St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-11-08
PRESS ASSOCIATION.

We had the pleasure last week of at
tending the Press Association, which me
in the city of Baton Rouge, October 90
There were quite number of papers rep
resented to begin with, but they dwindlet
down until few Of the editors remained til
the closing. The meeting was one of in
terest to the Association a number O.
| speeches made on various subjects ane
several excellent papers read. The editors
had good time, but principally among
themselves. They made but few acquain
tances among the citizens, rain or some
| thing else preventing them from attend
ing the meetings.
We had the pleasure, with number OF
others, of stopping at the Meyer hotel
Mrs Phillips. of the Natchotoches Enter
prise; Miss Della, Neal, of The AMERI-
CAN; Mr.. H, II. Hargrove, of the Picayune;
Mr.. Presley, the handsome young editor
editor of the Robeline News, Mr.. Cary,
of the Jennings Reporter, the writer,
and, occasionally, Mrs. Julia Rule,
(Pansey) of the Shreveport Times, all oc
cupied one table, and took meals In quite q
homelike manner.
General Jastremski still holds the con-
fdence of the editors of the State. He was
re elected by reclamation as president
The association met in the Representative
Hall at $3.50 o'clock on Monday evening,
and after a few words of welcome by
Mayor Way, of the city of Baton Rouge,
President Jastremski responded as fol-
lows:
Mr.. Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen:
Ten years ago, on Monday, October 81,
1880, at the hall IF Washington Steam
Fire Company No. /. in this city, Hon.
Henry J. Hymans, of the West Baton
Rouge Sugar Planter, called to order the
representatives of the State press, who
had assembled TO form the Louisiana Press
Association Mr. l. E. Bently of the DON
sldsonville Chief, was chosen temporary
secretary.
Il \
Seventeen papers were represented, and
seven more had sent proxies, making
total Of twenty four papers.
At that time Baton Rouge was without
railroad communication
X
This being our "tin" meeting, / trust
that you will not regard as inappropriate
this retrospective sketch of a meeting,
which, il it was not so large as the present
one, has left in thu hearts of those who at
tended it ineffaceable recollections-sad
ones of friends who have CROSSED over
the river to rest under the shade of trees,
and ever pleasing memories of the happy
hours spent with the lsrge hearted people
of old Baton Rouge, with whom twenty
three of the best and happiest years of my
life were passed, and with whose joys
sorrows and struggles they were closely
linked.
1t gives me inexpressible Joy to draw
your sttention to the progress that this
lovely highland Capital City of Louisiana
has made during the comparatively brief
period of ten years. The new capito
greets the eye Of the visitor on his arrival
by river, or by one or the other of the
great railway lines which connect Baton
Rouge with the busy world on each side
Of the Father of Waters. Waterworks,
electric lights, a street railway line, lux
urious hotels and residences, stores public
buildings, schools, banks, and, in fact, all
the signs of growing city that nature
has endowed with one of the loveliest
sites on the American continent
This is a cheering spectacle, indeed,
hat is spread to the gaze of the Louisiana
Press Association at this time.
There is still another, which you will
be most grattied to behold. l allude to
he spacious grounds, tracts and buildings,
which the State Fair Association have de- |
voted, and trust for many years will con-
inue to devote, to exhibitions of the grow
ng agricultural and manufacturing in |
iustries of our beloved State l crave to |
% permitted to say, in behalf of the State |
Press, which has labored earnestly in the |
,ast to induce our people to organize such |
beneficial exhibitions, that it has con-
ributed no little to their organization. l
NOW that the success that awaits the ex-
libition we are about to see, will incite
he press to renewed efforts to sustain it,
nd all other like efforts for agricultural
nd mechanical development.
l feel that l am but voicing its unan-
nous sentiment when express the earn
st hope that ere another decade has
assed away, the historians of our State
he press-wlll note tenfold progress of
his favored Capital City and of tho entire
tate.
But let us not forget, my brethren.
mid the pleasing sight and festivities Of
ais suspicious occasion, that they are met
lainly for the transaction of business re-
sting to the interests and the develop
lent or the efficiency of the State Press,
which the people also have deep in
'rests.
1t will be your duty to devise measures
} promote this object. Our work will be
'ss arduous since, being component part
the National Editorial Association, our
elegations annually, gain much from that
ody of the valuable information that our
rethren from every State in the Union,
Dice at their great assemblies. From
lem we have learned that the same
-oblem that we have been striving to
I've during the past decade, have given
lem equal labor, but also that their Ia {
'rs, like ours have not been fruitless. l
he task is Herculean, indeed, to secure
,rfect cooperation among the press,
hich, In free country, must, necessarily, {
} the exponent of all conflicting ideas
ID interests. In the crossing of Its pens t
Issions are stirred and ill-feeling en- I
ndered for, the average man seldom Q
ooks contrary opinions with equanimity. r
1e journalist is constantly subjected to c
xations of this kind, and he should /
hool himself to withstand opposition Z
lmly. He should accord to others the
me right that he claims for himself of Il
pressing his opinions freely. and strive v
confine discussion within the bounds of il
artesy and decency. tt
To attain cooperation in our calling, q
an in business mattars ia | ronaat | ~