The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1883-02-17
MEETING OF THE STATE
PRESS ASSOCIATION.


| Walu dAIl, Gen. Leon Jastfemskl, OF
the Baton Rouge Capitolian-Advocate,
in the chair; Mr.. r. ii. Bentley, Of
the Donaldsonvile Chief, secretary.
A number of ladies' graced the oc-
casion with their presence.
The following members answered
roll call:
Mrs. NJ. P. Field, New Orleans Picayune.
Miss Hannah j. Hyams, of the West Baton
Rouge Sugar Planter.
Miss A. McGrath, Baton Rouge Truth
| 7. sambola Jones, Baton Pouge Capitolian-
Advocate.
Capt. John McGrath, Baton Rouge Truth.
| Maior t. A. Burke, Times De mocrat.
| Page M, Baker, Times Democrat
John Y. Gilmore, New Iberia Sugar-B Bowl
Q. Y. Woodeock, Morgan City Review.
W, A. Bryan, Iberyille South.
dos. M. Heating, Ascension Democrat.
X. W. Read, Amite City independent
Samuel Lambert, Clinton Patriot Democrat.
Hunter @. Leake, Felieiana Sentinel
Edmund Mourin, st. James Creole Fire
side and Assumption Pioneer.
| Major Burke held the proxy for W. II.
Gayle, Monroe Bulletin,
Gen. Jastremski addressed the meet
ing as follows:
Friends and Co-Laborers of the Press Of
| Louisiana; As one Of you and as president
| OF your association, deem 1t great honor
| to have occasion to extend hearty welcome
| to 30 many of It's worthy members at this
reunion which betOkena steady march to-
ward a permanent organization, destined to
acquire, at no very distant day the high re-
spect, the confidence and the appreciation of
| the people, who will not fail to realize the
| usefulness of the labOrs In their behalf of its
members, individually and collectively.
The power of the press for good or evil has
| nowhere been more tangibly demonstrated
than In Louisiana. Though do not wish to
| revive memories that will I'LL the darkest
pages In our history, to illustrate, csnnUt
avoid references TO the powerful assistance,
then obtained by the Republican party,
through its organs, planted in nearly every
parish, which were subsidized through q sys-
TEN that made 1t Illegal. to insert public an
nOuncements In any but the designated Off
ctal journals, thus denying to the opposing
newspapers their just share of public patron
age.
Everyone remembers how potent were these
organs In maintaining the wonderful diseip-
line that enabled the Republican party to re-
tain for several years the control of the state,
and how ingeniously these organs yelled the
real situation by declaring every effort for
liberation, every appeal or protest as the
prOmptings Of prejudice and Of an ungoV-
ernable hatred Of the Jnion and OF the party
In power
There came a time, however, when the
down-trodden press, eeasing TO appeal f6r
justice, warned its readers that foTbearanes
was no longer virtue, and that the hour had
come to strike boldly for freedom.
Who has forgotten how the masses were
aroused BY the feryid and burning editorials
OF the Shreveport Times, the Ouaehita Tele-
graph, the MoTehOuse Clarion, the East Fs-
liciana Patriot-Democrat, the NatchitoEheA
Yindeator, the New Orleans Bulletin, the
New Orleans Democrat, the Pioayuue, the
Baton Rouge Advocate, and other journals
that shown by the Republican press Hence
the power OF the press, for good or evil, can
not be denied.
Aud am proud to say, on this occasion, |
that | see around me none but leaders of O.
press, striving to use its power for good, uTg- |
ing its5 readers TO obey and! support the laws, |
to follow the teachings of morality, an to |
keep step with the enterprising spirit OF this |
enlightened century.
can name any number of Journals through |
whose dash and wide-awake utteTances grand /
industrial benefits have already been secnred |
to the people of Louisiana.
You are assembled, mainly, to-day, in /
furtherance of your mission, to pay homage /
and extend encouragement to those whose /
talents deserve public mention and recOgni-
tion.
May hope that your next will be q bril-
you in the good work you have begun all
those who believe that bellies lsttres and litera-
ture should keep pace with material advance
mentS
close association Of msritorious journal
lists, feel certain will onsolidate their power
for good, cause their profession to be clsssed
among the nOblest ay0eations, and thereby
excite cOmmendable pride, whence usages
will issue to guide Its members In their con-
duct toward each other and toward society.
Beyond these considerations stands the fact
that artisans, merchants, bankers, manufac-
turers, agricultuTists, professional men, all
have found it to their advantage to organize
g protective associetions.n
TIL recently, almost alone, the editorial fra
ternity of this state have disre9arded the tTu- |
ism, that " In union there is gtrength.n In
they have been free borses"
for rough riders, who have mounted them In
The much-abused names Of patriotism, public
spirit and philanthropy, all the while forget
ling that free horse, unfed, soon becomes
4 CALLED Jade. A poor doctor, poor lawyer,
cut poor fgure In the world, and are poorly
paid. A poor paid editor can't have we'll
equipped Printing Office, and perforce can
credit on himself and stiff less upon the com
munity In whose midst it Ia pnblished, but
who IN turn are punished by being poorly
represented abroad, where they are Judged
'y their neRspaper-their mirror their
Hence the necessity for organization II Re
would free the press fEom imposition and
lave il attain the exalted place 1t should oc.
,upy In the estimation of the masses, who
hen fully recognizing Its worth win not be- |
srudge liberal reward for the greater ser
ices It Will be enabled to render. III
Firmly believing that the maintenance of
his association, on broad basis, viii achieve
he ends have striYen 10 portray, permit me
o urge upon yon the necessity OF attending | /
Its meetings, and thus sustain the
horts In that direction that the officers, you
vill from time to time elect, will surely make.
now declare the meeting duly opened for !
he transaction Of business.
Mr.. Bentley announced that he had
he following applications for mem
,ership, most of the gentlemen being
Silas T. Grisanore, Thibo-
lanx Sentinel; s. Samoan, Thibodaux
sentinel; VIM. ]. Gahan, Poiute-a.la
Iache Observer; A. NJ. Escudier, Ibe-
10 Star; A. Mcynier, Jr., Chas. Du-
'athy, Assumption Pioneer; Stephen
IcMeans, Morehouse Clarion; John
Lake Charles Commercial.
The rules were suspended and the
pplicants admitted.
Mr. BcAtley, on behalf Of the COM
littce on literary essays, asked for !
urther time to report. Granted.
Mr. Deiesdernier, representing the !
Jcw England Manufacturers and Me-
hanics' Institute, on suggestion Of
iajor Burke, was invited to address !
lie association, which he did, inviting !
be people Of Louisiana to go to Bos- !
Oh and put on exhibition the products :
+ Louisiana's laborers, agriculturists
nd farmers. :
Major Burke said he desired TO
hEow ont a suggestion or two for the /
Of the association. It I
Ias as to whether it was not about
inc that some steps should be taken
" the press in this state to secure
ews service. II might be said that I