Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-08-13
EIOta Press Association
y;rorous Successor TO the
Central Dakota Press
Association.
l.. Convention AT WATERFOWL on
Monday, July goth. 1888,
O,.;dept Conklin's Annual Address
The Official Proceedings.

W,reRTowN. Oak, July 70, 'S5.
rha press association, embracing
~ districts of huron, Aberdeen and
wstertown. to the number of so pub
.bars met in annual session at the
IN Il Watertown, Oak. July 20,S5,at
hsroller rink, at s o'clock, p. m, y.
ronklin, president, presiding. Sec
,stsry Luse being absent, upon mo
ron 81 A. II. Lewis, OF Milbank, John
Il Drake, Of Aberdeen, was elected
!, ismporarially ill the office.
After the organization had been
rarfected and music furnished by the
wstertown Light Guard band, Presi-
aspi Conklin made IL few remarks,
.ftar which he introduced Mayor
Thomas of the city of Watertown,
,,bo extended, ON behalf of the city,
a. cordial welcome to the fraternity
i IL the following language:
~fhe people of Watertown are
proud Of the honor Of this visit Of the
editors Of South Dakota, and on their
behalf most cheerfully welcome
Won to our city. The people Of Da-
kota are justly proud of their news
papers. and appreciate the great
work done by them. This is an age
Of newspapers. In 1878 there were
only thirteen newspapers in the en-
tire territory. Now there are 2l3.
The world is challenged 10 show a
record equal TO this vast change in
the population, business and condI-
ton Of this territory during this time
which is largely due to the influence
81 the press. Newspaper men, as a
rule, are poorly paid and oyerworked.
speak from experience. l am glad
to see you coming together to consult
and hope You will devise some way
to get more pay and do less work.
Again j assure you Of the cordial
welcome Or citizens extend, aud de
sire you TO remember that the more
we can do for you the better it will
please us."
A. II. Lewis was next introduced by
the president, who responded IN fit
ting terms, expressing the thanks oil
the association for the cordial wei
come SO kindly expressed.
Then followed the annual address
Of the president. which is given in
full:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: Although
1 have been connected with the press
for some twelve years, my labors have
been IN that broader field of journal
ism which bowers the laborer with
such knowledge and experience as
| should possess, TO do justice to the
position in which am now placed, OF
TO meet the expectations of such an
assembly Of editorial ability as that
which | see before me; and should
wander from the well beaten track OF
precedent on such occasions, or startle
you by innovations, l may make on
time honored usage,I ask you in char
ity to believe that 1 am actuated in
what / shall say or recommend, by a
desire that our profession in Dakota
shall attain the highest standard oil
usefulness that it is its privilege and
its duty TO maintain.
This beautiful city wherein we are
assembled was the early gateway to
Central Dakota. and through il pass
ed many thousands of the settlers OF
1879 so 81. The first carload OF
lumber was unloaded by the railway
company here in March, 1873 AT
that time from Lake Kampeska to the
Black Hills "a distance Of nearly 400
miles), and from Mitchell to within
twenty miles of jamestown Ia dis
lance Of nearly 300 miles), there was
not a furrow plowed, nor settlers
cabin erected There WINS nothing
but a limitless sea of living green,
over all of which brooded the silence
OF creations dawn, invoked by the
voice or footstep of civilization ;where
the beautiful cities of Mitchell, Huron
Redfield and Aberdeen new stand six
Years ago the greasy barbarian pitch
ed his tent and held his councils; in
these few years the widest dreams OF
Arabic fiction have been more than
discounted by the unparalleled settle
nent and development OF Central Da-
kota.
In the great work OF educating the
T People vi Inc easiern states IN the iii5' az.
vantages Dakota offered them, aud OF
peisuading them 10 leave their New
England stone patches to possess
large farms in this garden spot OF the