Evening journal., 1888-08-06
PEN INsULA EDITORS.
The s'CeciI DEMOCRACY, Gives A
sketch OF Their First Meeting.

sketch of Their First Meeting.
In the summer of 1875, the happy idea
suggested itself to certain members OF the
fraternity editorial that the homegeneity
Of the Peninsula justified a closer social
and business relation than had existed
between the fragmentary portions OF
states that occupied and composed that
providence protected land. Responding
TO the idea, pleasant excursion OF the ed
itors and their families was arranged
The party met at Lewes, some coming
from one direction and soms from another.
and there took passage on an Old Dominion
steamship for the port Of New York. The
sea incidents OF the trip to the Empire City
were uneventful. The night was as
beautifully calm and bright as any the
oldest salt ever expressed contempt for.
The party was happy one. The conven-
tion proceedings in the spacious saloon
we're full Of spirit which It is delightful
to mingle with "Reminiscences. Wit and
merriment and repartee and conventional
wranglinR and the inevitable wire.work-
ing. without which no PenInsular editor
can be happy to recognize himself, made
up the improvised program. About forty
editors took part, the names Of whom do
not readily arise TO memory. Some have
forsaken the tripod for more lucrative call
ings. Some have sought a wider field
where peaches and provincialisms would
not hamper their budding ambitions.
Some have passed to the bourne where
editors may not wrangle neither may they
osculate. Fisk Townsend was the organizer
OF the trip and well do we remember the
glow Of pride that lit his face as be
looked around in fond belief that only the
Peninsula could do the likesn OF what we
we're doing. Poor Fisk Big-hearte3,
brave and generous. may the reward he
has gone to be measured by the quality
OK his social purpose Aud Jenkins
was there, keen cut, alert, devoted Jour.
nalist, then full of hopes OF big daily into
which the Evening Commercial was to
grow. He was the associations 6rst
president, and right regally did he its
honors. And there was Croasdale, the
irrepressible, talented and irreconcilable,
ss full OF fight then as ever since, and
never fonder OF eight than when he knew
be was in the wrong. And Hodson, too,
was there, with his beautiful young wife,
as suave and cordial and eloquent as 10 the
later days when he has taught by example,
that politics may be earnest without being
bitter. And whole host of genial
spirits took their first trip to sea that
night and fancied the drowsiness Of
the morning was the recompemse Of Jack
Tar-dom. OF them all the taller recalls
none who with him is still member OF the
Peninsula Press Association. So rapid and
remorseless are times mutationsl Arrived
IN New York, such OF as as could longer
keep awake went over to Brooklyn and
listened for an hour or two TO the wondrous
eloquence of advocate Beach who was
summing up" in the case-celebre OF Tilton
vs.. Beecher. The rest Of us rested till the
time came to depart for Philadelphia,
where q cordial reception awaited us at the
hands OF the local press with
the versatile Mexican Of the Ledger
as master OF ceremonies. We were
received at the 42d street station and
conducted in carriages through the park
and ell the lines where was about TO spring
up as II by magic the gorgeous array Of
AAANAAho NhN AAnN Va WuAIu Ahd HtNtI hIletu
so rapidly in all the world, and thence to
the Belmont Mansion. where a feast was
spread that gods might envy and only the
eloquence that supplemented its contump-
tion could hope to emulate. Peninsula
editors went away from that boat trip
down Fairmount with bigger idea Of
their individual importance than they had
ever dreamed Of, and perhaps a shade
larger than they have continued to enjoy.
That was the beginning of Peninsula edi-
torial excursions. Year after year since
that time the spirits have annually blended
but up TO now they have made little pro-
gress in the scheme. born with the organi.
cation, Of making single state Of this Pc
ninsula OF the blest. May they still keep
on trying and may the annually blooming
delights OF the effort rob failure OF its
modification. The editor knows that there
is something higher than success, even IL II
does not pay well-deserving it. He may
not attain the one, but he surely will not
fall short OF the other as long as be tries to
do his duty on and to the Peninsula.