The Republican journal., 1884-01-31
Name Press Association.

The annual meeting of the Maine Press AS
sociaton held in Portland on Wednesday and
Thursday of last week, was well attended and
source of pleasure and profit to the members
present. Twelve new names were entered
upon the roll and the Association starts upon
new year with the promise of increased useful
ness. A new departure was made in appoint
ing committee on neurology, whose duty it
shall be to prepare for publication in the annual
reports biographical sketches of deceased mem
bers and of others who have been identified
with the press of Maine. This is move in the
right direction. Heretofore the death of a
member has been noticed only by resolutions of
regret. But as one object of the Association is
to make a history of Maine Journalism, it is
evident that it would be incomplete without
brief biographies of those who have e,ited or
published our newspapers. Within the pas:
two years four Maine editors of some note
have passed away-W. II. Simpson, DR.. q. W.
Quinby, DR.. +. G. Parker and j. 5. Swift, all
save the last named members of the Associa-
ton. Brief biographies of these and other
journalists would add to the value of the yearly
reports. In this connection it may also be
suggested that the county historians should
perform their duty faithfully each year, and
thus preserve record that will prove valuable
in time and save the future historian of the
Press of Maine the labor of searching old files
of newspapers for material.
The following We're elected officers of the
association for the ensuing year: President,
John NJ. Adams, Portland. Independents,
Howard Owen, Augusta; 5. I. Pckard, Port
land; T. r. Simonton, Camden Secretary,
Joseph Wood. Bar Halbor. Treasurer, J. A.
Holman, Augusta The committee to select
essayist and poet reported as follows: T. Il.
SimoEton essayist; Charles A. Pil>bury. poet.
The next meeting Will be held in Augusta. 1t
was decided that the annual summer excursion
should be to Plymouth. Mass, making that
resting place, with excursions to Cape Cod
towns and possibly to Nantucket, and that the
trip should be made as soon after the 18th of
July next as possible. The literary exercises
took place Thursday afternoon. when an essay
was read by s. l.. NIillei of the Waldoboro
News, and poem by Howard Owen of the
Maine Farmer. Mr.. MillcrS subject wa, The
Country Newspaper, and it was ably handled.
We quote the concluding paragraphs
A country newspaper with its prescribed
quarters. has its peculiar sphere, which the
city press with broader field cannot invade
The rural locals unless OF great Importance
would never be appropriated by the city editor
the country editor knows they are his main
dependence, that it is TO his advantage to pub
fish what may be termed in fact we'll in
name. "A local newspaper.
There can be no model among newspapers
IIsp at .IJIt ,..liIf
fail in another, and the test of newspaper eX-
cellence Is the demand created for il among
the people If aims to reach. An editor makes
his paper for the instruction and editication of
his readers. and his readers purchase 1t with
that end III view. \ country weekly. if it
wishes TO be sustained. must OF necessity. be
of an intensely local nature, for that is its chief
value. Long, prosy editorials are not demand
ed by the great mass of country readers, who
enjoy facts more than individual views. 1t has
been said that paper sells its news but ordi
nariiv gives away ITS opinions. But while
holding up the department. of news rs of the
first Importance, there are other adiuncts to
success which should not be neglected. The
local press ought to show an Intelligent interest
IN the progress OF the worlds Developments
and not forget what men are doing in literature
in science, in art and in philosophy.
Truth is an attribute which should be in
culcated in every editorial sanctum. The gold
en- age of journalism will only be reached when
mel from the chaff and deal with facts truth
fully. The doctrine that has grown up in the
city press that Il newspaper has neither con
science nor memory. would rum the most sue
cessful local paper in the country. The iniunc-
ton OF accuracy should also apply to the circll-
lation of a newspaper. Circulation is Il pub
fishers stock in trade-and in too many cases
the stock appears to be badly watercd.
The character Of town, whether alive OF
dead, whether public->pirited or parsimoniolIs
I " he hpst ll1
reflected in the columns of its local new Spaptr
The editorials. the contributions. the news, and
the advertisements, are sure guide to the
intellectual, moral, social and business status
4 Of that community.
7 The power which a good country newspaper
wieds has sometimes been overestimated. 1t
was related OF the Hartford Press during the
war, that on one occasion after it had been I'M
usually patriotic in It's appeals for volunteers
one of the compOsitors announced that he had
enlisted. One of the editors congratulated him.
and remarked that perhaps The recent editor-
ais had been pretty effective. Lord. no :"
said the compo>itor; 'it isn't the patriotism.
but | enlisted because ia rather run the risk
of being shot than Try 10 sci any more of your
Internal handwriting"
( But the country newspaper, like the country
voter. undoubtedly eXert> AN influence in snap
ing the destlnies of the people. Ii power lies,
perhaps, rather in stimulating than in direct
ing popular movements. and if it does not
ment. 1t is a recognized educator Of the peo-
pie, and while its legal responsibility is great
its moral responsibility is greater and
more important. II is conducive to moral
! lty, honesty and general welfare of the commt-
nifty in which it is issued. The country press
! of Maine has been unit on the great question
of temperance reform, and upon all other
questions of importance ii has ever been re-
garded as temperate. honest and Wh0e-souied.
May the high aims, the generous motives. the
IT InstIr ,rI\p al Il
usefulness to the press, continue to make it an
honor and blessing to the world.
Our mission is high. my brothers,
In ali lands are our banners unfuried,
And we stand III the vanguard of progress,
With our hands on the pulse Of the world.
I We are called by omens suspicious,
The mystical bush flames afar
On the mountain of Hope. and this is
The message we bear:
From the bondage of ignorance and error,
From the thraldom Of vice and of woe.
4 From the chains of each base superstition,
| Ne shall let my people 90;
! From the letters deba>ng of habit
/ From poverty slavery and wrong.
( To a purer and oftier manhood,
Cntrammelled and strong
The title of Howard owens poem was The
Editor in He'll" and the title bore the same re
lation to the subject matter as did ARENAS
Wards lecture on 1.-THE Babes in the Wood"
| ltWas very clever and humorous sketch of the
trials which beset the country editor. and was
received with great applause. The following
extract will give good idea of the poem:
| have seen man so lost to all pity.
With temper wrought up and courage 50 gritty,
As to wish that he, too, an editor was
Put him in the chair, and he'd Just make the
boss"
To edit Il newspaper was so easy a thing.
That the demented fellow thusly did sing: