The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-05-04
THE EDITORS AT NEW BERNE.

The People of the Elm City open
Their Hearts and Homes and Give
the Journalists a Warm Reception
and Royal Entertainment.
The 2lst annual convention of the
North Carolina Press Association con-
yened in New Bernc Wednesday, April
/ Goth and was in session two days. The
writer was present and had the pleasure
/ Of meeting many of his brethren OF the
/ press with whom he has mingled on
+ former occasions Of the kind, besides
making a number Of agreeable acQualnt'
anccs among new members and the
/ generous and hospitable people OF that
/ cultured and delightful city. The ses,
/ siOns Of the convention were enjoyable
| and cdifvin". but the business trans
! acted being Of Il nature not specially
| interesting to any but those engaged
! in the newspaper business, full &C
count will not be given here.
| The convention was called to order
| by President f. +. billiard, of the
| Scotland Neck Dem0crat, and the Rev
Mr.. George, Of the Episcopal church.
/ ItlA Ohti tllt INV lit uD'Ii YIN
mcctin" and deliberations OF the ed,
| itors assembled. Hon. Matt Manly.
! Mayor. in few brief but well chosen
| words welcomed the Press Association
to the historic city Of New Berne, and
| introduced Mr.. 5. {. Bragaw, city
| attorney. who delivered the address OF
| welcome. His speech was cOuched III
| choicest rhetoric and was as cordial
| and sincere as it was eloquent and or
nate. Mr.. ii. \. London, of the Pitts
t b0rn RecolN. responded on behalf OF
| the Association. An apt and ready
speaker at all times and on all Occa-
sIons, his remarks were happy and
iclicitOus and once more did he show
himself to be a pleasing and effective
speaker no less than Il graceful and
vigorous writer.
Secretary John b. Sheriff., of the
Concord Times. called the roll and be-
tween 80 and 60 members answered
present." Several more came in
Wednesday night and Thursday morn
inc. After the morning session the
editors were rendered a ride on the
steamer Neuse, well appointed boat
plying between New Berne and Ply,
mouth, and were Joined in the excur.
sion by many Of the citizens, ladies and
gentlemen. n run of ten or twelve
miles down Trent river, fine body o.
water. was made and then back again
y short trip up the Neuse and view
Of the lumber mills, factories, fishing
and oyster packing industries on the
water front around the city was hat
and the ride was finished.
At the afternoon session Presiden
billiard read his annual address. l
was well conceived and carefully pre-
| pared paper and abounded in VIII ole
| touchn" matters and business of inter
est to editors for whose benefit it wa:
designed. a committee of five wa
appointed to consider the address ant
topics were assigned and speakers Sc
| lectectcd to discuss them. These re
marks took the turn of a practica
and instructive nature and were
much enjoyed. QIaving mislaid gu
notes we cannot give the names of The
speakers or the subjects discussed b,
| them.)
At night a musical concert by loca
home talent was given for the benefi
| Of the editors at the theatre. A larg'
and fashionable audience including
many of New Berne's distinguished
sons and beautiful and charming daugh
| ters shared with the visiting editors
| the enjoyment Of what proved to be 4:
rare treat indeed. The program was
well arranged and admirably executed
and we doubt if any town the same
| size could have shown higher talen
and musical culture. While every
number was well rendered the singing
of Mrs. Chapen and Mr.. J. w. Watson
deserves special mention. Each pos
scssing fine, richly cultivated voice
and pleasin" stage presence sang hi:
or her way to the hearts Of the audi
| cncc and had to respond to several e1
cores. Without meaning to diparage
any other person or feature it is no
too much to say that the "pome' o
Jerome DOwd, of the Charlotte Times
| was the rarest and most unique thing
OF the evening. His presence, his
looks, his manner, his subject matter
were i'll perfect harmony with the
occasion and the surroundings and he
| even surprised his most intimate friends
| and surpassed himself. From the time
he made his appearance on the stage
| holding in his hands dozen sheets o
paper held together by about ten yards
of red and blue bunting knotteG
| together at the top in massive bow
two feet wide, until he spoke the las1
| line and bowed himself back behinC
the scenes, the audience was conyulseC
i'll laughter. The :. hits were apropos
but it required the quaint and origina
way of the author and speaker to give
them force and meaning. We will
| publish the poem next week, but with
out Jerome Dowd to read it there is
lacking that spice and humor and fun
| which give it life and character in his
| skillful hands.
Thursday mornings session CLOSED
| the convention. \ number of resolu.
tons were adopted and the various
committees made their reports. ThaC
r. Manning who had been previously
| appointed by the President to read an
| essay on the best method of securing
subscribers. being called upon entered
plea otno 10 contendere and threw him.
self upon the mercy of the convention
He pleaded mot guilty" Of having pre-
pared an essay or of being able to
| discover the best method of securing
subscribers, since his plan as privately
revealed to Orator Marshall of the
Gastonia Gazette appeared to be so
impractical to that editor as to drive
him to seek the postotfice in his town
The speaker said he did not wish to
see the entire Press Association follow
ing this example hence he would not
take them into his confidence as he had
done the Gazette man. He insisted
however, that there was one thing he
knew less about than how to secure
subscribers, and that was to Get the
money after he had got the subscriber.
y chorus of voices led by President