute the holder
subscriber to the journal, snd to DO
forfeited by non payment within three flour, six
months Of the commencement OF the Journal year.
| Any suoh memb+r bsing elected a de.egsts to
meeting Of the association, might be taxed 81 ad-
diiional registration fee, toward defraying the
expenses of the meeting. Should any delegate not
| be ready q member by application, we woald sug-
gest his beiag taxed &c. and thereby constituted not
ouly a member of the association ut suoscrlbsr
for the Journal TOR that year.
We would here call attention again to the fact that
in section Of the bylaws thtIe Is provision
WHOA has often neea construed as to work
great d.maget, the association. and the repeal or
| alteration Of which would III our opini be u Juci
ciOus measure. fh5 first paragraph OF that section
fxes the ANUS, assessment upon each delegate and
permanent nber at s., snd expressly states tn 1t
payment ia d from tbs latter whether attending
me citing OF lot. In the second paragraph OF
the same ssct on 1t ia provided that permanent
membership nail be forfeited By non.paymsnt OF
annual dues for three successive years. 1t would
seem sufio entity obvious that here, as Ia the case
of other socistes, the payment due ct the end OF
three years sh Jud be that Tor those three years.
:, SIS, but impression has prevailed that On
annual payne 1t III three years ia all that IL needed
TO keep merab srshtp alive, hence many permanent
mbsrs tsks notice of the annual call for their
subscriptions Until third time when they remit
IS and consider their accounts with the associ
| alton ~ settled kDy OF them may decline pay
ment atcge her, end forfeit his membership, but
he can o. any time revive 1t by being again sppoint-
ed delegate. II, acco dtg TO the custom now too
prevalent, rs saves himself by one payment OF s.,
he really hs' bis perm Lent membership, wnateVer
| IL may DO worth, at the rate Of Sizes per snnum
Those vno have gwen their attention to the pre-.
cedeg portion OF this report will perceive that II he
pro posed Oh ,nge In she conditions Of membership III
the ASSOCIATE n be made this secon OF the oy.iaSt
would 90 done away with, But La Care OF failure to
make thus Oh ipge, We Won suggest the importance
| of q passage ofa reso uton expressing the sen.e
| Of The association that the pyment referred 70 IN
he oud paragraph of ssct III of the bylaws Is
not that Of c6-the dues for o Q year but OF SIS
the dues for three years abe committee would 30
say here that in the absence OF any tp Gifted node
of altering the bylaws by previous not,oe or other
wise, 1t to tsfu to Eo competent fo1 the asso
citation TO make ch changes by majority vote, at
any meeting, just IS in the case OF any ordinary
| business.
Accordiug 10 the last census returns, it would sp
pear that tbs number of prscticing phys cisns Ia
tue 6nited states is in the Irhood Of $1,000
Perhaps this timate Ia 100 nigh; but assuming 1t
| to DO approximately correct, 1t may be supposed
that m taau ooe-half, say 5I,0ji aelong to the
regular" profession row. If 5000 Of these should
above stated, the expenses of the journal woud
be provided for aud there seems to Do no exraya-
games IN tuch al expectation.
In the foregoing discussion OF the expenses OF the
proposed Journal AMI means of meeting them by
The association, Will perhaps have beei nott I'D
that We We said nothing Of the revenue likely TO
accrue from the anvrr, Using columns, which would
be important Offset to the cost OF the work. but
one Of wnioh 1t would be difficult to make correct
| or nearly correct estimate. Yet it should not be
| wholly overlooked and would probably be an ele-
apf of INNS. ytgica N
| Of any p Ibilsher with whom an arrangement might
be contemplated.
supposlls the association TO have succeeded in
putting the pe0unsry question on satisfactory
ussis we may now consider the mode Ill which the
business part Of the enterprise cIud be carried on
Were 1t possible to select at once perfectly suitable
man 10 take charge of this whole matter, such gu
arrangement would be the most economical plan,
and the experience Of the British Medical sssocia-
toa - strongly in les favor. But unless the ght
pen on could be more readily found than 1t seems to
al likely, 1t would perhaps be safer and more
feasible for the association 10 enter into contract
wi, some well known and responsible publisciDG
house to issue the journal for them, upon such
terms xsy be found available. To 60 into the
details of such an arrangement would be premature
aud ht present use ess, but We may say that the
association should strcly to itself tbs con-
tr,i Of all but he purely business part Of the enter
prse even as regards the advertisements TO be sd
mted aud that tne editor and his assistants should
be desigusted, employed and paid under its d.
rection.
THIS leads us naturally to the mention of matter
of very great moment-the proprie'y OF ObtaiLiDg
| cha ter for the ssscciaton. We are not unmind
ful Of the faot that this stop requiring careful
consideration III view of possible embarrassments In
matters of discipline eio. but 1t ma. be that It ia
u necessity on the part OF . body conteu plating q
business undertaking like inst under discussion, In.
volvng tue N .kiug of oJatrscts and the sssum -
ton Of large annual expenditures. II may bs that
no prudent publisher, manager or editor would be
willing TO assume the duties dev0lvipS upon him III
such q sche.ue, upon the mere prorui,e Of few
| men connected with society CT uncertain member.
ship AID equally uncertain income, unless thote
men gave tDeir personal obligations Tor the ex.
| penses incurred. This they can sca cely he ex.
pected to do; and unless the objections TO such q
course are insuperable 1t vurd be better for the
association - authorize its otiicers and stardins
committees TO apply III It's behalf FOR Q charter.
| . uch application may be made Ia any state 70 the
proper court, perhaps congress mgnt be asked &c
pass IN act Of Incorporation. Upon these points il
", did CT course be requisite to have legal advice
Next, as 10 tie mode cf sppo'ntinent OF the eGfof
| Upon ths selection of suitable man wli hinge, In
very great measure, the success of the wnols ELI
, tsrprise. He must be- possessed OF ta.ellectus
ability, hrInuess, tact, aud judgment, free from
pxriisanship, Ct high professional aud moral tJn-
and Of such standing as will eDsble him to att ac
the support and secure the Influence Of the b. 81
class contributors 1t 10 very desirsble that the
EDITORS relation TO the association should be such
to leave him, as far msy be, uttramne,ed, viii
still pousbe for the due discharge OF his func
tons; that the arrangement saouid be such as tc
make Il worth while for suitable man to accept Ihs
position, and SUI to preserve for the associsaou
just ana equtaole coniroi OF IL. IDeie Won d b.
obvious difficulties in the way VI ele ciion ty thu
whole body annually, and 1t seems to us that tn
matter can hardly bs placed to advsn age In tn
hands OF any OF the existing commute. 8. W,
would therefore propose that there thoud be elected
by the ASSOCIATION bIari Of trustees Line in mum
Der, OF whom three shsll serve one year. TIM co ,w
yesrs, and three three years; and that an0usll
thereafter there sh u he elected three gentlemen Il
take the places OF those whose terms o, pure, and
serve for the enc IiDg three ears We further SUI
gest that when the estab shme1t Of this board IL
, fectsd provision DO iatrodaced hat iring tIus
tees be ns-ibe for election mill the sunus
meeting 1t would perhaps be advisable that the Va
rious sections OF The country shosld be represerse
In this board yet for the fscltsiioa Of bvAnsss tn
3 Trustees should not oe too far spsrt.-, > -
e Az TO the mode OF nominating the trustees, thi
What xcud pefhaps be better, By 8 special comuit
ne eouspess6 es es 1sesiesgs = To snpcixt1ua =