The record-union., 1894-04-04
EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION.
TOPICS DISCUSSED AT YESTER-
DAYS SESSION.
w. III. Mills Speaks on the Future of
Journalism-Type- Setting
Machines.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.


SAN Francisco, April AT the meet
ing of the California Press Association
this morning Will S. Green of Colusa
talked about the Board of Trade. He
said it's work was of benefit to the whole
| State, though it's expenses were mostly
borne by this city. The country press
ought to cooperate with the Board OF
Trade, and should give more attention to
booming their several localities. Mr..
Green's suggestions were exceedingly
we'll received by his auditors.
Following Mr.. Green's address was
that of William II. Mills. Speaking OF
the future of journalism Mr.. Mills said:
"There are to-day in New York. 1 be-
lieve. no newspapers that do not admit to
their columns matter which. though ad-
vertising, is not marked as such. Though
! there are newspapers in San Francisco
which do not do this, it is almost uni
versal practice.
II venture to say that a speech deliv-
cred in Congress or elsewhere, If it were
good speech, and if it were not excluded
for party reasons, could be inserted for
pay in any of the New Y ork dailies. Har-
per's publications were perhaps the last
| to begin printing advertising matter not
marked as such, but their illustrated ar
| ticle advertising Seattle was an instance,
! though it bore an obscure mark.
| II believe the time is approaching rap
| idly when there shall arise an era OF
newspapers which will have a circulation
far beyond anything which is dreamed of
now, for they will be given away for the
advertising they contain.
1.-The type-setting machines. on the
| RI 9th han yuiI hrin oh lior
changes in journalism. In the office of a
Los Angeles paper there are four ma
/ chimes, and the printing is done at cost
20 cents per 900 ems.
"What is to become of the printers, dc
you ask? Why, there are more men en-
ployed in the Los Angeles office referred
to to-day than there were when the ma
chimes were brought in. The paper now
uses telegraphic news to the amount OF
10000 words per night, while before il
used 4,500 words. Type will be set tol
10 cents per thousand. and when you can
do this you change journalism from 9
mechanical to an intellectual basis. AS
many men will be employed at the cases
as now, and many more at the desk. The
cheaper printing will eliminate the patent
outside, and your country papers car
afford to print the telegraphic news.
Further than this, with a Thorn
type-setter single individual can do al
the type work on magazine in month
and do the editing besides. The spread
of ideas will increase when man having
an opinion to express can do all the
work. Great dailies will then cease to be
organs of opinions, and the question o.
the right to publish will be settled as il
was in France, when it was decided thai
1t is better to die than to surrender the
right to think and to publish the
thoughts
Colonel J. P. Irish disagreed radically
with Mr.. Mills ideas. II have planted
my feet" said he, ION the country press
as still in touch with humanity. In the
city the hiss of steam and the rattle o
machinery have taken the place O.
thought. In 1856 the New York Tribune
with circulation of only 5000, welded
greater influence than did Jove when be
stood upon Olympus and hurled his thun-
bolts. Where is the successor to the
| Tribune? The great papers of the coun.
try to-day carry the coupons instead O.
lesson for every member Of the house
hold But | am not here to scold. Still
| | had rather sit down with the printers il
country office and jeff with them fol
beer than to reap the profits of the big
gest newspaper. l can find men all OVel
California who were brought here by no.
tices of the products of localities which
the A Ito used to copy from the country
papers. Ihere IS work Tor your papers
and / assert that there are virtues yet il
the journalism that lives out on the plains
and hillsides."
Mr.. Mills took issue with Colonel Irish
and asserted that though they were not o
large circulation, there were papers pub.
lished still which rival the Tribune in in
f1uence.
The address of Miss Friedlander. rep
resentative of the Oregon Editorial Asso
citation, on women in Journalism
closed the session.