The record-union., 1891-03-18
THE woMEN,s PRESS ASSOCIATION

appears W 10 " DTdlLy dIlu vigorous pOuy
of people. The purposes of the associa-
ton are praiseworthy, and as they look
towards promotion of the fraternal spirit,
the encouragement of ability, and the
conservation of high grade standard of
excellence among the women writers and
journalistic workers of the coast, it ought
to have the aid of the helping hand from
all. We believe thoroughly in associated
ability as means of great good, when
pure purpose underlies association.
Union of good elements strengthens all
the units, and gives to the cause pro-
NOTED character and standing. The
women engaged in literary work upon
this slope are numerous, and they have
made for themselves enviable places
among writers of the country-not SO
much perhaps for books they have given
to the world, as for their fugitive papers,
their correspondence and their essay de-
fense of the things that are uplifting,
clean and purifying.
These women writers have won espe-
cial prominence as critics-social, musical,
artistic and dramatic; as correspondents
they have proved to be among the very
best, writing fluently, graphically and
with vigor; as workers upon newspapers
not a few Of them have demonstrated
that the observant faculty is especially
quick and keen among them, and that
despite physical disability they possess
all the attributes which under training
develop the reporter, the most important
and versatile of all workers in journalism.
AS iessayists and as editors several
Pacific Coast women have especially dis
tinguished themselves, and in special
lines of study relating to sociology, to the
development Of the State and the en-
largement of its industries, to the better
ment of its social conditions, the promo
ton of needed reforms, the establish
ment of charitable works, the improve
ment of the educational system, the ex-
tension of our commerce, and the for
warding of schemes for the refinement of
the tastes of the people, such as the con-
servation of the fine arts, the mainte-
nance of art schools, the study of the true
and beautiful in nature and in art, and SO
on, the women writer's of California have
been exceedingly prominent.
We are gratified that citizens who work
upon such lines, and who prove their
ability to grasp questions Of public i'm
portance, and to contend in the forum OF
public debate, are moved to association
for mutual counsel and common forward
ing of human interests. If the men of
the press manifested something of the
eonfraternal spirit that is distinguishing
these women of the press and of local
literature in their deliberations and social
intercourse, we should soon have decided
improvement in California journalism.
If the men of the press would meet as do
these women, and conduct their delibera-
tions in as fine spirit, the scoop" would
cease to be the one and sole aim of the
news gatherer regardless of the element
of truth; we should then have in force the
rule of courtesy and gentility, and mutual
regard would be justified by mutual gen.
tlemanly conduct. There would be
whipped from journalism by the lash Of
decency, the miserable and reckless sys.
tenn that admits to its precincts the trust
lers," who penny-a-line for the paper
and for the remaining necessary means Of
subsistence, "rustle ON the outside, fol
stray pence for which they can sell par.
agraph or doctor report.
If the spirit of mutual protection, L
high regard for the profession, if respect
for its worthy traditions and if lofty hope
for its future inspired the men of the
press, as it evidently does the womer
writers of the coast for their society
| the newspaper man would very sooI
command respect where he now so offer
only excites fear or inspires contempt
| The profession has been dragged very
much in the n,ire by the methods tha
unholy competition and unwholesomt
sensationalism have stimulated, an6
nothing will lift it up and command fo
it the regard of men but the abandon
ment of unclean methods, the choosing
of symbols typical of something bette
than greed; the subordination of per
sonal revenges and narrow self-seeking
and the substitution of broad and states
manlike views of all public questions
unsaleableness of columns, promotion o
wise reforms and the defense of cleanli
ness and truth, and the exposure at AM
and all times of corruption and venality
in high places, in any and all forms.
! If the women of the Pacific Coast Pres.
Association We're in authority to-day il
the metropolitan press, we would see, il
all probability, marvellous revolution
in methods and wonderful reformation
| in journalism there. 1t is barely possibl,
that, once in power, they might yield t,
temptation and make the counting-roon
sound the keynote for the policy of tn
journals, give to the insane desire to out
do, the free reign of untruth and concoc
ton. and pigcon-hole character as