Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-15
THE PRESS ASSOCIATION.

1He NOTLneE0 Guu OeulTdi NdiliOiAia
Press Association meets IN this city this
evening in annual session. There is to be
a meeting of the Associations Executive
Committee this afternoon. 1t is under
stood that there will be a considerable
attendance of visitors at the session from
the southern part Of the State.
Sacramento welcomes these newspaper
men cordially. Last year she entertained
them royalty; this year there will be no
formalities or exertions of that order. Not
that the local journalists, though few IN
number, were unwilling to, or not desirous
of engaging in such pleasant work: but
the Executive Committee has notified
them that it would not be expected, and
that any effort in the way of banquet
and ride would be deemed out of place,
since last year there was such generous
entertainment. The session will be an
!. ortant business one, with two set
apers, however, on journalistic subjects.
The purpose of the organization is a
highly commendable one. That it can be
attained, is not to be doubted, if only the
membership will make concessions, yieldto
one another. and stand firmly together. In
such union as the organization contem-
plates there is a franchise of inestimable
value But to secure it, the members
must set aside their individuality to a
great extent and require the foreign busi-
ness of the Association to be transacted
exclusively through one, and only one, re-
sponsible agency. If individual members
deal with foreign advertisers without using
the business avenue of the Association,
they compete with themselves and destroy
the whole scheme of the organization.
If it is found impossible to hold all the
members up to this correct standard, one
of two things must result-the cutting off
Of such members as will not comply or the
abandonment of the organization. The
newspaper men of the interior have it
within their power, by honest and firm
unity, to secure due reward for their labors,
and to be free from the ruinous rule
of the practice that pits one
journal against another to undercut
and starve. The newspaper men want only
what is fair. They propose no corner
upon their goods. They desire only to be
protected from graceless and unfair COM
petition between themselves. They can
secure these ends only by union and the
maintenance of one business channel
through which to communicate with the
business world. No matter if by such use
one journal secures less and another more
business than heretofore-in due time the
equalization and fair distribution of bust
ness will come about, and at least for what
he does get the country publisher will re-
ceive far better prices.
All organizations of this order start
%ith much friction. 1t takes time to put
the machiher, into smooth running order,
and to harm0nize all interests ard IS bring
all to foresee the ultimate gain of disci-
pline and orderly organization. If the
newspaper men cannot agree upon fair re-
wards for labor and service, and settle
upon a system by which they will make
for themselves franchise as the result of
compact union, then it will be demon
strated that the very class of men who ad-
wise others how to conduct their business,
are least competent to carry on their
own with view to amassing a
competency for the days when human
vigor declines 1t must be confessed
that at the spring meeting of the Associa-
tion there was such manifestation Of de-
sire TO receive all the benefits of unity,
while maintaining perfect individual free
dom to do as each one pleased at any time,
and under all circumstances, that the hope
of building franchise retired far into the
realm of doubt whether newspaper men
are capable Of selt-government Since
then there has been, we learn, very con-
siderable change of sentiment for the bet
ter, and the belief is now entertained that
the purpose of the organization being bet
ter understood, will be fully attained.
Let US hope so; it will be better for the
State if it comes about, because it
will give US better conditioned, more in
dependent and courageous press, and the
State and society must profit thereby.