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

holder to greater consideration than simpl,
membership under our present rules
| You are strong enough now to do that
Revise your constitution and by laws
| create a committee on admission, and q
committee on the good of the association
| to study and to advise you upon the
| various matters affecting your interests
Unite to secure the enactment of laws
whereby you will obtain the remuneration
| that you should receive for public work,
and to prevail upon the legislature tc
adopt liberal policy toward the press
for 1t should be the policy of enlightened
craftsmanship to foster the press as much
as it is consistent with the public interest
to do 80. Wise legislation gives encour-
agement and support to education, and
wise Legislation cannot ignore the fact that
the press is the most potent factor in the
education of the masses; since the press
discusses, as 1t is it's function to do, every
question of public interest in all its bear
lngs, thereby enabling the masses to reach
intelligent conclusions.
would recommend that you set apar,
at this meeting, as much time as you can
TO the discussion of the suggestions OF
propositions that may spring from your
experience and observation of matters con
corning the press.
| would earnestly recommend that you
subscribe to the National Journalist, the
organ of the National Editorial Associa
ton, in which you will gather profitable
information from the reports of the meet
ings Of the State Press Associations. and
the papers read at their meetings.
1t is the mission of the press to discuss
the most exciting questions. Hence, it
you would maintain your association in its
proper functions, you should forbear from
introducing into the discussion in your
meetings any public or political subject
about which there exists wide divergence
of opinion. You should meet as friends
in the conventions of the association how
ever much you may have been at variance
through the columns Of your papers, and
you should constantly bear in mind that
you are assembled mainly to labor for the
general welfare and elevation of your pro-
fession.
find good reason to congratulate the
association, at the close of the first decade
of it's existence. Its rolls have been aug
mented four fold. There Is marked i'm
provement In the ability, the make up,
and the general tone of the State papers.
Personal journalism is fast waning, and it
seldom occurs nova days, that editors
find occasion to resort to the use of arms
or physical force, to give effect to their
writings. The reading public have little
interest in the personal controversies of
editors. This is matter of fact age, and
a discriminating and intelligent pub bile
look for logic and Intelligent facts and
ability, in the discussions of public ques-
tions. Reason is steadily pushing brute
force to the back ground, and the editor
who can reason best will WELD the most
power in swaying the masses of thinkers.
cannot conclude my remarks more ap-
propriately, think, than by returning to
the mayor and to the good people of Baton
Rouge, whom he represents, the hearty
thanks of the Louisiana Press Association,
for their warm welcome. The people of
Baton Rouge presided over its formation
and msnifes ted by their hospitable recep-
ton then, their friendship for the journal
istic fraternity in their undertaking. 1t
was eminently due to them that we should
hold our "tin- meeting" in their midst,
that they might see that the organization
they had assisted to create, is as grateful
for services rendered as it has grown in
numbers and power.-Er.