St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-26
MILWAUKEE, LETTER.
Reorganization of the Wisconsin
Editorial Association.
The Great Encampment at Cold Spring
Driving Park.
Death of DR.. Perkins-The Soldiers Home
Investigation-Sho Notes.
Especial Correspondence Of the Globe.

Special Correspondence Of the Globe.i
MILWAUKEE, Aug 23-The convention Of
editors of Wisconsin, whose programme OF ex-
ercIses was outlined in last weeks letter, was
quite successful The attendance lighter
than usual, probably because no elaborate plan
for pleasure had been drafted, the officers pre-
ferrng to make an effort to more thoroughly or
game the association; but those who
attended had an enjoyable time,
nevertheless The Merchants association gave
them carriage drive Thursday afternoon, the
EUening Wisconsin provided the visitors with
tickets and car fare to schlitz park the same
evening. and on Friday the Detroit and Milwau-
kee Railroad company gave the editors, their
wives and daughters, a ride to Grand Haven and
back on the magnificent iron steamer, City of
Milwaukee. The literary part of the proceedings
was excellent, but rather long, and the discus
sion of the question treated by the essayists
might nave been more general. An Interpolation
in the programme Wednesday afternoon was the
one spicy event of the session. Under the guise
OF paper on foreign advertising James A. Pow
ers discharged employe of Cramer, Aikens &
Cramer, proprletors of the Milwaukee Newspaper
union, vented his spleen on his former employers
by attacking the business of printing what are
generally termed
''PATENT ISsIDEs,"
For country newspapers Il gigantic monopoly.
The editors were prepared TO hear bitter rebuke
of the pIoprietors who had had the temerity to
discharge MIR. Powers, but they were not pre-
pared to listen to private agreements flched from
the archives of the Office of which the speaker
had been a trusted employee for ten years. The
reading Of number of agreements and the con-
fession of the inner workings of the business
pool was edifying to many of the country pub
fishers, but the general verdict after Mr.. Powers
had concluded, was that he had ruined his char
acter by betraying the trust of his employers.
Judge sam Ryan, of Appleton, voiced in the
opinion of the majority when he said ''Powers
has eternally damned himself" Disgust over
hr. Powers miserable confession was general,
some of the members expressing the opinion that
the association shonld have refused to listen to
the black betrayal. The officers of the associa-
ton will not permit the printing OF Mr.. Powers
address in the records.
Wednesday afternoon the old association elected
z. D. Coe, of Whitewater, president, selected a
good list of vice presidents, and an executive
committee. and chose j. E. Heg, Geneva Lake,
and David Atwood, OF Madison, secretary and
treasurer respectively. Wednesday the editors
reorganized under the name Of the Wisconsin
Press association, adopted a constitution and
chose the officers elected the day previous About
fifty members signed the new constitution, and
il is expected that before the books closed
the number will be increased to 100. This reor-
ganzation will be fruitful of good, and is the best
thing the editors have done for years The as
sociation will meet ut Appleton next year.
SHERMAN NJ. BOOTH.
conspicuous figure at the editorial conven-
ton was sherman NJ Booth, who promin-
ent fighter against slavery in antebelum days.
He was editor of the free Democrat, a Milwaukee
abolition paper, when in March, 1854, Joshua
Glover, an escaped slave from Missouri, ar
rested at Racine, brutally beaten and brought to
Milwaukee. Booth rode through the streets
scattering handbills calling rally, and shouting
'Frccmen to the rescue =" The result OF the
meeting was that Glover was rescued and
sent to Canada. Booth was arrested
aud after exciting litigation was sentenced to q
months imprisonment and to pay fine of nearly
81 800. The supreme court of the state released
Booth on a writ Of habeas corpus and he was es-
corted to the Madison train by a band and
cheered on the route, while a cannon spoke the
peoples JOY in Numbering tones. At Madison
the supreme court re affirmed its decision that
the fugitive slave law was unconstitutional, and
Booth was discharged. The United States
supreme court then issued an order, in 1889,
demanding Booth to the custody Of the United
States authorities. The Wisconsin supreme
court denied the order and the legislature backed
the court and went so far to counsel resist
Ance. In 1859 Booth was arrested and locked
up in prison, from which he was rescued by
friends. Booth inally betrayed and arrested
at Ripon, but after serving nearly year was
pardoned by President Buchanan. For with
much history, Booth is still a sturdy and Wig
orous man, although silver hairs are rapidly
weaving the ensiguia Of age in his bushy beard,
which has been for so many years a marked fea-
ture of his facial appearance that were he to cut
il of his best friend would not recognize him.
Booth political rewards have not been common
surate with his sufferings for the cause OF free
dom, probably owing to an unfortunate criminal
trial which soiled his fair name and thereby
stunted his political growth; but he cannot be
robbed of the lGurels won at a time when free
men tried by FIRE,