Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-05-22

e.ould Ike 10 describe the clever and
wcllki.wn members uf tie club: but if |
tried 10 accom- lin such n feet this article
would u, e,nu.:,t,d thrcrfold. Perhaps it is
enough 10 say that all the members Of the
club are clever.
The Press Ci,!, has always been eager 10
honor iOur.la,:s;, On of its most note
worthy receptions WAS arranged, SIX years
$50. in the rooms on Centre street, for the
benefit Of Colonel J. VI. Heating. editor of
The Memphi, Appeal. Colonel koatinS had
displayed remarkable hcroism when yellow
fever scourgcd and tciUpulated the South.
lie visited New York i'll the autumn of 1873
and WAS welcomed by the club with enthusi-
asm Some memorable speeches were made
on that occasion 10y Mr. Talmage Mr.. Kin
srlla. iir. A. = sullivan, Mr.. Smonton, Mr..
DeI,"u and Mr. Peter Cooper. The club
novel iuto t> new hoa~'. Ne. 10 Nassau
>trc~; BE-, jane ls.?, and s,ave royal house
war. . .cn the fourth night of that month.
Amo. f. guests on that occasion were Mr.
Be-. e. -. Edwards Pierrepont, Mr. \. :.
Sulli>aa Mr.. Walt Whitman, Mr.. Thurlow
G. Bliss Mr. T. {. Ste,iman. SIR Gc"r,.
William Curtis and sore of others equal
well known. DR.. Wood Wa the Icc'
dent of the club at that time. In November.
1850, the club gave reception i'll honor Of
the late Thur,ow Weed, who had just reached
his eighty-third year.
The Press Mutual Aid Association was es-
Ill ,+.,l
This organization is the only one of the kind
in which the journalistic profession is solely
represented The membership consists of two
classes. The first class are known as active
members, AMI the second class as auxiliary
memb rs. The active members are excu-
sively members of the Press Club. and they
alone are entitled to vote and to hold Office.
The auxiliary members are journalists and
persons who have been engaged in literary
work that are not members Of the Press Club,
and they are entitled to all privileges save
voting and holding Office. Tie association
was organized to secure and maintain a funl
for the benefit of the widow, children or legal
representative of each deceased member.
1t in, been, Of course, impossible for the
Press club TO establish complete harmony
among journalists. There are journalists, it
is we'll known, who refuse to join the club
simply because they have strong objection
to certain members in it. For example, when
Mr. Beecher was elected to- membership, those
vino dislikcd Mr.. Bcechcr were extremely
irritated Mr. Bccchcr is a man of brilliant
talent. and he was. not long ago. q skiiful
editor; but hi, enemies i'll the press have in
tluence and distinction. Mr. Dana. of The
SUM- is the most noteworthy of these. 1t is not
my business; to say whether Mr.. Dana is right
OF wrong: the fact is, however, significant.
When the club had ROOMS in Centre
street, it happened that Mr. John
Swinton was chosen rs leading speaker
for one of the large dinners and recep-
| tons. Mr.. Swinton, who was then an u.s.
sociate editor Of The Sun, wrote out his speech
and had it printed in the Sun office Il was
to have appeared in The Sun. But it was not
printed. and the clubs reception was not de-
scribed in The Sun. Mr. Swinton learned at
a late moment, that Mr.. Beecher had, like
himself, been invited to speak at the recep-
| ton; thereupOn he destroyed his own speech
and offered his resignation. 1t must be ad-
mitted that Mr.. Bcecher has been one of the
| most popular members of the Press Club, and
| he is present nowadays at nearly every dinner.
| And it must b. admitted, too that the club
has lost in Charles a. Dana great and inflr-
| entail member. Yet Mr.. Amos J. Cummings,
who is associated so intimately with The Sun,
is the president Of this admirable society of
| journalists.
In the beginning, ought to add, the Press
| Club WIS chiefly an association of reporters.
Its list of members contained few names
known outside of "a small circle. Now, On
the contrary, the list contains many cec-
brated names, and all grades Of journalism
are fairly and potently represented in i!
The Press Club is actually now the club oi
journalists.
GEORGE EDGAR MONTGOMERY